He was born in 1844/45, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to George Ginther and Susan [unknown surname]. [source: 2]
On 6 October 1855, his father, George Ginther, died. [source: 9]
In 1850, he was living in ward 5, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with George and Susan Genther (presumably his parents), and with others. He had attended school within the year. [source: 7]
He was probably living with his (presumed) father George at Queen and Vienna, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1851. [source: 8]
He was probably living with his (presumed) father George at 16 Salmon, Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1852-1855. [source: 8]
He was probably living with his (presumed) mother Susan at Queen & Bishop, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1857-1858. [source: 8]
In 1861, he was probably a brassmoulder, living at Bedford W Ash, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his (presumed) mother Susan and (presumed) brother John. [source: 8]
In 1862, his (presumed) brothers George and John were still living at 1112 Ash. [source: 8]
In 1863, he was probably a chandelier maker, living at 1112 Ash, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his (presumed) brother George. [source: 8]
In 1864, his (presumed) mother Susan and brother George were still living at 1112 Ash. [source: 8]
In 1863-1865, he was earning about $10 per week as a laborer, which he gave to his mother. [source: 9]
When he enlisted, he was a molder. [source: 2]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 4 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair. [source: 2]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 12 January 1864. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Stretch. He was a private in company A. [sources: 1, 2, 9, 10]
On 2 April 1865, he was wounded in the right foot 'with an axe clearing the timber before action', at Petersburg. [source: 9]
He died of typhus fever resulting from the wound in his foot, on 8 May 1865, at DeCamp General Hospital, on David's Island, New York Harbor. He was a private, in company A. He was buried on 10 May 1865. [sources: 1, 2, 6 (funeral on 14 May), 9, 10]
On 25 May 1865, his mother, Susan Ginther, applied successfully for a pension. William Beaver, first lieutenant of company A, certified Ginther's service and death. On 17 October 1865, her application was accepted, and she was granted a pension of $8 per month, retroactive to 8 May 1865. [sources: 3, 4, 9]
On 31 December 1897, Susan Ginther was dropped from the pension rolls. She had last been paid through 4 May 1894, at a rate of $12 per month. (Note also that FamilySearch has a Philadelphia death certificate for Susan Genther, aged 81 years, who died on 27 July 1894 and was buried in North Cedar Hill [not transcribed].) [source: 9]
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) (David Ginther)
2 company A descriptive roll, entry 112 (David Ginther)
3 pension index, by regiment (David Ginther)
4 pension index, by name (David Ginther)
5 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, 16th ward, microfilm series M653, film 1166, page 440 = 214 handwritten (David Ginther) [NB: not the correct David Ginther; see the 'note on identification' below]
6 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer 13 May 1865 page 5 (David Ginther)
7 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Kensington, ward 5, microfilm series M432, film 807, page 313 = 625 handwritten (David Genther)
8 [various Philadelphia city directories, 1850-1867]
9 mother's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 15, certificate WC 57,866, mother Susan Ginther
10 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (David Ginther)
His mother's pension certificate file confirms the inferences I drew in the following paragraphs.
There seem to have been two David Ginther's of approximately the right age in Philadelphia. The evidence is not completely clear, because so far one has been located only in the 1850 census (7), and the other only in the 1860 census (5). But four lines of evidence suggest that the David in the 1850 census is distinct from the David in the 1860 census, and that the 1850 David is the one who served in the 91st.
First, the David who served in the 91st was buried from 1112 Ash Street (6). The 1862 Philadelphia directory has a George (moulder) and John (fisherman) at that address, and the 1863 directory has a David (chandelier maker) and George (laborer) at that address (8). This is probably the same family as the Ginthers living at Bedford W Ash in 1861, including David (brassmoulder), John (engineer), and Susan (widow of George) (8). Note that the David who served in the 91st reported his occupation as moulder (2), and that his mother is named Susan, and was widowed by David's death in 1865 (6), consistent with this David. Further, the 1861 directory also has a George Ginther, butcher, at 429 George, with Joseph (carver), which seems to match the George Ginther in the 1860 census, since he was a "victualler" (5). That George seems to be in the 1862 and 1863 directories at 429 George, and then apparently in the 1865 directory at 1732 North 9th (with William, butcher). If I have correctly identified him, he is still in the 1866 and 1867 directories, at that address, as a butcher. (This could, of course, be the son, and not the father.) Overall, the city directories from the 1860's suggest one George working with food, as in the 1860 census, still alive in 1867, and another George who had died by 1861, with the household members matching the families in the 1860 and 1850 censuses, respectively.
Second, the 1860 census includes George Ginther (presumably the father) but no one who could be the mother (5). Susan, the mother of the David who served in the 91st, was alive and widowed when he died (6). While it is possible that she was living, but not living with the family, in 1860, it seems more likely that the family in the 1860 census is not the family of the David who served in the 91st.
Third, while the Philadelphia directories from the 1850's are harder to interpret, the 1851 and 1852 directories include two George's, one a victualler (as in the 1860 census) and the other an engineer (as in the 1850 census). The last reference to a George who was an engineer is in the 1855 directory, and a Susan Gintner appears first in the 1857 directory. That suggests (though no more) that George, husband of Susan, died in the mid-1850's. Unfortunately, I have not found a death certificate for him in the Philadelphia death certificates (searched FamilySearch 24 February 2011). But if he had died before 1860, the Ginther's in the 1860 census are clearly different from the Ginther's in the 1850 census.
Finally, a David Ginther died at 214 South 45th Street, Philadelphia, on 12 January 1906 (8). He was born on 25 September 1845, in Philadelphia, to George Ginther (8). His mother's name was, unfortunately, not recorded (8). He was a secretary of the Guarantee Company of North America (8). I suspect he is the David Ginther in the 1860 census.
GINTHER--At DeCamp General Hospital, David's Island, New York Harbor, on the 8th instant, of typhoid fever, DAVID GINTHER, of Co. A, Ninety-first Regiment P.V., son of Susan and the late George Ginther, in the 21st year of his age.
Fell asleep in Jesus.The relatives and friends of the family, members of the Ninety-first Regiment P.V., now in the city, and also the Dyottville Assembly, are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from the residence of his mother, Susan Ginther, No. 1112 Ash street, below Girard avenue, on Sunday afternoon, the 14th inst., at 4 o'clock.
| line | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Dwellings visited | 171 | |||||||||
| Families visited | 194 | |||||||||
| Name | George Genther | Susan do | Cecelia " | John " | George " | Catharine " | David " | Maria " | Alfred Smith | Joseph do |
| Age | 47 | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 22 |
| Sex | M | F | F | M | M | F | M | F | M | M |
| Color | ||||||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Engineer | Ship Carpenter | Fisherman | |||||||
| Real estate owned | 1800 | |||||||||
| Birthplace | " [sc. Pa] | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Married within year | ||||||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | ||||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Dwelling number | 1510 | ||||||
| Family number | 1790 | ||||||
| Name | George Ginther | William " | Joseph " | George " | David " | May F " | Hannah Williamson |
| Age | 64 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 35 |
| Sex | M | M | M | M | M | F | F |
| Color | |||||||
| Occupation | Victualler | Clerk | Appr [illegible] | Do " | Domestic | ||
| Value of real estate owned | |||||||
| Value of personal estate | 100 | ||||||
| Place of birth | Pa | Do | Do | Do | Do | Do | N. Jersey |
| Married within year | |||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | ||||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |