He was born in 1843/44, in Patterson, New Jersey, perhaps to Seth Loper and Lydia Bowen. [sources: date: 5 (18 in 1862), 10 (18 in 1863), 11 (7 in 1850), 12 (16 in 1860). place: 5, 10, 11, 12, 13. parents: 11, 12, 13]
In 1850, perhaps he is the Charles Loper who was living in Upper Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, New Jersey. If so, he was living with Seth and Lydia Loper (presumably his parents), and with James, Elwood, Angeline, and Marten (presumably his siblings). He had attended school within the year. [source: 11]
In 1860, perhaps he is the Charles P Loper living in Upper Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, New Jersey. If so, he was living with Seth and Lydia Loper (presumably his parents), and with James, Angeline, Martin, Mary Jane, and William (presumably his siblings). [source: 12]
When he enlisted, he was a farmer. [sources: 5, 10]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 9 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair. [sources: 5, 10]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 21 July 1862. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lieutenant Gregory. He was a private in company G. [sources: 1, 5, 7, 9, 10]
On 13 December 1862, he was wounded at the Battle of Fredricksburg. A piece of shell wounded his left shoulder. [source: 10]
On 6 January 1863, he and about five hundred other sick and wounded soldiers arrived in Philadelphia. Most had been wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg. They were taken to the Chestnut Hill Hospital. [source: 8]
On 27 March 1863, he returned to the regiment from being absent sick. [source: 2]
In April 1863, he became ill while on picket at Banks Ford. [source: 10]
He was discharged at the corps hospital, at Camp near Stoneman's Switch, Virginia, on 1 June 1863 on surgeon's certificate of disability. He had been unfit for duty 40 days of the last two months. The regiment reported his discharge on 2 June. He was probably reported "absent sick" on 1 June. He was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10]
On 13 September 1864, he enlisted, at Trenton, New Jersey, in company H of the 2nd regiment of New Jersey Cavalry. [source: 10]
On the November-December 1864 muster roll, he was reported hurt, and left in camp near Memphis, Tennessee. [source: 10]
On the January-February 1865 muster roll, he was reported absent, serving as a guard at the quartermaster depot, at Natchez, Mississippi. [source: 10]
The March-April 1865 muster roll reports him present. [source: 10]
He was discharged at the Camp near Stoneman's Switch, Virginia. [source: 10]
About 1 June 1865, he developed chronic diarrhea, at Columbus, Mississippi. [source: 10]
On 29 June 1865, he was discharged, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in accordance with General Order number 83, Adjutant General's Office, War Department, 29 June 1865. [source: 10]
On 20 June 1863, Dr Quinton Gibbon received $1.50 for examining him, as part of his pension application. [source: 10]
On 26 June 1863, he applied successfully from New Jersey for a pension. He was living in Pittsgrove, Salem County, New Jersey. His first attorney was Thomas V T Rusling. This application refers only to his service in the 91st--but mentions his discharge at Camp near Stoneman's Switch, Virginia, and claims that Sinex (of the 91st) was commanding! [sources: 6, 7]
On 20 February 1866, he again applied from New Jersey for a pension. His attorney now was Isaac Hackett. This application refers only to his service in the 2nd New Jersey. [source: 10]
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) (Charles T Loper)
2 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 27 March 1863 (Chas. T. Loper)
3 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 2 June 1863 (Chas. T. Loper)
4 company G, register of men discharged, #33 (Charles T Loper)
5 company G, descriptive roll, #89 (Charles T Loper)
6 pension index, by name (Charles T Loper)
7 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company G (Charles T Loper)
8 'Arrival of sick and wounded soldiers' (Philadelphia Inquirer 7 January 1863 page 6) (C T Loper)
9 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Charles T Loper)
10 pension documents packet, selected from pension certificate file, soldier's certificate 30393 (Charles T Loper)
11 1850 US census, New Jersey, Salem County, Upper Pittsgrove Township, microfilm series M432, film 462, page 210 recto = 419 handwritten (FamilySearch) (Charles Loper)
12 1860 US census, New Jersey, Salem County, Upper Pittsgrove Township, microfilm series M653, film 707, page 38 handwritten (FamilySearch) (Charles P Loper)
13 'Charles P Loper', in Liana Mae Greenberg, an Ancestry family tree, owner greenbek, accessed 17 January 2015 (Charles P Loper)
There is a Charles M Loper living in ward 2, Patterson, Passaic County, New Jersey, in 1870 (FamilySearch). He is living with Charles E (59, b. NJ), and Margaret (55, b. NJ) Loper (presumably his parents), and with Emma Loper (21, born NY). However, he was born in New York (not New Jersey), and he and his father had a "Provision Store"--neither of which completely rule him out, but which don't fit well with his birthplace and occupation in the company descriptive book (entry 5 above). Further, he was still living in New York in 1865. So I'm inclined to think he is not a very plausible candidate for being the Charles Loper who served in the 91st. Here's the other information I've seen about him:
line | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ||
Dwellings visited | 97 | ||||||||
Families visited | 97 | ||||||||
Name | Seth Loper | Lydia " | James " | Charles " | Elwood " | Angeline " | Harten [?] " | ||
[although the FamilySearch indexer read the last personal name as 'Marten', which would match the 1860 census much better, the first character does not look like the 'M' in 'Mary' on line 22, and looks more like the 'H' in 'Hulbert on line 39 (although it is not exactly the same)] | |||||||||
Age | 32 | 35 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5/12 | ||
Sex | m | f | m | m | m | f | m | ||
Color | |||||||||
Occupation of males over 15 years | Farm | ||||||||
Real estate owned | |||||||||
Birthplace | N.J. | " " | " " | " " | " " | " " | " " | ||
Married within year | |||||||||
Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||||||
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
line | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Dwelling number | 288 | |||||||
Family number | 282 | |||||||
Name | Seth Loper | Lydia A " | James A " | Charles P " | Angeline " | Martin B " | Mary Jane " | William F " |
Age | 42 | 42 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
Sex | M | F | M | M | F | M | F | M |
Color | ||||||||
Occupation | farmer | |||||||
Value of real estate owned | ||||||||
Value of personal estate | $800 | |||||||
Place of birth | NJ. | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
Married within year | ||||||||
Attended school within year | ||||||||
Cannot read & write | ||||||||
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt from your Office of application for Pension No. 103229, and to return it herewith, with such information as is furnished by the files of this Office.
