He was born in 1821/22, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: date 5 (33 in 1863), 13 (48 in 1870), 20 (26 in 1850). place: 5, 20]
He married Mary [unknown family name]. She was born in 1829/30, in Pennsylvania. They apparently had at least these children:
[sources: 16, 17, 19]
In fall 1848, he may be the William McNally, shoemaker, living at 5 Holmes' alley, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 18]
In 1850, he was living in ward 3, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with Mary (apparently his wife) and John (apparently their son). He was a shoemaker. [source: 2]
Starting about fall 1853, he may have been living on Steam Mill Alley, Philadelphia. He twice appears as a cordwainer (in the 1854 and 1860 city directories), but usually was listed as a shoemaker. [source: 18]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 7-1/2 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. [source: 5]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 24 August 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Colonel Reiff. He was a private, in company C. [sources: 1, 5, 30, 31]
By 1862, he was living at 416 Buttonwood Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 18]
On 29 March 1862, Andrew Brown (C) thanks his father and sister for the things they sent him in William McAnally's box. Brown also tells his father and sister that William mcanally and others 'are all well and sent their respects to all the folks'. [source: 22]
On 3 April 1863, Andrew Brown (C) asked his father and sister to have McNally's wife send him two half bent sewing awls. He reported that McNally and others were doing well, and sent their respect to 'all the folks', and in particular to Brown's father and sister. [source: 29]
On 31 May 1863, Andrew Brown (C) reported that McNally and others came to see him regularly in the Fifth Corps Hospital, and were taking good care of him. [source: 24]
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. [source: 10]
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer. He was enlisted on 26 December 1863, at Bealton Virginia, and mustered in as a private on the same day at Bealton. [sources: 1, 21]
On 31 March 1864, Andrew Brown (C) wrote to his father and sister that all the boys, including Bill McNally, were doing well. [source: 25]
He was promoted from private to corporal on 1 April 1864, filling a vacancy. [source: 2]
On 18 April 1864, Andrew Brown (C) wrote to his father and sister that McNally and others were doing well 'and send their respects to their folks'. [source: 26]
On 28 April 1864, Andrew Brown (C) wrote to his father and sister that Bill McNally and others 'are well and wish to be remembered to all their folks.' [source: 23]
On 14 June 1864, Andrew Brown (C) wrote to his father and sister that Bill McNally and others were doing well. [source: 27]
On 17 June 1864, Andrew Brown (C) passed messages to McNally's wife:
tell Bill McNallys [sic] wife he is well[.] he has not got but two letters since we started on the campaign[.] .... Bill says he hasnt [sic] had enough to eat since we started on this campaign + in fact he is not the only one as every body complains of not getting enough to eat. all the boys are well[.] .... Bill says tell his wife to tell him in her next how the boys are getting along[.]
[source: 28]
On the May-June 1864 company C muster roll, he is reported a corporal, present for duty. [source: 21]
On 8 September 1864, his daughter Harriet Emma McNally, died, of dropsy. She died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She died at (or was buried from) 416 Buttonwood Street, ward 12, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 12 September 1864, she was buried, in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 16, 17]
He received a ten-day furlough on 20 September 1864. He returned between 30 September and 6 October. [sources: 6, 7, 8]
On 5 November 1864, he was promoted from corporal to sergeant, effective 1 November 1864. [sources: 3, 4, 9]
He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company, as a sergeant. [sources: 1, 21, 30, 31]
He lived at 416 Buttonwood Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until he died. [source: 18]
On 16 October 1867, he testified in support of Ellen Drew's application for a pension, based on the death from battle wounds of her son Michael Drew (C). He was a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 14]
On 27 October 1868, he testified in support of James Tierney's application for a pension, based on the death of his son James Tierney (C). He was a resident of Philadelphia. [source: 21]
In June 1870, his wife Mary was living at 416 Buttonwood Street, ward 12, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with their (apparent) children John, William, Eliza, and Jackson. She was a dressmaker. [sources: 18, 19]
On 17 July 1870, he died, of general debility, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a shoemaker. He was married [?]. The Humane Engine Company, number 13, was invited to attend his funeral. He died at, or was buried from 416 Buttonwood Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 19 July 1870, he was buried, at Oddfellows Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 12, 13, 15]
His wife may be the Mary McNally, widow of William, living at 233 Wood Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about fall 1873. [source: 18]
