He was born on 2 August 1837, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Nathan W Eyre and Mary Ann Wagner. Nathan and Mary Ann were married on 13 June 1825, at the Gloria Dei Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had four daughters and three sons. He was their youngest son. [sources: date 29 (1837); 6 (23 in 1861), 7, 25 (42 in 1880), 26 (72 in 1910), 27 (12 in 1850), 28 (22 in 1860), 34 (78 in 1916), 45 (2 Aug 1835, but given his reported age the date should be 1837). place: 27, 28, 45. parents: 18]
His mother's father died several years before Nathan Eyre did, and they moved into his house on Bread Street. [source: 18]
His father, Nathan Eyre, died on 1 January 1842, at 32 Bread Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of pulmonary consumption. His mother received one piece of property in Philadelphia from her father, and two houses in Philadelphia from her brother. She had to mortgage them to survive, and eventually (about 1847 or 1848) had to sell them because she could not pay the interest. They lived initially on the rent from the properties, and then from the profit from the sale of the properties. [sources: 18, 21]
In 1850, he was living in North Ward, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his mother Mary and others. He had attended school within the last year. [source: 27]
In 1860, he was living in ward 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his mother Mary A and his sisters Mary and Lydia. He was a clerk, and owned $500 in personal property. [source: 28]
Before his enlistment, he was "not in circumstances to and never did contribute towards the support of his Mother or the family". His brother George "started ... [him] in business, but ... [he was] not successful". After his enlistment, he occasionally sent small amounts home, but much less than his brother George. For example, in March 1862, he sent $25, and his brother sent $100. [source: 18 (pp.26, 35)]
Probably in the fall of 1859, his mother, Mary A Eyre, widow of Nathan W Eyre, was living at 916 Marshall Street. (Marshall is between 6th and 7th; Poplar is 900 north.) He, a clerk, and his brother Robert Eyre, a dentist, were also living at 916 Marshall. [source: 19]
When he enlisted, he lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His brother George Eyre enlisted in the same regiment. His brother Robert Eyre worked for an Army sutler, perhaps as a clerk. [sources: 7, 18]
Probably in the fall of 1861, his mother, Mary Ann Eyre, widow of Nathan W, was living at 870 Marshall Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. No other Eyre is living there; no Benjamin, George, or Robert Eyre is listed in the directory. [source: 20]
His brother George W Eyre also served in the 91st.
He enlisted and was mustered into service as a private on 20 August 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, by Captain Starr. He was a private in company A. [sources: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 47, 48, 49, 50]
He was transferred to company I, and appointed second lieutenant, on 2 December 1861 (2, 4, 5, 7) or 4 October 1861. [sources: 5, 13]
At some point, he recruited as second lieutenant of company I of Colonel Gregory's regiment. [source: 10]
In March 1862, he sent his mother $25. [source: 18]
On 29 June 1862, he, along with the other commissioned officers in the regiment (except Colonel Gregory), signed a statement denying accusations that they were on the verge of open mutiny, that the regiment had been reduced to 400 men, and that Colonel Gregory was too lenient to Confederates and too harsh to men in the regiment. [source: 12]
He was a recruiting officer for the 91st in Philadelphia at the end of August 1862. [source: 16]
On 8 September 1862, his brother Robert W Eyre died, of bilious remitting fever, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died at, or was buried from, 870 Marshall Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 11 September 1862 he was buried at Glenwood Cemetery. [source: 22]
On 18 September 1862, he enlisted John Day (A), at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 51]
On 22 December 1862, he signed a discharge certificate for James Todd (I), from Camp in the Fields near Falmouth, Virginia. [source: 33]