It appears from the Rolls on file in the Office, that Charles Loper was enrolled on the 13 day of Sept, 1864, at Trenton, in Co. "H" 2 Regiment of NJ Cavalry Volunteers, to serve one years [sic], or during the war, and mustered into service as a private on the 13 day of Sept 1864, at Trenton N.J., in Co. "H", 2d Regiment of N.J. Cavalry Volunteers, to serve one years [sic], or during the war. On the Muster Roll of Co. "H" of that Regiment, for the months of Nov + Dec 1864, he is reported "Hurt Left in Camp near Memphis Tenn." Roll Jan + Feb 1865 reported "Absent. Guard at Q.M. Dept Natchez. Miss." Roll for Mar + Apl /65 reported. Chas T Loper "Present." Roll for May + June 1865 reptd. Discharged and mustered out of service in obedience to G.O. No 83, AGO W.D. June 29 /65"
In the case of Chas T. Loper, late Priv. Co. "H", 2nd Regiment N. Jersey Cavy, it is respectfully requested that you furnish this Office whatever evidence the rolls of said Regiment may afford as to the applicant's service and disability. He alleges that he was wounded at the battle of [blank] day of [blank] and was discharged on the [blank] day of [blank] [written over '[blank] day of [blank]': 'Please give military history.']
Received, of Charles T. Loper, late a Private in 91st Pennsylvania U.S. [sic] Volunteers in the service of the United States, the sum of one dollar and fifty cents, being the fee authorized by law for an examination which I have this day made of the said Charles T. Loper as an applicant for an invalid pension.
Also, personally appeared Joseph Jones and Isaac Johnson, residents of Salem Co. N.J. persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who being by me duly sworn, say they were present and saw said claimant sign his name to the foregoing declaration; and they further swear that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of the applicant, and their acquaintance with him, that he is the identical person he represents himself to be; and they further state, they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 22 day of June A.D. 1863 and I hereby certify that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim.
John Johnson JudgeI hereby Authorize Thos V. T. Rusling of Salem NJ. my Agent and Attorney in fact, to present the foregoing claim, and to receive and receipt for, in my name and stead, the money, certificate, or amount [?] payable under it.
Charles T LoperPersonally appeared Chas T Loper whose name is signed to the foregoing Power of Attorney, and acknowledged the same to be his free and voluntary act, for the purposes therein named.
On this Twentieth day of February A.D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty six personally appeared before me, Jonth L Brown Clerk of the Court of Com Pleas in and for the County and State aforesaid, Charles T Loper aged 22 years, a resident of said County and State, who being duly sworn, according to law, declares that he is the identical Charles T Loper who enlisted in the service of the United States at Trenton NJ on the 13" day of September 1864 in Co. "H" 2d Regt N J Cavly in the War of 1861, and was honorably discharged on the 29" day of June 1865 at Vicksburg Miss while in the service aforesaid, and in the line of his duty. while at Columbus Miss about the 1" of June 1865 was taken with chronic diarreah [sic] and has been suffering from the effect of this disease up to the present time. that he has resided in Salem Co. NJ since his discharge; that he unable [sic] to do any labor that his habits are temperate; and I do hereby appoint Isaac Hackett Esq of No 221 Penn Avenue Washington DC my attorney, to obtain a Pension for me, with power of substitution and revocation, hereby confirming all that my said attorney may lawfully do by virtue hereof. My Post Office address is Elmer, Salem Co. NJ
Charles T Loper
Also personally appeared, Seth Loper and James Seaman residents of the County and State aforesaid, persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who being by me duly sworn, say that they were present, and saw Charles T Loper sign his name to the foregoing declaration,
and they further swear that they have every reason to believe, from their acquaintance with the applicant, that he is
[image 8]
[I have transcribed only the middle column; the left and right columns are printed instructions, except for the stamp, which I have also transcribed]
Invalid Army Pension
IN CASE OF
Charles T Loper
Co. G 91st Penna
T.V.F. Rusling Attorney.
Salem P. Office
[blank] County
NJ State
Chas T Loper Claimant.
Elmer P. Office.
Salem County
N.J. State
Filed [blank]
[stamp:] DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Jan 26 1868 [?] PENSION OFFICE
[image 9]
the identical person he represents himself to be, and they further swear that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.
Seth Loper
James Seaman
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 20" day of February A.D. 1866, and I hereby certify that I have no interest directly or indirectly in the prosecution of this claim; that said Court is a Court of Record; that I am duly authorized to administer oaths in and for said Court, and have the custody of its official seal.
I CERTIFY, that I have carefully examined the said Private Charles T. Loper of Captain Eli G. Sellers Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of Phthisis Pulmonalis. Said soldier has been off duty 4 months, and in my opinion will never be capable of performing the duties of a Soldier. I would respectfully urge that he be discharged. his disability occurred since enlistment.
J. A. C. Reed