He was born on 17 September 1809, near Light Street, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, to John Brittain (born in Northampton County PA) and Margaret Albertson (of New Jersey) (5, 8 [71 [?] in 1880], 11 [50 in 1860], 14 [60 in 1870]). His grandfather, Zeboeth Brittain, and Zeboeth's five brothers fought in the Revolutionary War--three on each side, because their father "was a zealous King's man", and their mother "was as zealous for the colonies" (5). (Wiliam, James, and Joseph fought for Britain, and Nathaniel, Zeboeth, and Samuel for the colonies (5).)
He was converted to Methodism on 9 September 1822, at a camp meeting in Greenwood Township (5).
He was a noted Methodist circuit rider, appointed in 1830 (5). He travelled the "Philipsburg Circuit", which was a 300-mile circuit in Centre, Clearfield, and Elk Counties, and received five dollars per month (5).
He was married to Jemima Goodfellow, on 6 April 1834 (5). She was born on 27 January 1812, in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, to Isaiah Goodfellow and Mary R Antes (5). In 1900, she had had eight children, five of whom were alive (13). Their children include (5):
In 1843 and 1844, he was the minister on the Methodist Episcopal Sunbury circuit, which extended from the Susquehanna River to Broad Mountain, between Mahantango and Nescopeck Creeks (6, ch.14, part 2, p.507). In 1844, he was the minister of the Methodist Episcopal church in Shamokin (6, ch.17, part 2, page 635). In 1845 and 1846, he was the minister of the Methodist Episcopal church in Milton (6, ch.16, part 2, page 572).
In 1850, he was living in Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania (12). He was a Methodist Clergyman (12). He was living with his wife J P Brittain, and five children (presumably theirs) (12). Two children (9 and 11 years old) had been born in Ohio (12).
In 1860, he was living in Dublin, Harford County, Maryland (11). He was a Methodist Episcopal Minister, and owned $200 in personal property (12). He was living with his wife Jemimah, and two people who are probably his sons, Haines [?] and Mechilla [?] Britton (12).
He was commissioned in the 91st Pennsylvania Infantry on 1 March 1864 (1 [mustered 1 Mar], 4 [mustered 1 Mar], 8, 9; presumably this is the effective date). He was mustered in on 23 March 1864 (8). He was the regimental chaplain (1, 4, 5, 15, 16).
He joined the regiment on 15 April 1864 (8).
On 24 July 1864, he was sent to the division hospital, sick (10).
He was discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability on 28 July 1864, by special order (1, 3, 4, 9). He was the regimental chaplain (15, 16).
In 1870, he was living in Mifflin Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania (14). He was living with Jacob Creasy (14). He was a clergyman, and owned $300 in personal property (14).
From 1876 to 1878, he was the minister of the Methodist Episcopal church at Mt Carmel (6, ch.18, p.671).
In 1880, he was living in Berwick, Pennsylvania (7). He was a clergyman (7). He was living with his wife, Jamima [?] P Brittain (7).
He died on 9 November 1889, in Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania (5). He was survived by his wife, four sons, and one daughter (Mrs Rev Ebenezer A Smith) (5).
He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Berwick, Columbia County, Pennsylvania (5).
In 1890, Jemima P Brittain was living in Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania (9).
In 1900, his widow was living at 149 First Street, Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania (13). She was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Abe Smith (13).
Jemimah Brittain died on 17 July 1905 (5).
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)
3 special order 184, HQ 5th Army Corps, 28 July 1864
5 White(Lind)-Brittatin(McGill) gedcom, on WorldConnect, contact Jean White, last updated 5 August 2003, searched 3 May 2004 [this extremely useful GEDCOM cites several sources, including an obituary in the "Report of Central Pennsylvania Conference of ME Church, 1890, pp.79-80"] (Alem [Elam] Marr Brittain)
6 Bell's History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Available on US GENWEB, at Rootsweb.com. (Searched 3 May 2004.)