He was discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability on 2 February 1863. He was then second lieutenant of company I. [sources: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 17, 47, 48, 49, 50]
Probably beginning in the fall of 1862, he was a clerk, living, with his mother, at 870 Marshall Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
In July 1863, he registered for the draft. He was a dentist, and was single; he was living on Marshall Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 39]
Probably in fall 1864, he was in albums, living at 14 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
He married Anna [unknown family name, perhaps 'Holst'?]. She was born in 1836, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had four known children:
[sources: 25, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 40]
In fall 1865, he was still in albums, at 10 South 8th Street, but was living at 836 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
On 6 November 1865, he testified support the pension application of Elizabeth Todd, mother of James Todd (I). [source: 46]
Probably in fall 1867, he was a salesman, living at 836 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
Probably in fall 1868 and fall 1869, he was in insurance, living at 836 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
Probably in fall 1869, he was a salesman, at 115 South Front Street, living at 1329 Mary Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
In 1870, his mother, Mary A Eyre, was living in the 20th ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with his sisters Mary and Lydia. She owned $5,000 in personal property, and her daughters also owned property. He was not living there, and I have not found him in the 1870 census. [source: 24]
Probably in fall 1872 and 1873, he was a clerk, living at 1329 Park Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Probably beginning in fall 1875, he was a salesman, living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
In 1880, he was living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Anna, and children George, James, Charles, and Horace. He was a salesman, but was out of work for 4 [?] months in the previous year. [sources: 25, 33]
Probably through fall 1885, he continued working as a salesman, and living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
Probably in fall 1885, he was a collector, living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
Probably beginning in fall 1886, he was in real estate, living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
In 1890, he was living at 602 Federal Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was in real estate. At least two other people were living there: George W Eyre (a clerk), and James H W Eyre (a salesman). [sources: 8, 9]
He applied successfully for a pension on 20 October 1890. [sources: 2, 11, 17]
On 14 December 1892, his wife, Anna Holst, died, at his residence, 4411 Osage Avenue, West Philadelphia. She was buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (plot Norriton 276) (apparently after being interred in Woodlands Vault initially). [sources: 30, 31, 32]
Probably beginning in fall 1892, he was living at 4411 Osage Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
Probably in fall 1897, he was living at 4411 Waverly Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 33]
In 1899, a Benjamin Eyre was confirmed, in the St Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His address was 254 South 45th Street, Phniladelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 33, 44]
Probably in fall 1899, he was living at 510 South 44th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1900, his son Horace was living there, and he (apparently) was not. [source: 33]
He again applied for a pension on 11 March 1907, apparently under the Act of 6 February 1907. He received $12 per month, beginning 9 November 1907, retroactive to 11 March 1907. [sources: 2, 11, 17, 42]
On 15 February 1908, his pension was increased to $15 per month, retroactive to 25 November 1907. [source: 42]
