He was born on 21 September 1845, in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, to Daniel William Kochersperger and Mary Ann Engelmann. [sources: date: 2, 6 (14 in 1860), 10 (51 in 1896), 11, 12 (51 yrs 1 mo 10 dys at death), 13, 15, 16 (4 in 1850). place: 2, 5, 12, 15, 16. parents: 5, 6, 16]
In 1850, he was living in Spring Garden, Ward 6, Philadelphia, Pennslvania. He was living with his parents Daniel and Mary A Kochersperger, and others. [source: 16]
In 1860, he was living with his parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 6]
When he enlisted, he was a hatter. [source: 2]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a light complexion, gray eyes, and dark hair. [source: 2]
He also served in the US Navy, on the St Lawrence. [source: 3, 4, 5 (also 6th PA Cav)]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 27 January 1864. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lieutenant Burk. He was a private in company A. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 20, 21]
He was discharged by general order 77 (dated 28 April 1865), effective 27 May 1865. He was a private, in company A. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 9, 18, 19, 20, 21]
On 29 August 1867, he married Sarah Ann DuCase, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was born in 1849, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had one child:
[sources: 5, 13]
In 1870, he was living in Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife and son. He was a fire insurance agent. [source: 8]
In 1880, he was living at 2020 Hancock Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a clerk for a railroad. He was living with his wife and son. [source: 7]
He moved to Chicago about 1886. He was western superintendent of the Fidelity Casualty Company. [sources: 10, 12, 14, 15]
He died of injuries received from an accidental fall, at 8:20 AM, on 31 October 1896. He died at the family home, 143 Oakwood Boulevard, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He had just recovered from an earlier fall, but fell again in the same place. Funeral services were held at St John's Episcopal Church in Chicago on 2 November. A second funeral was held on Wednesday from 1734 North 7th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (his brother's house). He was buried on 4 November 1896 at Mount Vernon Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 3 (30 Oct), 5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15]
On 1 February 1913, his widow, Sarah A Kochersperger, applied successfully for a pension from Pennsylvania. [sources: 3, 4 (maybe VA?)]
In 1920, his widow, Sarah, was living at 1331 York Street, ward 37, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with her son Frank and his wife Maria. [source: 17]
His widow, Sarah, died on 2 April 1923, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 5 April 1923, she was buried in Mount Vernon Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 5, 13]
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) (JP Kochersperger)
2 company A descriptive roll, entry 133 (John P Kochersperger)
3 pension index, by regiment (John P Kochersperger)
4 pension index by name (John P Kochersperger)
5 "Längenberger Familien und Zugeheiratete", a gedcom available on RootsWeb WorldConnect, contact Daniel Guggisberg, accessed October 2005 and again on 3 June 2009) [although this mentions his service in the 6th PA Cavalry and US Navy, but not in the 91st PA, identification is confirmed by reference to his death] (John Preston Kochersperger)
6 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, ward 14, division 1, page 40 stamped = 40 handwritten to 41 stamped = 41 handwritten (Jno Kochersperger)
7 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 418, page 468 stamped = 5 handwritten] (J P Kochersperger)
8 1870 US census, Rhode Island, Providence County, Providence City 2nd ward, microfilm series M593, film 1478, page 255 = 41 handwritten (John P Kochersperger)
9 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 30 June 1865 (Kochersperger)
10 'Brought back for burial'. Philadelphia Inquirer, 3 November 1896, page 6 (John P Kochersperger)
11 [death notice]. Philadelphia Inquirer, 3 November 1896, page 9; also 2 November 1896 page 9, and 4 November 1896 page 9 (John P Kochersperger)
12 transit permit, and undertaker's certificate, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania death certificates, died 31 October 1896 (John Preston Kochersperger)
13 Find a grave, memorial 21320472, created by Längenberger Familien, added 2 Sep 2007, accessed 9 Aug 11 [identification confirmed by death] [pictured tombstone reads: "HUSBAND JOHN P. KOCHERSPERGER 1845 -- 1896 SARAH A. KOCHERSPERGER 1849 -- 1923] (John Preston Kochersperger)
14 'End of a useful life', Daily Inter Ocean, 1 November 1896, page 1 (John P Kochersperger)
15 death certificate, Cook County, Illinois (John Preston Kochersperger)
16 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Spring Garden ward 6, pages 324-325 (images 132-133 of 209 on Ancestry) (John Kochersperger)
17 1920 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 37, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 1209, microfilm series T625, film 1639, page 165 = 11 A handwritten (Sarah A Kochersperger)
18 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John P Kochensperger)
19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John P Kochersperger)
20 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John P Kocherpergerg)
21 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John P Kochesperger)
| line | 42 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Dwellings visited | 859 | ||||||
| Families visited | 1080 | ||||||
| Name | Danl Kochersperger | Danl W Kochersperger | Mary A " | Wm P " | John " | George " | Mary V " |
| Age | 58 | 28 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Sex | M | M | F | M | M | M | F |
| Color | |||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | None | Grocer | |||||
| Real estate owned | 7000 | ||||||
| Birthplace | ditto [sc. Pennsylvania] | Pennsylvania | ditto | ditto | ditto | ditto | ditto |
| Married within year | |||||||
| Attended school within year | |||||||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dwelling number | 261 | |||||||||
