He was born on 28 October 1824, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. [sources: date: 20, 24, 27; 10 (55 in 1880), 13 (35 in 1861), 14 (35 in 1861), 24 (78 at death in 1902), 29 (1830). place: 10, 13, 20, 29 (Chester County)]
In 1860, William Beaver was living in West Vincent, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a f[arm?] laborer. He was living with Catharine A Beever (33, born in Pennsylvania, a housemaid, with $175 in personal property), and Deborah Beever (37, born in Pennsylvania, a d[ress?] maker, with $65 in personal property). [source: 15]
When he enlisted, he was a farmer, and was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 13, 14]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6-3/4 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light hair. [sources: 13 (clearly 5'6-3/4"), 14 (5'6-1/4")]
He enlisted and was mustered into service as a private on 15 October 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Gilbert. He was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 13, 14, 18, 27, 30]
He was transferred on 4 December 1861 to company A. [sources: 1, 14, 17]
On 12 June 1863, he was promoted to 1st corporal of company A. [source: 12]
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. [source: 22]
On 23 August 1863, he returned to duty from corps headquarters. On 26 August 1863, Sinex reported that he had been on duty as Provost Guard at Corps Headquarters, and had returned. [sources: 5, 9]
At some point, he was promoted to 4th corporal of company A. [source: 12]
He was promoted from corporal to 4th sergeant, on 1 October 1863. [sources: 6, 11, 14 (4 Dec 61)]
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer on 24 December 1863 at Bealton, Virginia. [sources: 1, 14]
On 17 August 1864, he was sick in the division hospital. [source: 19]
He was promoted on 25 May 1865 from sergeant to first lieutenant. [source: 1, 3, 13, 14, 23]
He was present when David Ginther (A) 'was wounded in the foot with an axe clearing the timber before action', and later certified that. [source: 26]
On 1 June 1865, he was assigned to command company A, and ordered to receipt to Lieutenant William Letourneau for all ordnance, ordnance stores, and other property. [source: 7]
On 5 June 1865, he certified that Thomas Simpson (A) was killed in action. [source: 25]
On 13 June 1865, John Bell was assigned to command company A, and ordered to receipt to Beaver for all property. [source: 8]
He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company. He was then a first lieutenant, in company A. [sources: 1, 14, 18, 27, 30]
On 7 February 1867, he married Catherine Ann DeHaven. She was born on 5 July 1839, in Pennsylvania, to Joseph DeHaven and Margaret Heffelfinger. They apparently had five children, none of whom were alive in 1900, including:
[sources: 16, 20 (5 children, none living in 1900), 21 (5 children, none living in 1910), 24, 29]
In 1870, William Beaver was living in the 154th District, West Pikeland, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He had $225 in personal property. He was a day laborer. He was living with Catharine (30, born in Pennsylvania, keeping house), and Emma L (1, born in Pennsylvania. [source: 16]
In 1880, William Beaver was living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania, with his wife Catherine A Beaver. He was a laborer. [source: 10]
He applied successfully for a pension on 4 August 1883. [sources: 2, 4]
In 1890, he was living in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania. [source: 18]
In 1900, he was living in West Vincent Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a farm laborer. He was living with his wife Catherine, in a rented house. [source: 20]
He died on 27 June 1902, at Chester Springs, Chester County, Pennsylvania . He was buried in the Vincent Baptist Church burial grounds, West Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He had been a member of that church for 45 years. [sources: 2, 24, 27]
On 25 July 1902, his widow, Catharine A Beaver, applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension. [source: 2, 4]
In 1910, his widow, Catherine A Beaver, was living with relatives in Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania. [source: 21]
On 12 February 1919, his widow died, in Royersford, [Montgomery] County, Pennsylvania. She was buried in the Vincent Baptist Churchyard, Pikeland, Chester County, Pennsylvania. [source: 24]
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 (William Beaver)
4 pension index, by name (William Beaver) (searched 25 April 2001, on Ancestry)
5 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 26 August 1863
6 special order 99, HQ 91st PA, 1 October 1863
7 special order 32, HQ 91st PA, 1 June 1865
8 special order 34, HQ 91st PA, 13 June 1865
9 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 23 August 1863 (Corpl Beaver)
10 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Chester County, Phoenixville, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 87, page 295 = page 25 handwritten (William Beaver)
11 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 1 Oct 1863 (Corpl Beaver)
12 register of non-commissioned officers, co.A (Wm Beaver) [two entries]
13 company A descriptive roll, entry 67 (William Beaver)
14 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 5 May 2004 (William Beaver)
15 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Chester County, West Vincent, page 829, lines 6-8 (William Beever)
16 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Chester County, 154th District West Pikeland, page 18, lines 2-4 (William Beaver)
17 company G, register of men transferred (William Beaver)
18 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Chester County, Phoenixville, supervisor's district [blank], enumeration district 107 (image 14 of 21 on Ancestry) (William Beaver)
19 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 17 August 1864 (Sergt Beaver)
20 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Chester County, West Vincent Township, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 132, page 200 = page 6 handwritten (William Beaver)
21 1910 US census, Pennsylvania, Chester County, Borough of Phoenixville 3rd ward, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 50, page 122 = page 13 handwritten (Catherine Beaver)
22 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (William Beaver)
23 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 27 May 1865 (Sergt Beaver)
24 Find a grave, memorial 32693976, created by Mike O, added 6 Jan 09, accessed 30 Apr 11 (including a transcription of a death notice in the Daily Local News of West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, from 30 June 1902] (William Beaver) [identification is confirmed by reference in the memorial to his service in the 91st]
25 pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, RG 15, certificate 52,775, Susanna mother of Thomas W Simpson (William Beaver)
26 mother's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 15, certificate WC 57,866, Susan Ginther mother of David Ginther
