He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1830/1832. [sources: date: 2 (34 in 1864), 3, 7 (49 in 1880), 8 (64 yrs 9 m 9 days at death), 9 (18 in 1850), 10 (39 in 1870). place: 7, 9, 10]
In 1850, he was living in Warriors Mark Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. He was living with Berry Johnson. He was a laborer. [source: 9]
When he enlisted, he was a laborer. [sources: 2, 3]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, hazel eyes, and dark hair. [sources: 2, 3]
He also served in company G of the 1st Kansas infantry. He enlisted on 11 June 1861. He was discharged on 17 June 1864. [sources: 4, 15]
He was a substitute. He enlisted and was mustered into service on 7 October 1864. He was enlisted for one year, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. His enlistment was credited to the 16th congressional district. He was a private in company B. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 16-19]
He was wounded on 27 October 1864 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia. [sources: 1, 3]
His descriptive list was sent somewhere on 21 June 1865. [source: 3]
He was absent when the regiment mustered out. He was discharged on 13 July 1865. He was a private in company B. [sources: 1, 4, 16-19]
On 21 [?] August 1865, he successfully applied for a pension. [sources: 5, 6]
He married Margaret Moriah [unknown family name]. She was born in 1837/38, in Pennsylvania. [sources: 7, 10, 11]
In 1870, he was living in Worth Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He was living with Maria (presumably his wife). He was a laborer, and owned $900 in personal property. [source: 10]
In 1880, he was living in Franklin Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Moriah. He was a shoemaker. [source: 7]
In 1890, he was living in Franklin, Huntington County, Pennsylvania. His right leg had been amputated above the knee. [source: 4]
On 21 June 1890, his wife Margaret M Mothersbaugh, died. She was buried in the Franklinville Cemetery, Franklinville, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. [source: 11]
In January 1894, he had an unclaimed letter in the Tyrone Post Office. [source: 13]
He committed suicide, by shooting himself, about 6 AM. He was thought to have suddenly become insane, because no one knew of a reason for him to have killed himself. He died on 18 July 1895. He was buried in Franklinville Cemetery, Franklinville, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. [sources: 6 (18 July 1895), 8 (25 July 1895), 12 (18 July), 14 (18 July)]
Sanford Mothersbaugh's will, made more than a year before his death, left $300 to the Methodist Church at Huntingdon, and gave one of his houses to whomever was living in it when he died. A poor widow happened to be the beneficiary. He was worth about $8,000. [source: 12]
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) (S Mothersbaugh)
2 company B, [second] descriptive roll, entry 66 (Sanford Muthersbaugh)
3 company B, [third] descriptive roll, entry 26 (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
4 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Huntingdon County, Franklin, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 166 [?], page 3 (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
5 pension index, by name (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
6 pension index, by regiment (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
7 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Huntingdon County, Franklin Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 181, microfilm series T9, film 1134, page 30 D = 27 [?] handwritten (Sanford Mothersbough)
8 Find a Grave, memorial 19526940, created by jmo, added 25 May 2007, accessed 1 March 2011 [identification is probable, given the date (cf. 6) and his unusual name] [the memorial includes a photograph of the headstone inscription: 'SANFORD D [?] Mothersbaugh Died July 25 1895 Aged 64 ys 9 m 9 d'] (Sanford D [?] Mothersbaugh)
9 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Huntingdon County, Warriors Mark Township, microfilm series M432, film 784, page 15 = 30 handwritten (S D Mothersbaugh)
10 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Centre County, Worth Township, post office Port Matilda, microfilm series M593, film 1322, page 825 = 9 handwritten (Sanford Mothersbach)
11 Find a Grave, memorial 32530886, created 31 Dec 2008, by Kim Gutshall, accessed 6 March 2011 (Margaret M wife of Sanford D Mothersbaugh)
12 'Tyrone topics', Patriot 20 July 1895, page 5 (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
13 'The Cumberland Valley', Patriot 11 January 1894, page 3 (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
14 From neighboring towns', Patriot 19 July 1895, page 5 (Mothersbaugh)
15 National Park Service. Soldiers and Sailors database. (accessed 2 December 2012) (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
16 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Sanford Mutthersbaugh)
17 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Sanford Mothersbaugh)
18 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Sanford Muttersbaugh)
19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Sanford Muthersbaugh)
| line | 22 | 23 |
| Dwellings visited | 189 | |
| Families visited | 197 | |
| Name | Berry Johnson | S. D. Mothersbaugh |
| Age | 67 | 18 |
| Sex | M | M |
| Color | ||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Farmer | Labourer |
| Real estate owned | 10.800 | |
| Birthplace | " [sc. Penna] | " |
| Married within year | ||
| Attended school within year | ||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | ||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 6 | 7 |
| Dwelling-house number | 61 | |
| Family number | 65 | |
| Name | Mothersbach Sanford | - Maria |
| Age | 39 | 32 |
| Sex | M | F |
| Color | W | W |
| Occupation | Laborer | Keeping House |
| Real estate value | ||
| Personal estate value | 900 | |
| Birthplace | " [sc. Penna] | " |
| Father foreign born | ||
| Mother foreign born | ||
| 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 | 26 | 28 |
| [line 27 includes only 'Sanford'--the census-taker obviously didn't have enough space to write 'Sanford Mothersbough' on one line] | ||
| street name | ||
| house number | ||
| dwelling visit # | 29 | |
| family visit # | 29 | |
| name | Mothersbough Sanford | Moriah M |
| color | W | W |
| sex | M | F |
| age | 49 | 43 |
| month born if born in year | ||
| relationship | Wife | |
| single | 1 [sic] | |
| married | 1 | 1 |
| widowed/divorced | ||
| married during year | ||
| occupation | Shoemaker | Keeping House |
| months unemployed | ||
| currently ill? | ||
| blind | ||
| deaf/dumb | ||
| idiotic | ||
| insane | ||
| disabled | ||
| school this year | ||
| can't read | ||
| can't write | ||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna |
Tyrone, July 19.--Sanford Mothersbaugh, who shot himself Thursday morning, had made his will more than a year ago. He was worth about $8,000. He gave the Methodist church at Huntingdon $300 and also gave one of his houses in that ancient town to the "party who might be living in it at the time of his death." There just happens to be a poor widow living in this house at this time and for once the lightning struck in the right place.
Unclaimed letters remaining in the Tyrone postoffice [sic] for the week ending Saturday, January 6, are as follows: .. Sanford Mothersbaugh, ....
Tyrone, July 18.-- ...
A farmer named Mothersbaugh, residing near Tyrone, shot himself this morning about six o'clock. He said he was going to heaven. It is thought he was taken suddenly insane, as there was no cause known why he should take his life.
...