He was born in 1817/18, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. [sources: date: 6 (42 in 1864), 9 (43 in 1860), 13 (32 in 1850), 17 (45 in 1863; 43 in 1865) place: 6, 9, 13]
On 27 September 1840, he married Emma Elizabeth Brunner, in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She was born in 1819/20. The record was held in St John's Church, Norristown, Pennsylvania. She was born on 16 February 1819, in Pennsylvania, to Jacob Bruner and Ann Eve Hesser. They were married by Reverend H Stern, of the St John's Episcopal Church, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. They apparently had at least these children:
[sources: 9, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20]
In 1850, he was living in Brideport, Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Emma, and with Egbert, Ida, and Henrietta [their children?]. He was a teacher. [source: 13]
In 1860, he was living in Bridgeport Borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Elizabeth, and Ida, Henrietta, Lizzie, and Walter (presumably his children), along with another apparently unrelated person. He was a conveyancer. [source: 9]
When he enlisted, he was a clerk. [source: 6]
When he enlisted, he was 6 feet 0 inches tall, and had a light complexion, grey eyes, and light hair. [source: 6]
He seems to have also served in company I of the 34th Pennsylvania Militia. If so, he enlisted on 29 June 1863, at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and mustered in on 1 July 1863 as a private at Reading, Pennsylvania. He was reduced to the ranks from corporal. He was appointed Regimental Post Master. He was mustered out on 10 August 1863. [sources: 14 (3 Jun 63 to 24 Aug 63), 17]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 4 February 1864. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lieutenant Burke. He was a private in company G. [sources: 1, 6, 17, 19, 20]
He wrote a four-page letter on 13 May 1864, describing the fighting at the Battle of the Wilderness. [source: 7]
On 30 December 1864, Sellers proposed him to fill a vacancy in the Ambulance Corps. [source: 3]
After the war, Surgeon W G Keir reported that Buzby ''contracted Diarrhea which became Chronic. Which so reduced the system as to totally unfit him for th duties of a soldier in the field. in Consequence of which he was sent to General Hospital at Washington I believe from which he was discharged for disability'. Keir added, 'from personal recollection of the Case it was my belief that he never would recover his previous health'. [source: 20]
He went on a furlough, which ended on 2 June 1865, and from which he never returned. He was reported deserted on 25 June 1865. [sources: 4, 11]
He was honorably discharged on 9 August 1865 by general order, to date from 7 August 1865. The charge of absence without leave, and desertion, was not removed. He was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 2 ("no discharge given"), 17 (7 Aug 65), 19, 20]
In August 1867, his last illness began. [source: 20]
He died on 17 October 1867, in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He died of consumption. He was buried in the Montgomery Cemetery, Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. [sources: 14, 16, 18, 20]
On 30 December 1869, his widow, Emma E Buzby, successfully applied from Pennsylvania for a pension. She lived in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and her post-office address was Bridgeport, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She received $8 per month, and $3 per month for Walter while he was less than 16 years old, retroactive to 18 October 1867. The pension certificate was dated 26 April 1870. [sources: 8, 12, 20]
In 1870, his widow Emma E Buzby was living in Bridgeport, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She was living with Hetty, Lizzie, and Walter (presumably her children), her daughter Ida Halloway and Ida's family. She owned real estate worth $2,000 and personal property worth $300. [source: 10]
On 10 April 1876, his widow died. [source: 18]
On 30 June 1879, Emma E Buzby was dropped from the pension rolls, because she hadn't claimed her pension since receiving payment through 4 March 1876 (when she was still paid $8 per month). [source: 18]
Contact Lea Buzby at [email protected] if you're interested in John Buzby.
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 letter, Sellers to Bartlett, 30 December 1864
4 company G, register of deserters (John B Buzby)
5 company G, register of men discharged, #67 (John B Buzby)
6 company G, second descriptive roll, entry [9] (John B Buzby)
7 auction inventory, Firearms auction featuring the Wiley Sword collection (searched 14 February 2005) (John B Buzby)
8 pension index, by name (John B Buzby)
9 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Bridgeport Borough, microfilm series M653, film 1143, page 65 = 13 handwritten (John B Buzby)
10 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Borough of Bridgeport, microfilm series M593, film 1379, page 521 = 4 handwritten (Emma E Buzby)
11 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 4 July 1865 (Busby)
12 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company G (John B Buzby)
13 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Upper Merion Township, microfilm series M432, film 800, page 423 verso (John B Buzby)
14 Pennsylvania veterans burial records, available on Ancestry (transcribed 7 March 2012) (John B Buzby)
15 Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Norristown. St John's Episcopal Church (John B Buzby)
16 Find a grave, memorial 50056753, created by SueAnn, 22 March 2010, accessed 9 March 2012 [identification is speculative--the headstone mentions only his service in I 34 PA Mil] (John B Buzby)
17 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives ARIAS site (John B Buzby, 2 cards--for I 34 Mil and G 91)
18 Desc. of Dorr/Hudson lines, contact Susan Lail, last updated 7 May 2005, accessed 9 March 2012 (John Benson Buzby)
19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John B Buzby)
20 abstract of widow's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, WC 142,391 (Emma A Bruner widow of John B Buzby)
The John B Buzby who served in the 91st is also the John B Buzby who served in the 34th Pennsylvania Militia. The death information on the Pennsylvania veterans burial cards, which refers to his service in the 34th PA, matches the information in the widow's pension certificate file, which refers to his service in the 91st, too closely to be a coincidence. I have also found only one candidate to be either.
| line | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Dwellings visited | 479 | ||||
| Families visited | 492 | ||||
| Name | John B Buzby | Emma " | Egbert " | Ida T [?] " | Henrietta " |
| Age | 32 | 30 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F | F |
| Color | |||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Teacher | ||||
| Real estate owned | |||||
| Birthplace | " [sc. Penna] | " | Louisiana | Penna | " |
| Married within year | |||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | ||||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Dwelling number | 92 | ||||||
| Family number | 99 | ||||||
| Name | John B Buzby | Elizebeth Buzby | Ida V Buzby | Henrietta Buzby | Lizzie Y Buzby | Walter A Buzby | Jothna [?] Heaps |
| Age | 43 | 35 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 45 |
| Sex | m | f | f | f | f | m | m |
| Color | |||||||
| Occupation | Conveyancer | Manager Co [?] Factory | |||||
| Value of real estate owned | 4000 | ||||||
| Value of personal estate | 100 | ||||||
| Place of birth | " [sc. Penna] | " | " | " | " | " | England |
| Married within year | |||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Dwelling-house number | 27 | |||||||
| Family number | 26 | |||||||
| Name | Buzby Emma E | Hetty [?] | Lizzie | Walter A | Halloway William | Ida V | Egbert | Ella May |
| Age | 50 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 24 | 11/12 | 11/12 |
| Sex | F | F | F | M | M | F | M | F |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Keep House | At Home | Teacher School | At School | W on Farm | At Home | " " | " " |
| Real estate value | 2000 | |||||||
| Personal estate value | 300 | |||||||
| Birthplace | Penna | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Father foreign born | ||||||||
| Mother foreign born | ||||||||
| Birth month if born within year | July | July | ||||||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||||||||
| Attended school past year | 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 ... |