91st PA: George Werkheiser

George Werkheiser

Before the war

He was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 1830/1831. [source: 5]

When he enlisted, he was a carpenter. [source: 5]

Description

When he enlisted, he was 6 feet 1 inch tall, and had a light complexion, hazel eyes, and sandy hair. [source: 5]

During the war

He enlisted and was mustered into service on 27 January 1864. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lieutenant Burke. He was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 5, 6-8]

On 27 April 1865, he was promoted to corporal, effective 1 April 1865. [sources: 1, 2, 4]

On 28 May 1865, he went on a furlough, which expired on 12 June 1865. He returned on 13 June 1865. [source: 3]

He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company. He was a corporal, in company G. [sources: 1, 6-8]

Sources

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) (George Werkizer)

2 special order 25, HQ 91st PA, 27 April 1865 (George Werkiser)

3 enlisted men's furloughs (Werkiser)

4 company G, list of non-commissioned officers (George Werkiser)

5 company G, second descriptive roll, [#30] (George Werkheiser)

6 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (George Werkiser)

7 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (George Werkhiser)

8 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (George Werkheiser)

Note on identification

Of the following three candidates, the Northampton George Werkheiser seems least likely, since the George who served in the 91st was born in Montgomery County. Note also that in 1860 he was a (apparently) a merchant, while the 91st's George was a carpenter (but the Northampton County George was a carpenter before and after 1860).

There are two George Werkheiser's in Norristown in the 1850 census. One clearly married Hettie/Esther, and had at least one child (Lizzie, born 1859). He apparently died on 1 August 1879, shortly after his wife. (Perhaps the other died, or moved away. Or perhaps one George Werkheiser was recorded twice in the 1850 census.) Both were carpenters.

I do not know whether Harriet (in 1900) is Hettie/Esther, though that seems unlikely given her children, and given the report that she died shortly before 1 August 1879. But if she is, her husband is unlikely to have served in the 91st, since his widow never applied for a pension.

I have no evidence linking one of these George Werkheiser's to the 91st Pennsylvania.

Northampton County
1850: Geo A Wirkheiser (27, carpenter), with Sibilla (33), Hugh (24, carpenter), George (19, laborer), Mary Ann (30), and Catharine (54), all born PA, in Plainfield, Northampton, Pennsylvania (dwelling 285, family 299, p.383 verso = 762 handwritten)
1860: George Werkiser, 30, merchant, b. PA, in Plainfield Twp, Northampton, PA, microfilm series M653, film 1148, page 969 = 210 handwritten), with (his brother) Hugh [?] Werkiser (35), Susan (26), William (9??), Mary (9??), and Mary A (10 [?] domestic)
1870: George A Werkheiser (48, house carpenter), Sabilla (42) Wilson (10) Peter (5) Jerimiah (3) Ida A (8) all b. PA (Lower Mount Bethel, Northampton, PA, p.202 verso = 18 handwritten)
1880: Adam Werkheiser (0), Sybilla (52), Peter (14), Alfred (13), T9, 1163, 251 B, Plainfield, Northampton, PA
see 'Cocke county cousin connections', gedcom, on RootsWeb WorldConnect, contract Andy Hatchett, last updated 10 Oct 09, accessed 3 Mar 12: George Adam Werkheiser born 1831 to John George Werkheiser and Catharine Kessler (1791-1852), married Sybilla Reeser (b. 1827 PA), children: Wilson, Ida, Peter, Alfred [note: other gedcom's are available with similar information]
Norristown, Montgomery County (1)
1850: George Workhiser, 21, carpenter, with William (26, mason), Emeline (20), Mary E (1) Workhiser and Ruben Finkenger (64), all b. PA, Upper Ward, Norristown Borough, Montgomery, PA p.245 verso = 488 h/w = 54 h/w
Norristown, Montgomery County (2)
1850: Geo Workhiser, 20, b. Ch [?] Co PA, carpenter, Norristown Borough, Montgomery, PA, page 286 = 567 handwritten, with Hiram C Roberts (31, carpenter), Catherine Roberts (30), and Sam C Roberts (2)
one of the Norristown George Workheiser's
Find a grave, memorial 55590120, created by rnmacmullan, added 29 July 2010, accessed 3 March 2012: born 6 May 1830, died 1 Aug 1879, buried Norris City Cemetery, Norristown, Montgomery County, PA; served in D 51 from 20 Sep 1861 to 2 Dec 1862, and in I 43 PA Militia from 30 June 1863 to 13 Aug 1863 (no other Werkiser's in that cemetery on Find a grave)
'Re: Werkheiser, George Mont. Co. PA', a message on the Genealogy.com Werkheiser board, 8 Sep 2000, from Mark Werkiser: George Werkiser b. 6 May 1830 to George Werkiser and Elizabeth, married Esther Whitman 1858 in St John's Church, Norristown, commited suicide 1 August 1879 shortly after his wife died (e-mail address hidden; accessed 3 March 2012; posted reply on 3 March 2012)
1860: George Worksizer, 28, b. PA, carpenter, with Esther (23) and Eliza J (11/12), Norristown Borough, Montgomery, PA, microfilm series M653, film 1144, page 520 = 22 handwritten
1870: George Werkhiser, 40, work at carpentry, b. PA, with Hetty 32 and Lizzie 11 both b. PA, Bridgeport, Montgomery, PA, p.520 recto = 1 h/w = 269 h/w
? 1900: Harriet Workheiser (b. Sep 29, 5 children, widowed, 40 years married), with Lizzie (b. Dec 1862), Cornelia (b. Sep 1864), Harry (b. Jun 1867), and Adam (b. Aug 1871), ward 6, Norristown Borough, Montgomery, PA, s.d. 2, e.d. 240, p. 131 A = 4 A handwritten
(searching for Cornelia Werkheiser b. 1863-1865 resulted in this 1900 and also 1920 and 1930 entries)

Sources checked unsuccessfully

1850 US census
see note on identification above
1860 US census
see note on identification above
1870 US census
see note on identification above
1880 US census
see note on identification above
1890 US census, veterans' schedules
Ancestry index (accessed 29 Feb 2012)
[there was a George Werkheiser in Monroe County, who served in E 67 PA Infantry]
1900 US census
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 12)
1910 US census
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 12)
1920 US census
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 12)
1930 US census
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 12)
pension index by name
Ancestry index (accessed April 2007)
records of headstones of deceased Union veterans, 1879-1903
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
applications for headstones for military veterans, 1925-1941
FamilySearch index (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
Pennsylvania veterans' burial cards
Ancestry index (accessed 29 Feb 2012)
Genealogy Bank
searched 'George Werkheiser' or 'George Werkiser' in Pennsylvania newspapers (accessed 3 March 2012)

Display


George A Werkheiser in the 91st PA gedcom on RootsWeb WorldConnect

George Werkheiser in the 91st PA database

index to compiled service records

[index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania]
[transcribed 3 May 2015, from Fold3]


Werkiser George
Co. G, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Pvt | Cpl
See also 51 Pa Inf.

GENERAL INDEX CARD.


[card 2, transcribed 3 May 15]

Werkhiser George
Co. G, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Pvt | Cpl
REFERENCE CARD.
Original filed under
Werkiser George

GENERAL INDEX CARD.


[card 3, transcribed 4 May 15]

Werkheiser George
Co. G, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Pvt | Cpl
REFERENCE CARD.
Original filed under
Werkiser George

GENERAL INDEX CARD.

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revised 4 May 15
contact Harry Ide at [email protected] with comments or questions