He was born about 1828/29, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: date: 3 (35 in 1864), 11 (38 (?) at death), 20 (28 in 1860). place: 3, 10, 20]
In 1856, he was a jeweler, living at 1 Fitzwater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 13]
On 16 March 1854, he married Everina McLaughlin. They were married by Reverend John Coleman, of Trinity Church, Southwark, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had these two children:
[sources: 20, 23, 27]
In 1857, he was a jeweler, living at Plover, near 8th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 14]
In 1858-1859, he was a jeweler, living at 1207 South 7th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 15, 16]
In 1860, he was an engineer, living at 1207 South 7th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 17, 18]
On 7 March 1860, his first wife, Everina Earnest, died, of phthisis pulmonalis. She was buried from his residence, 1207 South 7th Street. [sources: 23, 24]
In 1860, he was an engineer. He was living with James and Harris Earnest (his children), and with Amelia and James McLaughlin. He owned $200 in personal property. [source: 20]
In 1861, he was an engineer, living at 1201 Peters Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 19]
On 12 January 1862, he married Kate Smith. She was born in 1841/42, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living on Peters Street below 13th Street, and was an engineer. She was living at 1037 Parker Street. They were married by Reverend J A McKean, apparently of the Calvary Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had one child:
[source: 27]
When he enlisted, he was a jeweler. [source: 3]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, had a dark complexion, blue eyes, and black hair. [source: 3]
He enlisted and was mustered into service, as a recruit, for three years, on 5 February 1864, at Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He was enlisted by Lieutenant Shipley, and was mustered in by Lieutenant Hilderburn. He was a private, in company E. [sources: 1, 3, 27, 28, 29]
He was detailed for duty in the provost guard at brigade headquarters on 4 July 1864. [sources: 4, 5, 6]
He was killed in action on 21 August 1864, while on a skirmish line, acting as a safe guard on the Weldon Rail Road, in Virginia. He was shot through the head. Theodore A Hope helped him off the field, and he died a few minutes later. He was a private, in company E. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 10 (20 Aug, but dated 31 Oct), 11 (21 Aug), 27, 28, 29]
On 6 [?] November 1864, he was buried at Lafayette Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was buried from 1037 [?] Parker Street, above Washington Avenue--the residence of John W Smith, his father in law. [sources: 10, 11]
On 4 November 1864, his widow, Kate Earnest, applied successfully for a pension, under the act of 14 July 1862. She was living at 1037 Parker Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her application was approved retroactive to 21 August 1864. The certificate was dated 18 March 1865. She received $8 per month. [sources: 7, 9, 12, 27]
On 26 January 1865, company E published resolutions mourning his death (and fifteen others), and sympathizing with their families. [source: 8]
On 9 March 1865, Theodore A Hope certified that Earnest served in company E and was killed in action at Weldon Railroad on 21 August 1864. [source: 27]
On 19 November 1865, Kate Earnest married John Leighton Graham. They were married by Reverend Richard A Mallery. [source: 27]
On 16 March 1866, the Philadelphia County Orphans' Court appointed Kate Graham guardian of James O Earnest, Harris Earnest, and Emily S Earnest. She was required to post $300 security. [source: 27]
On 24 July 1866, Kate Graham, guardian of his minor dependents, applied successfully for a pension, under the act of 14 July 1862. She was living at 1515 South Front Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her application was accepted on 25 October 1866, retroactive to 20 November 1865, for $8 per month and $2 additional for each child less than sixteen years old, under the act of 25 July 1866. [sources: 7, 9, 12, 27]
On 7 September 1866, the Pension Office wrote a letter noting discrepancies in the names and dates of the children. On 17 October 1866, Kate Graham replied, swearing that the dates (listed above) are correct, that the error in her declaration for widow's pension [see p.30] must have been a clerical error 'made through the carelessness and loose way of doing business at the office of the Sanitary Commission'. [source: 27]
In 1870, Kate Graham was living in ward 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with her husband John L Graham, and with Emily, Mary L, and John L (presumably her children), along with her parents John and Emily Smith and with George Smith (presumably her brother). John worked in the US Mint. [source: 21]
On 19 January 1874, the plurality clause was erased from the pension certificate. [source: 27]
On 14 December 1875, the pension agent was instructed to suspend payment. On 24 January 1876, the pension agent was instructed to resume payment. [source: 27]
In 1880, Kate Graham was living at 1702 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with her husband John L Graham, her daughter Emily S Earnest, and with her and John's children Mary, John, Thomas, and George. John was a gate keeper. [source: 22]
The pension expired in October 1878, when Emily turned 16. [source: 27]
His widow, Kate Graham, seems to have died on 14 January 1915, of cardiac dilitation, with croupous pneumonia contributing. She was buried in Mt Peace Cemetery, from her late residence, 1434 Porter Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 25, 26]
Gary Steiner is researching Alexander Osborne Earnest. Contact him at [email protected].
