He was born on 20 January 1843 (5, 7, 8; 3 (18 in 1861), 7 [57 in 1900]). He was born in Spring Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3, 5, 7, 8).
He was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5, 8). He went to the Binney primary school on Tenth Street below Girard Avenue, the secondary school at Eleventh and Thompson, the grammar school at Eighth and Thompson, and the Randolph Street School (8).
In 1857, he left school, and was apprenticed to a ship carpenter, in the Kensington shipyards (8).
When he enlisted, he was a clerk (3).
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 4 inches tall, and had a light complexion, light eyes, and light hair (3).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 19 September 1861 (1, 3, 5 [15 Sep], 6, 8 [15 Sep]). He was enlisted for three years, by Captain Smith, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3). He was a private in company F (1, 8, 9).
He was discharged from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 16 January 1862, or possibly on 16 June 1862, on surgeon's certificate of disability issued by regimental surgeon Isaac Knight (1, 2, 3 [16 Jan 62], 5 [12 Jan 62], 6 [16 June], 8 [12 Jan]). He was a private, in company F (9). "The hardships of the service were too great for his nature" (8).
He returned to his job in the shipyard (8).
In about 1881, he became foreman of the ship-fastening department, Charles Hillman & Company (8).
He was a Republican from the time he could vote (8). He was a member of the ward Executive Committee (8). For five years, he was vice president of the ward Executive Committee (8).
He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 1889, 1891, and 1893 sessions (5) (and apparently in 1895 also (8)).
In 1896, he was a ship fastener (5). For twelve years he had been the foreman of the ship fastening department of Charles Hillman & Co., in Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5).
In 1900, he was living at 2407 Boston Avenue, ward 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7). He was a boarder, with Elizabeth Walley [?] (7). He was widowed (7). He was a foreman in a shipyard, and had been out of work for 0 months in the previous year (7).
On 8 November 1910, he applied unsuccessfully for a pension from Pennsylvania (4, 6).
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) (John Ennis)
2 company F, register of men discharged (John Ennis)
3 company F, descriptive roll, #32 (John Ennis)
4 pension index, by name (John Ennis)
5 Smull's legislative hand book and manual of the State of Pennsylvania 1896. Compiled and published under direction of Thos. B. Cochran. Harrisburg: State Printer, 1896. Page 1028] (John A J Ennis)
6 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company F (John Ennis)
7 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 31, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 789, microfilm series T623, film 1473, page 261 = 13 B handwritten (John A J Ennis)
8 Wm Rodearmel, compiler. Portraits and sketches of heads of state departments and members of the legislature of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1895. Page 223. (John Andrew Jackson Ennis)
9 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Ennis)
| line | 71 | 72 |
| street | Boston Ave | |
| house number | 2407 | |
| dwelling number | 254 | |
| family number | 266 | |
| name | Walley [?] Elizabeth | Ennis John A. J. |
| relationship | Head | Boarder |
| color | W | W |
| sex | F | M |
| birth date | Jan 1844 | Jan 1843 |
| age | 56 | 57 |
| married? | Wd | Wd |
| # years married | ||
| mother of how many children? | ||
| # of children living | ||
| birthplace | ||
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| immigration year | Penna | Penna |
| # years in USA | ||
| naturalized citizen? | ||
| occupation | Foreman in Ship Yard | |
| # months not employed | 0 | |
| # months in school | ||
| can read | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | yes |
| speaks English | yes | yes |
| owned/rented | R | |
| free or mortgaged | ||
| farm/house | H | |
| # of farm schedule | ||
JOHN A. J. ENNIS, Philadelphia, was born in the old district of Spring Garden, city of Philadelphia, January 20, 1843; received his education in public schools, and enlisted in company F, Ninety-first Pennsylvania volunteers, September 15, 1861; discharged June 12, 1862; for disability; present occupation, ship fastener; employed for the past twelve years as foreman of the ship fastening department of Charles Hillman & Co., ship-builders, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pa.; was a member of the House of Representatives, sessions of 1889, 1891 and 1893.
JOHN ANDREW JACKSON ENNIS, of the Thirty-first Ward, Philadelphia, was born January 20, 1843, in that section of Philaelphia known before consolidation as the district of Spring Garden. He comes from a distinguished family. His great-grandfather, Richard Ennis, was a soldier in the Continental Army, was born in Pennsylvania, and participated in several battles of the Revolution. His mother's family were born in the Spring Garden District and his father's people came from Bucks County, Pa. Mr. Ennis secured his education in the public schools of his native city. He passed through the Binney primary school on Tenth street, below Girard avenue, the secondary at Eleventh and Thompson, the grammar at Eighth and Thompson, and in 1856 was transferred to the Randolph Street school, which he left in 1857 to begin the battle of life. He was apprenticed to the trade of a ship carpenter in the famous ship-building yards of Kensington. Although but a youth when the War of the Rebellion broke out, Mr. Ennis' patriotic nature was stirred in defense of the Union and when but eighteen years of age he enlisted, September 15, 1861, in Company F, Ninety-first Pennsylvania volunteers. The hardships of the service were too great for his nature and he was discharged from the service on January 12, 1862, for disability. He resumed his occupation in the ship yards. For fourteen years past he has been foreman of the ship-fastening department for Charles Hillman & Co., ship-builders of Philadelphia. Mr. Ennis has been identified with the Republican Party since he has had a vote and has taken an active interest in its affairs. He has been a member of his Ward Executive Committee and for five years its vice president and repeatedly has been a delegate to its city and district conventions. In 1888 he was elected a member of the Legislature and has been re-elected three times. He possesses the confidence of the leaders of his district in a marked degree and has always been a popular member of the Philadelphia delegation.