He was born in 1842/43, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[sources:
date: 3 (22 in 1865).
place: 3]
When he enlisted, he was a cigar [maker?].
[source: 3]
Description
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 10-1/2 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair.
[source: 3]
During the war
He was a substitute.
He enlisted and was mustered into service in the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry on 27 February 1865.
He was enlisted for one year, by Captain Lane.
[sources: 1, 3, 4]
He was assigned by general order 123, Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, without a descriptive list.
[source: 3]
On 2 June 1865, he was transferred to the 91st Pennsylvania.
He was a private in company I of the 91st Pennsylvania.
[sources: 1, 2, 4]
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)
(George Benson)
4index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania
(George Benson)
Sources checked unsuccessfully
1850 US census
George E Benson, 8, born PA, with Edward (52, hotel keeper), Catherine (50), Charles (26, cooper), H J (20), Elen J (16), William E (12), George E (8), and Sarah J (18) Benson (all born PA), in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Roxborough, microfilm series M432, film 820, page 265 recto = 531 handwritten (FamilySearch)
George Benson, 3, born PA, black, with John (42, barber), Eliza (40), John (18, barber), Samuel (14), Eliza (10), Aaron (6), and Charles (4) Benson (all born PA), in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Kensington, ward 3, microfilm series M432, film 806, page 139 verso = 278 handwritten (FamilySearch)
George Benson, 17, born PA, clerk, with Gustavus (44, broker, born Maryland), Margaret (31, born DE), Emma (21), Dale (9), Francis (m, 4), and Ella (1) (all children born PA) et al., in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Dock Ward, microfilm series M432, film 817, pages 476 recto = 915 [?] handwritten to 476 verso = 916 [?] handwritten (FamilySearch)
George Benson, 26, born Scotland, sailor, with Julian (f, 22, born Ireland), in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Southwark, ward 1, microfilm series M432, film 821, page 8 verso = 16 handwritten (FamilySearch)
George W Benson, 4, born PA, with John (43, b.NJ, plasterer), Catharine (42, b. PA), Charles (21, b. PA, plasterer), Mary Jane (14, b. PA), Elizabeth (12, b. PA), in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Southwark, ward 6, microfilm series M432, film 822, page 446 verso = 928 handwritten = 64 handwritten (FamilySearch)
1860 US census
(A) 1861 Biddle's Philadelphia directory, page 60:
Benson George, rigger, 1 Walnut, h 106 Shippen
Benson George, laborer, Susanna n Richmond
Benson George (c), barber, 510 Jefferson
Benson George E., banker, 6 & 8 S 3d, h 1515 Spruce
Benson George M. (c), waiter, r 1311 Shippen
[also: Benson Elizabeth (c), widow George W., r 1311 Shippen]
Benson G. A., grocer, 512 Market, h Gtn
(B) 1860 census entries include:
(1) Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 21, microfilm series M653, film 1172, page 657 = 45 handwritten
Catharine 50 restaurant helper b. PA; Horace (28 dealer b. PA), William (22 coachmaker b. PA), George (18 carpenter app b. PA) Benson, Anna Rittenhouse, Mary Rittenhouse
(3) Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 24, precinct 1, microfilm series M653, film 1175, page 528 = 227 handwritten
George A 54 saddle & harness mass; William P 56 " " mass
(4) Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 5, southern division, microfilm series M653, film 1155, page 585 = 427 handwritten
Thomas Benson 33 dealer PA, Mary (31 PA), Matilda (7 PA), Sallie (5 PA), George (3 PA), Elizabeth (1 PA)
[no Thomas Benson in 1861 Biddle's directory]
1870 US census
searching Ancestry for George Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found 26 entries (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1880 US census
searching Ancestry for George Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found 4 entries (and of course I don't know whether he was in Philadelphia, or even whether he was alive) (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1890 US census, veterans schedules
searching FamilySearch for George Benson found no George Benson listed as serving in the 91st (accessed 16 November 2013)
George Benson living in Philadlephia, no address listed, served as a private in G 25 PA from 1 Feb 1864 to Dec 1865 (FamilySearch)
George T Benson living in Philadelphia, post office address 1162 W 4th St ("Fell on Ship. Hurt Knee Cap now O.K.") served as a seaman on the USS Berumda from 11 May 1865 (or 1863?) to 27 July 1865 (FamilySearch)
Geo W Benson living in Philadelphia, at 1935 North 24th St, served as a corporal in M 192 PA infantry from 16 July 1864 to 11 November 1865 (FamilySearch)
a George Benson was living in Alexandria Virginia, with no listed unit; another was living in Kings, New York, New York with no listed unit;
1900 US census