7 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Columbia County, Berwick, supervisor's district 5, enumeration district 164, page 34C = 11 handwritten, microfilm series T9, film 1118 (Alem Brittain)
8 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 15 April 1864 (A Brittain)
9 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Bloomsburg, supervisor's district 4, enumeration district 6, page 7, line 39 (Jemima P Brittain, widow of Alem Brittain)
10 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 24 July 1864 (A Brittain)
11 1860 US census, Maryland, Harford County, 5th Dublin District, microfilm series M653, film 476, page 367 = page 87 handwritten (Alem Britton)
12 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Centre County, Bellefonte, microfilm series M432, film 763, page 165 (A Brittain)
13 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Columbia County, 1st precinct, Town of Bloomsburg, supervisor's district 6, enumeration district 4, page 76A = 7A handwritten, microfilm series T623, film 1398 (Jermimah Britian)
14 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Columbia County, Mifflin Township, microfilm series M593, film 1329, page 294 verso = 4 handwritten (Alem Brittan)
15 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Alem Brittan)
16 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Alem A Brittain)
| line | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Dwellings visited | 106 | ||||||
| Families visited | 124 | ||||||
| Name | A. Brittain | J. P. Brittain | B. W. Brittain | N [?] S Brittain | M. M. Brittain | M. C. Brittain | J. H. [?] Brittain |
| Age | 40 | 38 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M | F | M | M |
| Color | Clergyman Meth | ||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | |||||||
| Real estate owned | |||||||
| Birthplace | Do [sc. Penna] | Do | Do | Ohio | Ohio | Penna | Do |
| Married within year | |||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Dwelling number | 614 | |||
| Family number | 592 | |||
| Name | Alem Britton | Jemima " | Haines [?] " | Mechilla [?] " |
| Age | 50 | 47 | 12 | 17 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M |
| Color | ||||
| Occupation | M.E. Minister | |||
| Value of real estate owned | ||||
| Value of personal estate | 200 | |||
| Place of birth | Penna | " | " | " |
| Married within year | ||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | ||
| Cannot read & write | ||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 23 |
| Dwelling-house number | [30] |
| Family number | [36] |
| Name | Brittan Alem |
| Age | 60 |
| Sex | M |
| Color | W |
| Occupation | Clergyman |
| Real estate value | |
| Personal estate value | 300 |
| Birthplace | " [sc. Pennsylvania] |
| 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 | 5 | 6 |
| street name | ||
| house number | ||
| dwelling visit # | [83] | |
| family visit # | 118 | |
| name | Alem Brittain | Jamima [??] P " |
| color | W | W |
| sex | M | F |
| age | 71 [?] | 68 [?] |
| month born if born in year | ||
| relationship | Wife | |
| single | ||
| married | 1 | 1 |
| widowed/divorced | ||
| married during year | ||
| occupation | Clergyman | Keeping House |
| months unemployed | ||
| currently ill? | ||
| blind | ||
| deaf/dumb | ||
| idiotic | ||
| insane | ||
| disabled | ||
| school this year | ||
| can't read | ||
| can't write | ||
| birthplace | Pa. | Pa. |
| father's birthplace | Pa. | Pa. |
| mother's birthplace | Pa. | Pa. |
| line | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| street | First | ||
| house number | 149 | ||
| dwelling number | 148 | ||
| family number | 152 | ||
| name | Brittian [sic] Jermimah [sic] | Smith Abe A. | - Margaret M |
| relationship | head | s in law | daughter |
| color | W | W | W |
| sex | F | M | F |
| birth date | Jan 1812 | May 1827 | June 1840 |
| age | 88 | 73 | 59 |
| married? | Wd | M | M |
| # years married | 43 | 43 | |
| mother of how many children? | 8 | ||
| # of children living | 5 | ||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Ohio |
| father's birthplace | Ireland | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | New York | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | |||
| # years in USA | |||
| naturalized citizen? | |||
| occupation | Minister | ||
| # months not employed | 3 | ||
| # months in school | |||
| can read | yes | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | yes | yes |
| speaks English | yes | yes | yes |
| owned/rented | O | ||
| free or mortgaged | M | ||
| farm/house | H | ||
| # of farm schedule | |||
| NUMBER OF EACH GRADE. | |||
| NAMES. PRESENT AND ABSENT. | |||
| RANK. | |||
| AGE. | |||
| JOINED FOR SERVICE AND ENROLLED AT GENERAL RENDEZVOUS--COMMENCEMENT OF FIRST PAYMENT BY TIME. | WHEN. | ||
| WHERE. | |||
| BY WHOM. | |||
| PERIOD. | |||
| MUSTERED INTO SERVICE. | WHEN. | ||
| WHERE. | |||
| BY WHOM. | |||
| LAST PAID. | BY PAYMASTER. | ||
| TO WHAT TIME. | |||
| TRAVELING. | To place of rendezvous, No. of miles. | ||
| From place of discharge home, No. of miles. | |||
| Clothing Act | Due U.S | ||
| Due Soldier | |||
| AMOUNT for clothing in kind, or in money advanced. | |||
| VALUE OF equipments, arms &c., received from the United States, to be paid for if lost or destroyed. | |||
| Bounty | Paid | ||
| Due | |||
| REMARKS | |||