91st PA: John Biedel

John Biedel

Before the war

He was born in 1840/41, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, probably to [unknown] and Elisabeth [unknown family name]. [sources: date: 7, 8, 12 (33 in 1875), 13 (18 in 1860), 14 (28 in 1870). place: 7, 12, 13, 14. parents: 13]

In 1860, he was living in ward 17, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with Elisabeth Biddle (presumably his mother), and with Elisabeth Biddle (presumably his sister). He was a hatter. [source: 13]

When he enlisted, he was a hatter, and was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 7, 8]

Description

When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 10 inches tall, and had a dark complexion, dark eyes, and dark hair. [sources: 7, 8]

During the war

He enlisted and was mustered into service on 23 August 1861 as a corporal in company A. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Starr. [sources: 1, 6, 7, 8, 19, 20, 21]

At some point, he was reduced to the ranks for disobedience of orders and unsoldierlike [conduct?] [source: 6]

On 12 June 1863, he was promoted to 3rd corporal of company A. [source: 6]

He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. [source: 11]

On 1 October 1863, he was promoted to second corporal, replacing Simeon Zane. [source: 3]

He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer on 26 December 1863, at Bealton, Virginia. [sources: 1, 8]

On 12 March 1864, he was reported under arrest. [source: 9]

On 4 July 1864, Colonel Gregory detailed him for duty at brigade headquarters. In September 1864 [?], he was a color bearer at Brigade Headquarters. [sources: 4, 5 (5 July)]

He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company. He was a corporal, in company A. [sources: 1, 8, 19, 20, 21]

After the war

He married Catharine [unknown family name]. She was born in 1846/47, in Pennsylvania. They apparently had at least one child:

Perhaps their son is the William J Beidle who was born on 12 January 1869 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John and Kate Beidle. (But note that a John W H Biedel, son of John and Catherine M V Biedel, died in Philadelphia on 5 April 1868, and was buried on 7 April 1868.) [sources: 14, 16, 17]

In 1870, he was living in ward 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his (apparent) wife Catharine and their (apparent) son William. He was a laborer. [source: 14]

On 31 December 1875, he died. He died of dilatation of heart. He was a plasterer. He died at (or was buried from) 2020 Lawrence Street, ward 19, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 2 January 1876, he was buried at Richmond Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (This is apparently St Peter's German Redemptionist Fathers Cemetery, in Port Richmond, Philadelphia.) [source: 12]

Kate Biedel, his widow, applied unsuccessfully for a pension on 7 April 1879. [sources: 2, 10]

Perhaps their (apparent) son is the John Biddle who was living in the Educational Home for Boys in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1880. [source: 15]

Margaret Crawford, guardian of his dependents, applied successfully on 19 March 1886 from the District of Columbia. [sources: 2, 10]

Perhaps she is the Margaret Crawford who in 1880 was living in Washington, DC, with (among others) her four-year-old niece Maggie C Beidell. If so, she was 35, born in Ireland, widowed or divorced, and keeping house, with five boarders living with her, along with a lodger and her daughter, and a servant. [source: 18]

Sources

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 (John Beidel)

3 special order 99, HQ 91st PA, 1 October 1863 (John Biddle)

4 special order 61, HQ 91st PA, 4 July 1864 (John Beidel)

5 [list of detailed men, probably from Sept 1864] (John Biedel)

6 register of non-commissioned officers, co.A (John Biedel) (several entries)

7 company A descriptive roll, entry 91 (John Biedel)

8 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 5 May 2004 (John Biedel; muster-in roll has Riedel)

9 consolidated morning report, 12 March 1864 (Biedel)

10 pension index, by name (John Beidel)

11 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (John Beidell)

12 death certificate, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 31 December 1875 (John Biddle)

13 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 17, microfilm series M653, film 1167, page 896 recto = 110 handwritten (FamilySearch) (John Biddle)

14 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 20, district 67, microfilm series M593, film 1407, page 542 recto = 52 handwritten (FamilySearch) (John Biddle)

15 [not transcribed] 1880 US census, The Educational Home for Boys, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 27, electoral district 7, enumeration district 574, microfilm series T9, film 1186, page 101 = 9 D handwritten (FamilySearch) (John Biddle)

16 [not transcribed] birth record, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 12 January 1869, abstracted at FamilySearch (Wm J Beidle)

17 [not transcribed] Philadelphia Pennsylvania death certificate, 5 April 1868 (FamilySearch) (John W H Biedel son of John and Catherine M V Biedel)

18 [not transcribed] 1880 US census, Washington District of Columbia, enumeration district 38, microfilm series T9, film 122, page 322 = 14 B handwritten (FamilySearch) (Margaret Crawford)

19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Bidel)

20 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Biedel)

21 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Beidel)

