He was born in 1830/31 (2 (34 in 1865), 8 [39 in 1870], 9 [49 in 180]). He was born in Pennsylvania (8, 9).
On 15 January 1857, he married Elizabeth [unknown farmily name] (6, 12). On 4 June 1862, they had a son, who was crippled, and remained "mentally unable to earn his support" (6). In 1900, she had had seven children, six of whom were living (10).
He was drafted (1, 2). He was mustered into service as a private on 28 February 1865, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (1, 2, 3, 6). He was a private in company F (1, 14, 15, 16).
He mustered out with his company on 10 July 1865 (1, 2, 3, 6). He was a private, in company F (14, 15, 16).
In 1870, he was living in Oxford Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (8). He was a stone mason, and owned $700 in real property and $100 in personal property (8). He was living with his wife Lizzie, and their (presumed) children Pius [?], Mary J, John, Katie, Henry, and Annie, and his mother-in-law Annie Altraggi (8).
In 1880, he was living in the 65th District, Adams County, Pennsylvania (9). He was a stone mason (9). He was living with his wife Elizabeth, his children Pius, Kate, John, Beckie, and Anna, and his mother-in-law Anna M Alltraga [?] (9).
Francis Breighner died on 16 May 1886 of acute cystitis (6, 12).
In 1890, his widow, Elizabeth, was living in Oxford Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (post office Irishtown) (3).
On 21 July 1890, his widow, Elizabeth Breighner, applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension (4, 13).
In 1900, his widow, Elizabeth Brigner, was living in Oxford Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (10). She was living with her son John, her daughter Annie Gooft [?], and three grandchildren (10).
Elizabeth Breighner died in February 1906 (6).
On 11 June 1906, his son, John Lewis Bernard Breighner, applied successfully for a pension (4, 11, 13).
On 30 April 1906, the House Committee on Invalid Pensions recommended granting a pension to John Lewis Bernard Breighner, because he had been helpless from birth and lived on charity (6). The Senate Committee on Pensions recommended approval on 21 May 1906 (7). His application was granted by an act of Congress dated 11 June 1906, because he was "helpless and dependent" (5). President Roosevelt signed the bill in June 1906 (11). The bill was introduced at the request of the Corporal Skelly Post 9, of the GAR, which considered this "one of the most deserving cases in Adams county" (11).
In 1920, his son John was 54 years old, and his post-office address was New Oxford, Pennsylvania (12). He had no control of muscular movements, and needed aid because of chorea (12). He had no property (12). The House and Senate committees recommended increasing his pension to $20 per month (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) (Francis Breghner)
2 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 19 January 2005 (Francis Breghner)
3 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Oxford Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 18, page [2] (Francis Breighner)
4 pension index, by name (Francis Breighner)
5 Chap. 3218.--An act granting a pension to John Lewis Bernard Breghner. Statutes at Large volume 34, part 2, page 2095 (Francis Breighner)
6 'John Lewis Bernard Breighner'. House Report 3687, 59th Congress, 1st session, Serial Set 4908F (session volume F)
7 'John Lewis Bernard Breighner'. Senate report 3701, 59th Congress, 1st session, in Serial Set, volume 4905 F (session volume F)
8 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Oxford Township (post office Abbottstown), microfilm series M593, film 1289, page 318 = 5 handwritten (Frank Brieghner)
9 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, 65th District, supervisor's distrioct 7, enumeration district 60, microfilm series T9, film 1085, page 301 = 12 D handwritten (Francis Brickner [?])
10 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Oxford Township, supervisor's district 12, enumeration district 25, microfilm series T623, film 1354, page 302 = 8 A-B handwritten (Elizabeth Brigner)
11 'Pension granted'. New Oxford Item (New Oxford, PA), 29 June 1906, page 5 (Francis Breighner)
12 Senate Report 493. 'Pensions and increase of pensions for certain soldiers and sailors of the Civil War, etc. March 30, 1920.' Serial Set volume 7651. 66th Congress, 2nd Session. Session volume B. Page 27. repeated at Senate Report 582. 'Pensions and increase of pensions for certain soldiers and sailors of the Civil War, etc. May 11, 1920.' Serial Set volume 7651. 66th Congress, 2nd Session. Session volume B. Page 132 (Francis Breighner)
13 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company F (Francis Breighner)
14 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Francis Breighmer)
15 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Francis Brechner)
16 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Francis Breghner)
| line | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 |
| Dwelling-house number | 33 | ||||||||
| Family number | 38 | ||||||||
| Name | Brieghner [sic] Frank | " Lizzie | " Pius [?] | " Mary J | " John | " Katie | " Henry | " Annie | Altraggi Annie |
| Age | 39 | 29 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6/12 | 62 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | F |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Stone Mason | Keeping House | Domestic | ||||||
| Real estate value | 700 | ||||||||
| Personal estate value | 100 | ||||||||
| Birthplace | - [sc. Penna] | Germany | Penna | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Germany |
| Father foreign born | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Mother foreign born | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Birth month if born within year | Jan [?] | ||||||||
| Marriage month if married within year | |||||||||
| Attended school past year | 1 | 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 ... |
| line | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| street name | ||||||||
| house number | ||||||||
| dwelling visit # | 89 | |||||||
| family visit # | 95 | |||||||
| name | Brickner [?] Francis | " Elizabeth | " Pius | " Kate | " John | " Beckie | " Anna | Alltraga [?] Anna M |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | F | M | F | F | F |
| age | 49 | 44 | 22 | 15 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 72 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||||
