He was born in 1844 (23; 14 (17 in 1861), 17 (18 in 1861), 18 (20 in 1864), 32 (25 in 1870)). He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (17, 18, 26 [Philippines], 32).
When he enlisted, he was a clerk, and was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (14, 17, 18).
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 3 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light hair (14, 17, 18 [hazel eyes]).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 4 October 1861 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1, 2, 14 [1 card for co.D, musician, 1 card for co.A, private], 17, 19, 20 [14 Oct], 33). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Sinex (17). He was mustered into service by Captain Smith (17). He was a musician in company A (1, 36-38 (co.D)).
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg (27).
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer, probably on 1 January 1864 (1, 14 [26 Dec 1863, Bealton VA, co.D; 1 Jan 1864, Warrenton VA, co.A], 18 [1 Jan 64]). He was reenlisted for three years, at Bealton, Virginia, by Lieutenant Swan (18).
He was transfered from company A to company D on 16 February 1864 (5, 16). He may have been mustered in company A when he reenlisted, perhaps because he was detached (16?).
The superintendent of the volunteer recruiting service detached him for duty in the recruiting service, at Chester, Pennsylvania, on 22 February 1864 (3, 6). On 27 April 1864, Sinex asked that he be returned to the regiment (4).
On 8 June 1864, he was detailed for duty in Brigade headquarters (7).
On 4 July 1864, he was detailed by Colonel Gregory for duty at brigade headquarters (8, 12). He was still an orderly in September (?) 1864 (12).
On 27 April 1865, he was promoted to corporal, effective 1 April 1865 (1, 9, 15, 18).
On 3 June 1865, he went on a furlough, which expired on 18 June 1865 (11). He returned on 19 June 1865 (11).
On 3 July 1865, he was promoted to quartermaster sergeant, effective 1 July 1865 (1, 10, 14, 28, 29).
He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with the regiment (1, 2, 14, 20, 33 [1 July]). He was then quartermaster sergeant (1, 2, 36-38).
He may be the William Walter Widdifield who married Clara C Clegg on 9 October 1867, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (26).
In 1870, he was living in the 15th ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (32). He was a bank clerk (32). He was living with WA and Catherine Widdifield (presumably his parents), Clara (presumably his wife), Fanny and Joseph (perhaps his siblings), and two servants (32).
He was secretary of a meeting of the 91st's survivors after Edgar Gregory's death (31). At the first meeting of the Survivor's Association, on 4 December 1871, he was elected one of the Trustees (30).
In 1880, a William W Widdifield was a clerk in the water department, living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (28th ward, district 5) (13). He was 35, and was living in Pennsylvania (13). His wife, Clara Widdifield, was 31, born in Pennsylvania, and was keeping house (13). Six children were living with them (13):
Also, one servant, Mary Malloy, 16, born New York (parents born Ireland) was living with them (13).
The 1890 census has two entries for him. According to one, he was living at 407 North 4th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (20). According to the second, he was living at 2202 North 29th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (21). Since the City Directory lists only Clara C Widdifield at 2202 North 29th, I suspect she was living there, and he was living on 4th Street (22).
In 1894, Susan Wilson, guardian of the children of John N Hawks alias James Clark (D), contacted him for help with her pension application on their behalf (35). He was living at 474 Dellwyn Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (35). He apparently did not provide her with an affidavit (perhaps because he was unable to confirm that Hawks and Clark were the same person) (35).
On 28 August 1906 and on 14 February 1907, he applied successfully for a pension (2, 19, 33).
He died on 13 February 1916, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2, 19, 23 [1916], 33, 34 [14 Feb]). He was living at 1219 North 11st Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (13). He is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (23). Members of the Veteran Legion Camp number 73, and Prothonotary's Office employees, were invited to attend the funeral (34).
Sallie C Widdifield, his widow, applied successfully for a pension on 22 September 1916 (2, 19, 24, 33).
(The identity of Bates' William Widdefield with the orders' Walter Widdefield seems to be guaranteed by his promotion to quartermaster sergeant (1 and 10).)