27 Pennsylvania veterans burial cards, 1777-1999, Chester County, 27 June 1902 (William Beaver)
28 Pennsylvania death indices, 1919 ('Beaver,Catharine A;--24959;Royersford;Feb.12.')
29 'Felix-Helmick-Campbell-Grubbs', an Ancestry family tree, owner amethystangel777, accessed 2 June 2013 (William Beaver)
30 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William Beaver)
| line | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Dwelling number | " [sc. 555] | " [sc. 555] | " [sc. 555] |
| Family number | " [sc. 555] | " [sc. 555] | " [sc. 555] |
| Name | William Beever | Catharine A. " | Deborah " |
| Age | 35 | 33 | 37 |
| Sex | m | f | f |
| Color | |||
| Occupation | F. Laborer | H maid | D Maker |
| Value of real estate owned | |||
| Value of personal estate | 175 | 65 | |
| Place of birth | " [sc. Pa] | " [sc. Pa] | " [sc. Pa] |
| Married within year | |||
| Attended school within year | |||
| Cannot read & write | |||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| [line] | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Dwelling-house number | 86 | ||
| Family number | 92 | ||
| Name | Beaver William | _ Catharine | _ Emma L |
| Age | 40 | 30 | 1 |
| Sex | M | F | F |
| Color | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Day Laborer | Keeping House | |
| Real estate value | |||
| Personal estate value | 225 | ||
| Birthplace | 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 | ||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 20 | 21 |
| street name | Hall Street | |
| house number | ||
| dwelling visit # | 221 | |
| family visit # | 229 | |
| name | Beaver William | - Catherine A |
| color | W | W |
| sex | M | F |
| age | 55 | 40 |
| month born if born in year | ||
| relationship | wife | |
| single | ||
| married | 1 | 1 |
| widowed/divorced | ||
| married during year | ||
| occupation | Laborer | Keeping house |
| months unemployed | ||
| currently ill? | ||
| blind | ||
| deaf/dumb | ||
| idiotic | ||
| insane | ||
| disabled | ||
| school this year | ||
| can't read | ||
| can't write | ||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| line | 49 | 50 |
| street | ||
| house number | ||
| dwelling number | 50 [?] | |
| family number | 121 | |
| name | Beaver William | Catherine A |
| relationship | Head | Wife |
| color | W | W |
| sex | M | F |
| birth date | Oct 1824 | July 1839 |
| age | 75 | 60 |
| married? | M | M |
| # years married | 33 | 33 |
| mother of how many children? | 5 | |
| # of children living | 0 | |
| birthplace | Penna | Pennsylvan |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | ||
| # years in USA | ||
| naturalized citizen? | ||
| occupation | Laborer (Farm) | |
| # months not employed | 0 | |
| # months in school | ||
| can read | Yes | |
| can write | Yes | |
| speaks English | Yes | |
| owned/rented | R | |
| free or mortgaged | ||
| farm/house | H | |
| # of farm schedule |
| line | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 |
| street | Clover [?] Street | |||
| house nr | 234 | |||
| dwelling nr | 279 | |||
| family nr | 284 | |||
| name | Irish Walter | - Elsie | - Arline | Beaver Catharine |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Daughter | Aunt |
| sex | M | F | F | F |
| color | W | W | W | W |
| age | 27 | 26 | 7 | 70 |
| marital status | M1 | M1 | S | Wd |
| #years present marriage | 8 | 8 | ||
| mother of # children | 1 | 5 | ||
| mother of # living children | 1 | 0 | ||
| birthplace | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | New Jersey | unknown | New Jersey | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| immigrated | ||||
| naturalized/alien | ||||
| speaks English | English | English | English | |
| occupation | Barber | none | none | none |
| nature of industry etc. | own shop | |||
| employer etc. | Emp | |||
| out of work 15 Apr 1910? | ||||
| # weeks out of work 1909 | ||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | |
| can write | yes | yes | yes | |
| school since 1 Sep 09 | yes | |||
| owned/rented | R | |||
| owned free or mortagaged | ||||
| farm/house | H | |||
| nr on farm schedule | ||||
| civil war vet | ||||
| blind | ||||
| deaf & dumb | ||||