| relationship | wife | son | Daught | son | Daught | Daught | mother in law | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| married | ||||||||
| widowed/divorced | ||||||||
| married during year | ||||||||
| occupation | Stone Mason | Keeping house | Clerk [?] in store | All at home | ||||
| months unemployed | ||||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||||
| blind | ||||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||||
| idiotic | ||||||||
| insane | ||||||||
| disabled | 1 | |||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| can't read | X | |||||||
| can't write | 1 | X | ||||||
| birthplace | Penna | Switzerland | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Switzerland | ||||||
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Switzerland |
| line | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 1 | 2 |
| street | ||||||
| house number | ||||||
| dwelling number | 150 | |||||
| family number | 153 | |||||
| name | Brigner Elizabeth | John | Gooft [?] Annie | Ruth [??] | Brigner Stella | William |
| relationship | Head | Son | Daughter | Gd Daug. [?] | Gd Daug. | Gd. Son |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | F | M | F | F | F | M |
| birth date | Sept 1833 | June [?] 1864 | Jan 1881 | Nov 1895 | Dec 1888 | Sep 1890 |
| age | 66 | 35 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 9 |
| married? | Wd | S | Wd | S | S | S |
| # years married | ||||||
| mother of how many children? | 7 | 1 | ||||
| # of children living | 6 | 1 | ||||
| birthplace | Germany | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | Germany | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Germany | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | 1834 | |||||
| # years in USA | 65 | |||||
| naturalized citizen? | ||||||
| occupation | Day Laborer | Cigar Maker | At School | At School | ||
| # months not employed | 0 | 0 | ||||
| # months in school | 8 | 8 | ||||
| can read | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| can write | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| speaks English | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| owned/rented | O | |||||
| free or mortgaged | M | |||||
| farm/house | H | |||||
| # of farm schedule |
Chap. 3218.--An act granting a pension to John Lewis Bernard Breighner.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to place on the pension roll, the name of John Lewis Bernard Breighner, helpless and dependent son of Francis Breighner, late of Company F, Ninety-First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and pay him a pension at the rate of twelve dollars per month.
Approved, June 11, 1906.
The Committee on Invalid Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 18052) granting a pension to John Lewis Bernard Breighner, submit the following report:
This bill proposes to pension the beneficiary named therein at $12 per month.
Francis Breighner, the soldier named in the bill, served as a private in Company F, Ninety-first Pennsylvania Infantry, from February 28, 1865, to July 10, 1865, when honorably discharged, and died May 16, 1886, of acute cystitis.
His widow, Elizabeth, who married him on January 15, 1857, was pensioned in 1891 under the provisions of the act of June 27, 1890, at $8 per month upon proof that she was dependent upon her daily labor, etc.
From testimony on file in the widow's case it appears that the widow at the time of the filing of her claim in 1890 had dependent upon her an idiotic son, the beneficiary named in the bill, then 25 years of age.
The widow is shown by the files of the Pension Bureau to have died in February, 1906, and no one is now drawing any pension on account of the services and death of the soldier.
Proof filed with the committee shows that the beneficiary is a son of the soldier, born on June 4, 1862, and that from the time that he was a baby he was crippled in the lower limbs and seemed to have no control of the muscles of his legs, one leg being shorter than the other, and walked with difficulty; that he had been unable to perform any labor at any time, and that he had also been mentally unable to earn his support; that he has no property and no income and lives on charity.
Following the rules of the Senate and House, the relief sought in the bill is justified, it being shown that the beneficiary was helpless prior to his arrival at the age of 16 years and ever since, and that he is in destitute circumstances.
The passage of the bill is therefore recommended when amended as follows:
In line 6 strike out the words "crippled and."
In same line, after the word "helpless," insert the words "and dependent."
The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 18052) granting a pension to John Lewis Bernard Breighner, have examined the same and report:
The report of the Committee on Invalid Pensions of the House of Representatives, hereto appended, is adopted and the passage of the bill is recommended.
The House report is as follows:
[the house report is inserted without the references to the amendments]Among the bills signed by President Roosevelt last week was one granting a pension of $12 per month to John Lewis Bernard Breighner, weak minded child of Francis Breighner, late of Co. F, Ninety-first Regiment Pennsylvania Vol. Inf., deceased. This bill was introduced by Congressman Lafean [?] at the request of Corporal Skelly Post 9, G. A. R., of Gettysburg, Pa., and was considered by them one of the most deserving cases in Adams county.--Ex.
Mr. John Breighner was born and reared near this place, and is a brother of Mrs. C. H. Robinson of Hanover street. He at present lives with his sister at Irishtown.
H. R. 9423. John L. B. Breighner, aged 54 years, whose post-office address is New Oxford, Pa., is the helpless and dependent son of Francis Breighner, late a private, Company F, Ninety-first Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry, from February 28 to July 10, 1865, who was not a pensioner.
Claimant's mother and soldier were married January 15, 1857. Soldier died May 16, 1886. Widow was pensioned at $8 under act of June 27, 1890, until her death, February 5, 1906. Claimant is pensioned under special act approved June 11, 1906, at $12. Medical evidence shows he has no control of muscular movements, condition is permanent, and he requires aid and attendence on account of chorea. He has no property of any character.
It is recommended that his pension be increased to the rate of $20 per month.