On 3 September 1891, his widow, Mary McNally, applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension. [sources: 11, 12]
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 special order 31, HQ 91st PA, 1 April 1864 (William McNally)
3 special order 104, HQ 91st PA, 5 November 1864 (William McNally)
4 company C, List of non-commissioned officers, page 2, sergeants (Wm McNally)
5 company C, descriptive roll, entry 52 (William McNally)
6 consolidated morning report, 20 September 1864 (Corpl McNally)
7 consolidated morning report, 30 September 1864 (not named, but absent with leave)
8 consolidated morning report, 6 October 1864 (no enlisted men from company C absent with leave)
9 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 7 November 1864 (Corpl McNally)
10 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (William McNally)
11 pension index, by name (William McNally)
12 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company C (William McNally)
13 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 17 July 1870 (Wm McNally)
14 abstract of mother's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, certificate WC 122,557, Ellen Drew mother of Michael Drew (Wm McAnally)
15 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer, Tuesday 19 July 1870, page 5 (William McNalley)
16 death notice, Public Ledger Monday 12 September 1864 page 2 (Harriet McNally)
17 [not transcribed] death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 8 September 1864, Harriet E McNalley (FamilySearch)
18 selected Philadelphia city directories
19 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 12, district 34, page 102 verso = 84 handwritten (FamilySearch) (Mary McNally)
20 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Northern Liberties, ward 3, microfilm series M432, film 810 page 154 recto = 307 handwritten (William McNely)
21 pension certificate file, James Tierney father of James Tierney (C), certificate WC 138,241 (William McNally, William McAnally)
22 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 29 March 1862, Washington DC, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (William McAnally)
23 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 28 April 1864, Warrenton Junction VA, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (Bill McNally)
24 letter, Andrew Brown to his father, 31 May 1863, Fifth Corps Hospital, near Acquia Creek, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (McNally)
25 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 31 March 1864 Warrenton Junction, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (Bill McNally)
26 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 18 April 1864, Warrenton Junction, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (McNally)
27 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 6 June 1864, Cold Harbor, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (Bill McNally)
28 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 17 June 1864, camp near Petersburg, Virginia, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (Bill McNally)
29 letter, Andrew Brown to his father and sister, 3 April 1863, camp near Falmouth Virginia, in his father's pension certificate file, WC 134,972 (Bill mcNally)
30 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William McNalley)
31 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William McNally)
| line | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Dwellings visited | [446] | ||
| Families visited | 560 | ||
| Name | William McNely | Mary " | John " |
| Age | 26 | 23 | 2 |
| Sex | M | F | M |
| Color | |||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Shoemaker | ||
| Real estate owned | |||
| Birthplace | Pena | Pena | Pena |
| Married within year | |||
| Attended school within year | |||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Dwelling-house number | 499 | ||||
| Family number | 529 | ||||
| Name | McNally Mary | - John | - William | - Eliza | - Jackson |
| Age | 40 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 9 |
| Sex | F | M | M | F | M |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Dressmaker | Stove Moulder | Wagon Driver | At Home | |
| Real estate value | - | - | - | - | - |
| Personal estate value | - | - | - | - | - |
| Birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| Father foreign born | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mother foreign born | 1 | ||||
| Birth month if born within year | |||||
| Marriage month if married within year | |||||
| Attended school past year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Can't read | |||||
| Can't write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | ||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
McNALLY--On the 8th inst., after a short and painful [?] illness, HARRIET EMMA, daughter of William and Mary McNally, aged 5 years and 3 months.
The friends and those of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from the residence of her parents, 416 Buttonwood street, on this (Monday) afternoon, at 3 o'clock, 12th instant, without further notice.
McNALLEY.--On the 17th inst., WILLIAM McNALLEY, in the 48th year of his age.
The relatives and friends of the family; also, the Humane Engine Company, No. 13, and Company C, Ninety-first Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from his late residence, No. 416 Buttonwood street, this (Tuesday) afternoon, at 4 o'clock. To proceed to Odd Fellows' Cemetery.