| Family number | 298 | |||||||||
| Name | Dan W. Kochersperger | Mary | Wm | Jno | Geo | Danl | Harding | Hiram H. Kochensperger | Irene M | Mary Stucberger [?] |
| Age | 39 | 39 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2/12 | 29 |
| Sex | m | f | m | m | m | m | m | m | f | f |
| Color | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Clerk | |||||||||
| Value of real estate owned | ||||||||||
| Value of personal estate | 200 | |||||||||
| Place of birth | Phila | " | " | " | " | " | " | Phila | " | " |
| Married within year | ||||||||||
| Attended school within year | ||||||||||
| Cannot read & write | ||||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Dwelling-house number | [243] | ||
| Family number | [292] | ||
| Name | Kochersperger John P | - Sarah | - Frank |
| Age | 25 | 21 | 1 |
| Sex | m | f | m |
| Color | w | w | w |
| Occupation | Fire Insurance Agent | ||
| Real estate value | |||
| Personal estate value | |||
| Birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| Father foreign born | / | / | / [sic] |
| Mother foreign born | / | / | / [sic] |
| Birth month if born within year | |||
| Marriage month if married within year | |||
| Attended school past year | |||
| 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 ... |
| line | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| street name | Hancock Street | ||
| house number | 2020 | ||
| dwelling visit # | 39 | ||
| family visit # | 40 | ||
| name | Kochersperger J P | - S A | - F H |
| color | W | W | W |
| sex | F | M | M |
| age | 34 | 30 | 11 |
| month born if born in year | |||
| relationship | Wife | Son | |
| single | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | |
| widowed/divorced | |||
| married during year | |||
| occupation | Clerk in RR | Keeping house | At school |
| months unemployed | |||
| currently ill? | |||
| blind | |||
| deaf/dumb | |||
| idiotic | |||
| insane | |||
| disabled | |||
| school this year | 1 | ||
| can't read | |||
| can't write | |||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| line | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| street | York street | ||
| house number | 1331 | ||
| dwelling visit number | 231 | ||
| family visit number | 252 | ||
| name | Kochersperger Frank H | - Maria A | - Sarah A |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Mother |
| own/rent | R | ||
| free/mortgaged (if owned) | |||
| sex | M | F | F |
| race | W | W | W |
| age at last birthday | 51 | 34 [?] | 70 |
| marital status | M | M | Wd |
| year of immigration | |||
| naturalized/alien | |||
| year of naturalization | |||
| attended school since Sept 1919 | no | no | no |
| can read | yes | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | yes | yes |
| birth place | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| native language | |||
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's native language | |||
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's native language | |||
| can speak English | yes | yes | yes |
| occupation | Store Keeper | none | none |
| industry, business | Metal Shop | ||
| employment status | W | ||
| number of farm schedule | |||
The body of John P. Kochersperger, who died at his home in Chicago on Sunday, is on its way to this city for interment. The deceased was a brother of Chief Clerk Kochersperger, of Common Council, and of Magistrate Kochersperger. He was Western superintendent of the Fidelity Casualty Company, of New York.
He was born in this city fifty-one years ago, and a number of years ago removed to Chicago, where a brother is county treasurer. Three weeks ago he sustained serious injury through a fall in his office in the Rookery Building, and was absent from business for some time. While preparing to leave his office he again fell, and was so badly injured that he never left his bed. He leaves a widow and a married son. The interment will be on Wednesday from the home of Magistrate Kochersperger.
KOCHERSPERGER.--Suddenly, on October 31, 1896, at his late residence, in Chicago, Ill., John P., son of Mary Ann and the late Daniel W. Kochersperger, aged 51 years. Funeral services on Wednesday afternoon, November 4, at 2 o'clock, at the residence of his brother, W. S. Kochersperger, No. 1734 North Seventh street, Philadelphia. To proceed to Mt. Vernon Cemetery. Interment private.
The death of John P. Kochersperger, brother of the county treasurer, and a gentleman prominently known in business and social life, causes a widespread regret not only in this city, but in Philadelphia. The sad event took place yesterday morning at the family home, No. 143 Oakwood boulevard, and was a blow all the more crushing to the immediate circle of wife and son and kindred, because of the tragic nature of the circumstances.
After having been confined to the house for three weeks as the result of a fall which he sustained while leaving his office in the Rookery, the gentleman had just recovered sufficiently to venture down town again, proposing to leave the next day for a season of rest at West Baden. By a singular fatality his foot slipped again in almost the exact spot of the first accident, and, rendered unconscious by the violent concussion with the marble pavement, he was removed to his home, never to leave his bed again, the decline being rapid until his demise about daybreak.
Mr. Kochersperger was born fifty-one years ago in Philadelphia, and for many years resided there, connected with the Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York. About ten years ago he came to Chicago to take charge of the company's Western agency, and at once took high rank in the business interests of the city, as well as in the varied life of the progressive citizen and humanitarian. In the pending political campaign he was zealous as secretary of the Thirty-Second Ward Republican Club, and the general esteem in which he was held in the Oakland Club was manifested by repeated elections as a director. Besides his widow, born Sarah A. Du Casse of Philadelphia, he leaves a married son, Frank H. Kochersperger.
The funeral services will take place tomorrow morning at 10:30 o'clock at St. John's Episcopal Church, Thirty-Seventh street and Langley avenue, and the body will be taken to Philadelphia for interment.