In 1910, he was living at 1701 52nd Street, 44th ward, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was widowed. He was living on his own income. [source: 26]
On 29 August 1912, he began receiving a pension of $21.50 per month, apparently under the Act of 11 May 1912, retroactive to 18 May 1912. [source: 42]
On 28 May 1913, his pension was increased to $27 per month, retroactive to 2 August 1912. [source: 42]
He died on 23 January 1916, at the Pennsylvania Soldier's and Sailor's Home, in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. When he died, he was a travelling salesman. He died of apoplexy superintended [?] by Grippe with a violent cough, and with valvular heart disease contributing. On 25 January 1916, he was buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (plot Norriton 276). The service was conducted by minister Frederick B Keable, of St Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 2, 17, 29, 34, 38, 42, 43, 45]
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 pension index, by regiment (Benjamin B. Eyre)
4 regimental descriptive book (Benjamin B Eyre)
5 register of transfers, company A (Benjamin B Eyre)
6 company A descriptive roll, entry 6 (Benjamin B Eyre)
7 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 5 May 2004 (Benjamin B Eyre)
8 1890 United States census, veterans schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 54, page [blank] (image 254 on Ancestry) (Benjamin B Eyre)
9 1890 Gopsill's Philadelphia directory (Benjamin B Eyre)
10 recruiting poster, Colonel Gregory's regiment, company I (Benj B Eyre)
11 pension index, by name (Benjamin B Eyre)
12 'Ninety-first Pennsylvania Regiment'. Philadelphia Inquirer, 11 July 1862, page 2 (B B Eyre)
13 'Camp Chase at Gray's Ferry' Philadelphia Inquirer 19 October 1861 page 8 (- Eyre)
14 'Camp Chase', Philadelphia Inquirer 30 November 1861 (Benj B Eyre)
15 'Departure of Col. Gregory's regiment', Philadelphia Inquirer 22 January 1862 page 2 (Benj B Eyre)
16 'Recruits for Philadelphia', Philadelphia Inquirer 28 August 1862, page 3 (reprinted on 29 August 1862 page 6) (Benjamin B Eyre)
17 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company I (Benjamin B Eyre)
18 widow's pension certificate file, Mary A Eyre, certificate 12,069, application 15,805, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15 (available on Footnote, accessed June 2009) (Mary Ann Eyre)
19 city directory, Philadelphia, Biddle, 1860, page 288 (accessed on Footnote, 31 May 2009) (Mary A Eyre)
20 city directory, Philadelphia, Biddle, 1862, page 198 (accessed on Footnote, 31 May 2009)
21 death record, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1 January 1842 (Nathan Eyre)
22 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 8 September 1862 (Robert W Eyre)
23 widow's pension certificate file, Mary A Eyre, certificate 12,069, application 15,805, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15 (available on Footnote, accessed June 2009)
24 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 20th ward, microfilm series M593, film 1407, page 554 = 77 handwritten (Mary A Eyre)
25 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 43, microfilm series T9, film 1167, page 177 = 14 B handwritten (B Brown Eyre)
26 1910 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 44th ward, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 1118, microfilm series T624, film 1412, page 21 = 10 A handwritten (Benjamin Eyre)
27 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, North Ward, microfilm series M432, film 817, pages 300-301 = 600-601 handwritten (Benjamin Eyre)
28 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 20, division 1, microfilm series M653, film 1171, page 29 = 29 handwritten (Benjamin B Eyre)
29 Find a grave, memorial 91490648, created by Graves, added 6 June 2012, accessed 12 July 2012 (Benjamin B Eyre)
30 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer, 16 December 1892, page 6 (Anna Eyre)
31 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 December 1892, #12714 (Anna G Eyre)
32 Find a grave, memorial 91490644, created by Graves, added 6 June 2012, accessed 12 July 2012 (Anna G Eyre)
33 selected Philadelphia city directories
34 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer, 28 January 1916 (Benjamin B Eyre)