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 list of deaths, company E
3 descriptive roll, company E, entry 134 (Alexander O Earnest)
4 special order 61, headquarters, 91st Pennsylvania Infantry, 4 July 1864
5 letter, Sellers to Bennett, 4 July 1864
6 special order 61, HQ 91st PA, 4 July 1864
7 pension index, by name (Alexander O Earnest)
8 'Headquarters company E', Philadelphia Inquirer 26 January 1865 page 5 (Alexander O Earnest)
9 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company E (Alexander O Earnest)
10 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 20 Aug 1864 (Alex O Earnest)
11 death notice, Public Ledger 4 November 1864 page 2 (Alexander Osborn Earnest)
12 widow's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, certificate WC 43,156 (Kate Earnest widow of Alexander O Earnest)
13 1856 Biddle's Philadelphia directory pages 175-176 (Alex O Earnest)
14 1857 Biddle's Philadelphia directory, page 185 (Alex O Earnest)
15 1858 Biddle's Philadelphia directory page 185 (Alex O Earnest)
16 1859 Biddle's Philadelphia directory, p.195 (Alex O Earnest)
17 1860 Biddle's directory p.291 (Alexander O Earnest)
18 1860 Biddle's directory p.266 (Alexander O Earnest)
19 1861 Sherman's Philadelphia directory, page 267 (A. Osborne Earnest)
20 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 2, microfilm series M653, film 1152, page 348 = 348 handwritten (Osborn Earnest)
21 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 1, district 2, microfilm series M593, film 1387, page 552 recto = 201 handwritten (Kate Graham)
22 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 545, microfilm series T9, film 1185, page 427 = 20 D handwritten (Kate Graham)
23 death notice, Public Ledger 8 March 1860 page 2 (Everina Earnest)
24 death certificate, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 7 March 1860 (Everina Earnest)
25 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer 16 January 1915, page 7 (Kate Graham)
26 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 January 1915 (Kate Graham)
27 dependents' pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, certificate WC 85,780 (James O Earnest et al. minor children of Alexander O Earnest)
28 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Alexander O Earnest)
29 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Alexander O Ernest)
If my identifications are correct, Kate Graham was apparently not caring for Alexander Earnest's two children by his first wife. Wouldn't that count against her receiving a pension as the guardian of his children?
| line | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Dwelling number | 2403 | ||||
| Family number | 2677 | ||||
| Name | Osborn Earnest | James " | Harris " | James McLaughlin | Amelia " |
| Age | 28 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 17 |
| Sex | M | " | " | " | F |
| Color | |||||
| Occupation | Engineer | Tin Roofer | Housekeeper | ||
| Value of real estate owned | |||||
| Value of personal estate | 200 | ||||
| Place of birth | Pa | " | " | " | " |
| Married within year | |||||
| Attended school within year | |||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Dwelling-house number | 98 | |||||||
| Family number | 95 | |||||||
| Name | Smith John W | - Emily | - George | Graham John L | - Kate | - Emily | - Mary L | - John L |
| Age | 57 | 55 | 18 | 26 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M | F | F | F | M |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Shoe maker | Keeping house | Shoe cutter | Works in U.S. Mint | Keeping house | |||
| Real estate value | ||||||||
| Personal estate value | ||||||||
| Birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| Father foreign born | ||||||||
| Mother foreign born | ||||||||
| Birth month if born within year | ||||||||
| 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 | 1 | ||||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| street name | South 13th Street | ||||||
| house number | 1702 | ||||||
| dwelling visit # | 171 | ||||||
| family visit # | 175 | ||||||
| name | Graham John L | - Kate | Earnest Emily S | Graham Mary H | - John L | - Thomas T | - George S |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | F | M | M | M |
| age | 36 | 36 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| month born if born in year | |||||||
| relationship | Wife | Step Daughter | Daughter | Son | Son | Son | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | |||||
| widowed/divorced | |||||||
| married during year | |||||||
| occupation | Gate Keeper | Keeping House | At School | ||||
| months unemployed | |||||||
| currently ill? | Infantile paralysis | ||||||
| blind | |||||||
| deaf/dumb | |||||||
| idiotic | |||||||
| insane | |||||||
| disabled | |||||||
| school this year | 1 | ||||||
| can't read | |||||||
| can't write | |||||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | |
This Certifies, That Alex. O. Earnest, a private of Co. E. Reg't 91st State Pa died on the 20 day of Augt 1864, aged 30 years.
Cause of Death Direct, Gun Shot wound Indirect, [blank]
Embalming
M. J. Burnell Surgeon
8. Occupation, [blank]
9. Place of Birth, Philada
10. When a Minor, [blank]
11. Ward, 2
12. Street and Number, No 1037 Parker [?] St
13. Date of Burial Nov 6th [?] 1864
14. Place of Burial, Lafayette Cemety
P J [?] Banner UNDERTAKER
Residence 815 S 2 St
EARNEST--Killed, on the 21st of August, in the Battle on the Weldon Railroad, ALEXANDER OSBORN EARNEST of Co. E, 91st Reg't Penna Vols., in the 38th [??] year of his age.
[see poems in death notices]The relatives and friends of the family, and members of the regiment now in the city, the Provost Guard and soldiers in general, are affectionately invited to attend his funeral from the residence of his father in law, John W Smith, 1037 [?] Parker street, above Washington avenue on Sunday afternoon at 1 o clock. To proceed to Lafayette Cemetery.
On the 7th instant, EVERINA EARNEST, aged 27 years. [Baltimore papers please copy.]
Her relatives and friends and those of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from the residence of her husband, Osbourn Earnest, No. 1207 South Seventh street, this (Thursday) afternoon, at 3 1/2 o'clock, without further notice.
Died March 7 /60 of Phthisis Pulmonalis Mrs. Everina Earnest 7[th] St below Federal st Aged 27 years
E Woodruff [???]GRAHAM--Jan 14 1915 KATE, wife of John L Graham and daughter of late John W and Emily Smith. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services Tuesday 2 PM, precisely, at late residence 1434 [? the third digit is particularly unclear] Porter st. Interment private.