searching Ancestry for Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found 3 entries (and of course I don't know whether he was in Philadelphia, and he was probably not alive, since neither he nor a descedent ever applied for a pension) (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1910 US census
searching Ancestry for Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found 1 entry (and of course he was probably not alive, since neither he nor a descedent ever applied for a pension) (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1920 US census
searching Ancestry for Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found 1 entry (and of course he was probably not alive, since neither he nor a descedent ever applied for a pension) (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1930 US census
searching Ancestry for Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found no entries (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
1940 US census
searching Ancestry for Benson born 1840-44, in Philadelphia County found no entries (accessed 16 Nov 2013)
records of headstones of deceased Union veterans, 1879-1903
FamilySearch index (accessed 7 October 2013)
headstone applications for US military veterans, 1925-1949
FamilySearch index (acccessed 7 October 2013)
Pennsylvania, veterans burial cards, 1777-1999
Ancestry index (accessed 7 October 2013)
14 entries, including
George T Benson, died 22 APril 1899, served as a Landsman on the US Princeton and Bermuda from 12 May 1863 to 27 July 1865, buried in National Cemetery, Philadelphia
Find a grave
no George Benson buried in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; no George Benson buried in Pennsylvania whose memorial refers to service in the 91st or 118th PA; (accessed 6 October 2013)
Philadelphia death certificates, 1803-1915
searched FamilySearch index 24 Oct 2013, for George Benson born PA 1842/43; the 46 results included the following deaths, none of which are plausibly my George Benson:
(1) George E Benson, born Philadelphia, died 12 October 1866 (FamilySearch)
no age listed, banker, born Philadelphia, 732 Evangelist, buried Ronaldson
North American 15 October 1866 page 2: 'BENSON--On Thursday, the 11th instant, GEORGE E. BENSON, in the 53d [?] year of his age. [paragraph] His male friends are invited to attend his funeral, from his late residence, No. 732 Evangelist street, this (Monday) morning, at 10 o'clock.'
(2) George Benson, died 15 April 1877, Philadelphia (FamilySearch)
87 years old, married, born Philadelphia, no occupation, 944 S Front St, buried 18 Oct 1877 at Dearfield NJ
checked death notices in Inquirer on 16, 17, 18, 19 Apr (on GenealogyBank)
(3) George Benson son of Gustave A and Emily Benson, died 3 January 1885 Philadelphia, buried Laurel Hill (FamilySearch)
Philadelphia Inquirer 5 January 1885, page 5: 'BENSON.--At Lawrenceville, Ga., on the 3d instant, G. A. BENSON, Jr., son of Gustavus A. and Emily T. Benson, in the twentieth year of his age.'
Philadelphia newspapers
searching GenealogyBank for 'George Benson funeral' in 1865 to 1899 found these additional entries:
(4) Philadelphia Inquirer 24 July 1872 page 5: 'BENSON.--On the 20th inst., Mr. GEORGE BENSON, aged 48 years. [paragraph] The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from his late residence, No. 14 Christian street, this (Wednesday) morning, at 8 1/2 o'clock. Solemn high mass at St. Philip's Church. Interment at Cathedral Cemetery.'
(5) Philadelphia Inquirer 24 April 1899 page 11: 'BENSON.--On April 22, 1899, George T. Benson, aged 62 years. The relatives and friends of the family, also Sumner Post, No. 103, G.A.R.; Robert Bryan Camp, No. 80, S. of Veterans, and Thaddeus Stevens Lodge, No. 4, K. of P., are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Tuesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, from his late residence, 1162 North Fourth street. Interment at National Cemetery.'
according to the death certificate (FamilySearch), he was black
(6) Philadelphia Inquirer 22 September 1881 page 4: 'BENSON.--On the 19th inst., at his residence, Ninth ward, Wilmington, Del., GEORGE A. BENSON, of paralysis, aged seventy-seven years. [paragraph] The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral this morning at 10 o'clock from his late residence, Ninth ward. To proceed to Bethel M. E. Church, Cemetery.'
(7) Philadelphia Inquirer 1 April 1899 page 14: 'BENSON.--Suddenly, on March 28, 1899, George Benson, aged 53 years. Residence, No. 1229 Fitzwater street. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral services, at Masonic Hall, No. 1227 Locust street, on Saturday afternoon, at 1 o'clock. Interment at Lebanon Cemetery.'
1898 Gopsill's Philadelphia directory page 178: 'Benson Geo T., barber, 1162 N 4th'
according to the death certificate (FamilySearch), he was colored
pension index, by unit
no George Benson in the 118th PA's cards (searched for Benson in 118th PA on Fold3; accessed 7 October 2013)
Display
George Benson in the 91st PA gedcom on RootsWeb WorldConnect
[index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania]
[transcribed 10 Mar 2014, from Fold3]
Benson George
Co. I, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Pvt | Pvt
See also 118" Pa. Vols.