Sources checked unsuccessfully

1850 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 2 December 2013)
note that the John Biddle, 10, living in Delaware County is living with David and Ann Biddle (see Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Springfield, microfilm series M432, film 776, pages 165 verso = 330 handwritten to 166 recto = 331 handwritten FamilySearch
1880 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
no obvious candidates when I searched William Biddle b. PA 1868/69 resident USA 1880 mother Catharine in FamilySearch (accessed 29 Nov 13)
searched William mother Catharine b PA 1868/70 on FamilySearch (accessed 29 Nov 13)--many were in the US, but no possible entries were in DC)
Philadelphia birth registers
couldn't find Maggie Beidell/Biddle (accessed FamilySearch index 14 Dec 2013)
1890 US census, veterans schedules
Ancestry index (accessed October 2005)
1900 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
1910 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
1920 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
1930 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
1940 US census
Ancestry and FamilySearch indices (accessed 14 Dec 2013)
Pennsylvania veterans burial cards
Ancestry index (accessed 29 November 2013)
Find a grave
accessed 14 December 2013 (searched for John Biddle/Biedel/Biedle in 1875/76 in Philadelphia)
death notices
looked (on GenealogyBank) at death notices in the Philadelphia Inquirer for 31 December 1875, 1 January 1876 (accessed 14 December 2013)
(GenealogyBank had no Philadelphia newspapers for 2 January 1876 when I searched on 14 December 2013)
records of headstones of deceased Union veterans, 1879-1903
FamilySearch index (accessed 13 December 2013)
headstone applications for US military veterans 1925-1949
FamilySearch index (accessed 13 December 2013)
death certificates for Kate Biddle
FamilySearch index (accessed 14 December 2013)
note that the Kathrine H Biddle who died on 12 July 1892 was married to Samuel (see (1) Philadelphia death certificate, 12 July 1892, Kathrine H Biddle, available on FamilySearch (accessed 14 Dec 13) and (2) death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer, 15 July 1892 page 6 (available on GenealogyBank, accessed 29 November 2013))
RootsWeb WorldConnect
accessed 14 December 2013

Display


John Biedel or Biddle in the 91st PA gedcom on RootsWeb WorldConnect

John Biedel in the 91st PA database

1860 census

[1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 17, microfilm series M653, film 1167, page 896 recto = 110 handwritten (FamilySearch)]
[identification is likely, since his occupation matches the occupation at enlistment]
[I did not transcribe the others in this household, headed by John Boyer, weaver]
line222324
Dwelling number[712]  
Family number[803]  
NameElisabeth BiddleJohnElisabeth
Age421815
Sexfmf
Color   
OccupationServantHatterTailor
Value of real estate owned   
Value of personal estate   
Place of birthBavariaPa"
Married within year   
Attended school within year   
Cannot read & write   
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc.   

1870 census

[1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 20, district 67, microfilm series M593, film 1407, page 542 recto = 52 handwritten (FamilySearch)]
[identification is likely, since (1) Catharine's name matches the name of the widow who applied for a pension based on his service]
line345
Dwelling-house number[348]  
Family number377  
NameBiddle John- Catharine- William
Age28231
SexMFM
ColorWWW
OccupationLaborerKeeping House 
Real estate value   
Personal estate value   
BirthplacePennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaPennsylvania
Father foreign born111
Mother foreign born111
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 old1  
Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ...   

index to compiled service records

[index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania]
[transcribed 9 Mar 2014, from Fold3]


Bidel John
Co. A, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Corpl. | Corpl.
REFERENCE CARD.
Original filed under
Beidel John

GENERAL INDEX CARD.


[card 2, transcribed 10 March 2014]

Biedel John
Co. A, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Corpl | Corpl
REFERENCE CARD.
Original filed under
Beidel John

GENERAL INDEX CARD.


[card 3, transcribed 14 March 2014]

Beidel John
Co. A, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Corpl. | Corpl.

GENERAL INDEX CARD.

death certificate

[death certificate, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 31 December 1875, John Biddle]
[transcribed 29 November 2013, from FamilySearch; see here and here]

RETURN OF A DEATH
IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
PHYSICIAN'S CERTIFICATE.
1. Name of Deceased, John Biddle
2. Color, White
3. Sex, Male
4. Age, 33 years
5. Married
6. Date of Death, Dec 31, 1875
7. Cause of Death, Dilatation of Heart
L. H. Griffith M.D.
Residence, 1409 N. 12th St.

UNDERTAKER'S CERTIFICATE IN RELATION TO DECEASED.
8. Occupation, Plasterer
9. Place of Birth, Phila Pa
10. When a Minor, [blank]
11. Ward, 19.
12. Street and Number, 2020 Lawrence St
13. Date of Burial, Jan 2 /76
14. Place of Burial, Richmond Cemetery
Henry Schueller [??] Undertaker
Residence, 1737 Germantown [?] Ave

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revised 14 Mar 14
contact Harry Ide at [email protected] with comments or questions.