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 pension index, by regiment (Field and Staff) (William W Widdifield)
3 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 7 March 1864 (Walter Widdefield)
4 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 27 April 1864
5 special order 4, HQ 91st PA, 16 February 1864 (Walter Widdefield)
6 special order 9, HQ 91st PA, 22 February 1864
7 special order 41, HQ 91st PA, 8 June 1864 (Wm W Widdifield)
8 special order 61, HQ 91st PA, 4 July 1864 (Wm W Widdifield)
9 special order 25, HQ 91st PA, 27 April 1865 (Walter W Widdifield)
10 special order 39, HQ 91st PA, 3 July 1865 (Walter W Widdifield)
11 enlisted men's furloughs (Walter Widdifield)
12 [list of detailed men, probably from Sept 1864] (Walter Weddifield)
13 1880 census extract, from www.familysearch.org, searched 2 June 2003 (citing National Archives film 1187, page 308C) (William W Widdifield)
14 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 18 May 2004 (Wm W Widdefield; rolls also have 'Middefield')
15 company D, list of non-commissioned officers (William W Widderfield)
16 company D, register of men transferred (William W Widderfield)
17 company D, descriptive roll, musicians, entry 1 (Walter Widdifield)
18 company D, second descriptive roll, entry 9 (Walter W Widdifield)
19 pension index, by regiment (co.A) (William W Widdifield)
20 1890 US census, veterans schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 209, page 1 (image 1318 on Ancestry), line 5 (William W Widdfield)
21 1890 US Census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia (24th division, 28th ward), supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 657, page 2 (image 2142 on Ancestry) (William W Widifield)
22 1890 Gopsill's Philadelphia directory
23 West Laurel Hill Cemetery (William Widdifield)
24 pension index, by name (William W Widdifield)
25 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 28 division 5, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 590, page 17 handwritten = 308 stamped, lines 25-31] (William Widdifield)
26 IGI, on www.familysearch.org, citing Marriage returns 1860-1885, Philadelphia (PA) Board of Health (searched November 2005) (Wm Walter Widdifield)
27 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (W W Widdefield)
28 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 4 July 1865 (Widdifield)
29 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 4 July 1865 (Widdifield)
30 'Ninety-first regiment', Philadelphia Inquirer 5 December 1871 page 3 (Walter W Widdifield)
31 'General Gregory'. Philadelphia Inquirer 11 November 1871 page 2. (W W Widdifield)
32 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 15, microfilm series M593, film 1399, page 485 = 114 handwritten (W W Widdifield)
33 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company D (William W Widdifield)
34 death notice, Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia PA) 16 February 1916, night extra, page 8 (William W Widdifield)
35 Navy pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, microfilm series M1469, certificate 13952, John N Hawks [see especially page 23] (William Widdefied [sic])
36 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Walter W Widdifield)
37 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Walter Widdifeild)
38 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Walter W Widdifield)
| line | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Dwelling-house number | 738 | |||||||
| Family number | 710 | |||||||
| Name | Widdifield W A | " Catherine | " Fanny | " W W | " Jos | " Clara | Stevenson Mary | Kenard Rebecca |
| Age | 62 | 55 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 15 |
| Sex | M | F | F | M | M | F | F | F |
| Color | " [sc. W] | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Occupation | Clerk Bank | Keeping house | Clerk Bank | Clerk R R | Domestic Servt | Domestic Servt | ||
| Real estate value | ||||||||
| Personal estate value | 10,000 | |||||||
| Birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| Father foreign born | ||||||||
| Mother foreign born | ||||||||
| Birth month if born within year | ||||||||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||||||||
| Attended school past year | ||||||||
| Can't read | ||||||||
| Can't write | ||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||||||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| street name | Paul [? 'Pa--l' is clear] Avenue West Side | ||||||||
| house number | 2110 | ||||||||
| dwelling visit # | |||||||||
| family visit # | |||||||||
| name | Widdifield William | - Clara | - Katharine | - Walter | - Clara Jr | - James | - Allinson | - Grace | Malloy Mary |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | M | F | M | M | F | F |
| age | 35 | 31 | 11 | 9 | 6 1 [?]/12 | 4 | 2 | 6/12 | 16 |
| month born if born in year | Dec | ||||||||
| relationship | Wife | Daughter | Son | Daughter | Son | Son | Daughter | Servant | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| widowed/divorced | |||||||||
| married during year | |||||||||
| occupation | Clerk in Water Dep | Keeping house | At school | At school | At school | Servant | |||
| months unemployed | |||||||||
| currently ill? | |||||||||
| blind | |||||||||
| deaf/dumb | |||||||||
| idiotic | |||||||||
| insane | |||||||||
| disabled | |||||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| can't read | |||||||||
| can't write | |||||||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | New York |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Ireland |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Ireland |
WIDDIFIELD.--On February 14, 1916, WILLIAM W. WIDDIFIELD, husband of Sallie W. Widdifield (nee Thomas). Relatives and friends, also Survivors of 91st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers; Veteran Legion, Camp No. 73, and employes of the Prothonotary's Office, are invited to attend the funeral services, on Thursday, at 2 p.m., at his late residence, 1219 N. 11th st. Interment private. Somers Point (N.J.) papers please copy.