35 Find a grave, memorial 91490665, created by Graves, added 6 June 2012, accessed 13 July 2012 (Horace W Eyre)
36 Find a grave, memorial 91490666, created by Graves, added 6 June 2012, accessed 13 July 2012 (James W Eyre)
37 Find a grave, memorial 91490650, created by Graves, added 6 June 2012, accessed 13 July 2012 (Charles H Eyre)
38 Pennsylvania death indices, 1916 ('Eyre, Benjamin B.; 2555; Erie; Jan.23.')
39 Civil War draft registration records, 1863-1865, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 110, Pennsylvania, Third Congressional District, page 181, no. 56 (Benjamin B Eyre)
40 abstract of birth record, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 25 March 1874, Horace Wagner Eyer (Benjamin B Eyer)
41 abstract of birth record, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 12 September 1865, George Eyre (Benjamin Eyre)
42 Veterans Administration pension payment cards, 1907-1933, National Archives and Records Administration, microfilm series M850, film 701 (Benjamin B Eyre)
43 burials, St Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, page 364 (Benjamin B Eyre)
44 Confirmed, St Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, page 234 (Benjamin Eyre)
45 death certificate, Pennsylvania, Erie County, 23 January 1916 (Benj B Eyre)
46 dependents' pension certificate files, National Archives and Records Administration, RG 15, dependent's certificate 73,607, Elizabeth Todd mother of James Allen Todd (B B Eyre)
47 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Bengiman Eyre)
48 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Benjamin C Eyre)
49 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Benjamin B Eyre)
50 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (BB Eye)
51 compiled service record, 91st PA, John Day (B B Eyre)
line | 42 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Dwellings visited | 996 | |||||||||
Families visited | 1360 | |||||||||
Name | Mary A. Eyre | Mary Eyre | Robert | Lydia | Emma | Hannah | Benjamin | Elizabeth | Henry Lamb | Jacob Wagner |
Age | 50 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 26 | 45 |
Sex | F | F | M | F | F | F | M [?] | F | M | M |
Color | ||||||||||
Occupation of males over 15 years | Umbrella Maker | Brass Founder [?] | Sail Maker | |||||||
Real estate owned | 1 [?] | |||||||||
Birthplace | Penna | Penna | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
Married within year | ||||||||||
Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Over 20 & can't read/write | ||||||||||
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
line | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 |
Dwelling number | 194 | |||
Family number | 200 | |||
Name | Benjamin B Eyre | Mary " | Lydia " | Mary A " |
Age | 22 | 33 | 26 | 59 |
Sex | M | F | F | F |
Color | ||||
Occupation | Clerk | |||
Value of real estate owned | 500 | 500 | 3000 | |
Value of personal estate | 500 | 800 | ||
Place of birth | " [sc. Penna] | " | " | " |
Married within year | ||||
Attended school within year | ||||
Cannot read & write | ||||
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
line | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
street name | Federal Street | |||||
house number | 602 | |||||
dwelling visit # | 134 | |||||
family visit # | 135 | |||||
name | Eyre B. Brown | - Anna | - George W | - James W | - Charles | - Horace |
color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
sex | M | F | M | M | M | M |
age | 42 | 43 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 6 |
month born if born in year | ||||||
relationship | wife | son | son | son | son | |
single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
married | 1 | 1 | ||||
widowed/divorced | ||||||
married during year | ||||||
occupation | Salesman | Keeping house | At school | At school | At school | |
months unemployed | 4 [?] | |||||
currently ill? | ||||||
blind | ||||||
deaf/dumb | ||||||
idiotic | ||||||
insane | ||||||
disabled | ||||||
school this year | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
can't read | ||||||
can't write | ||||||
birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
father's birthplace | Penna | Denmark | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
mother's birthplace | Penna | Denmark | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
line | 9 |
street | 52nd Street |
house nr | [1701] |
dwelling nr | [165] |
family nr | 187 |
name | Eyre Benjamin |
relationship | Head |
sex | M |
color | W |
age | 72 |
marital status | Wd |
#years present marriage | |
mother of # children | |
mother of # living children | |
birthplace | Pennsylvania |
father's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
immigrated | |
naturalized/alien | |
speaks English | English |
occupation | own income |
nature of industry etc. | |
employer etc. | |
out of work 15 Apr 1910? | |
# weeks out of work 1909 | |
can read | yes |
can write | yes |
school since 1 Sep 09 | |
owned/rented | R |
owned free or mortagaged | |
farm/house | H |
nr on farm schedule | |
civil war vet | |
blind | |
deaf & dumb |
ISSUES. | |||
CLASS. | RATE. | DATE OF COMMENCEMENT. | DATE OF CERTIFICATE. |
ORIGINAL | 12 | Mch. 11/07 | Nov. 9/07 |
INCREASE | 15 | Nov. 25/07 | Feb 15 / 08 |
REISSUE | 21.50 | May 18. 1912 | Aug 29. 1912 |
INCREASE | 27 | Aug 2 - 1912 | May 28 - 1913 |
'EYRE.--On December 14, 1892, Anna Holst [sic], wife of Benjamin B. Eyre, at her husband's residence, 4411 [3rd digit almost illegible] Osage avenue, W.P.'
EYRE.--Jan. 23, 1916. BENJAMIN B. EYRE, aged 78 years. Funeral services and interment private on Saturday.