John Emory Berkstresser was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania, and is in that census by his middle name.
In the summer of 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College when Robert E. Lee's army crossed into Pennsylvania. Responding to the governor's call for emergency troops, Berkstresser, along with many of his classmates, enlisted on June 16 with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. After mustering at Harrisburg, they headed back toward Gettysburg where, several days before the battle proper, they tried to stand before a section of the Confederate army bound for York and the burning of the Wrightsville bridge. Wisely, the overmatched militiamen ran for their lives, or we might not be discussing John Berkstresser now. He was honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He also enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered the following day as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865. He is on the roster of the 21st Pa Cav as "Bergstresser," which a Pennsylvania "Dutchman" would pronounce exactly as he would "Berkstresser."
After the war, John Berkstresser attended medical school and became a doctor.He moved south after the war and married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama. Their children were Florence Adnie (b. 02/23/1893), John Emory (b. 01/14/1894), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/1897), and Sydney born during or after 1900.
The son of Rev. George & Anna Catherine (Horn) Bergstresser or Berkstresser, it does not matter because a Pennsylvania Dutchman would pronounce either spelling the say way, i.e., the "g" would also have a "k" sound. In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, and stood 5' 8" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. In June 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College on his way to a degree in medicine and, according to the 1863 draft registration, living in Liberty Township, Adams County, a fair distance from Gettysburg, so he likely was not commuting to school.
A Civil War veteran, he first enlisted in Gettysburg June 20, 1863, mustered into state service at Harrisburg June 29 as a private with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia, and honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He then enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered into federal service there February 12 as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865.
He married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama, and fathered Florence A. (b. 02/23/93), John Emory (b. 01/14/94), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/97 - U.S. Navy), and Sydney (b. =1900).
Dennis W. Brandt
Red Lion, PA
Author: From Home Guards to Heroes: The 87th Pennsylvania and its Civil War Community
Pathway to Hell: A Tragedy of the American Civil War
Shattering the Truth: The Slandering of Abraham Lincoln
In the summer of 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College when Robert E. Lee's army crossed into Pennsylvania. Responding to the governor's call for emergency troops, Berkstresser, along with many of his classmates, enlisted on June 16 with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. After mustering at Harrisburg, they headed back toward Gettysburg where, several days before the battle proper, they tried to stand before a section of the Confederate army bound for York and the burning of the Wrightsville bridge. Wisely, the overmatched militiamen ran for their lives, or we might not be discussing John Berkstresser now. He was honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He also enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered the following day as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865. He is on the roster of the 21st Pa Cav as "Bergstresser," which a Pennsylvania "Dutchman" would pronounce exactly as he would "Berkstresser."
After the war, John Berkstresser attended medical school and became a doctor.He moved south after the war and married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama. Their children were Florence Adnie (b. 02/23/1893), John Emory (b. 01/14/1894), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/1897), and Sydney born during or after 1900.
The son of Rev. George & Anna Catherine (Horn) Bergstresser or Berkstresser, it does not matter because a Pennsylvania Dutchman would pronounce either spelling the say way, i.e., the "g" would also have a "k" sound. In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, and stood 5' 8" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. In June 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College on his way to a degree in medicine and, according to the 1863 draft registration, living in Liberty Township, Adams County, a fair distance from Gettysburg, so he likely was not commuting to school.
A Civil War veteran, he first enlisted in Gettysburg June 20, 1863, mustered into state service at Harrisburg June 29 as a private with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia, and honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He then enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered into federal service there February 12 as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865.
He married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama, and fathered Florence A. (b. 02/23/93), John Emory (b. 01/14/94), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/97 - U.S. Navy), and Sydney (b. =1900).
Dennis W. Brandt
Red Lion, PA
Author: From Home Guards to Heroes: The 87th Pennsylvania and its Civil War Community
Pathway to Hell: A Tragedy of the American Civil War
Shattering the Truth: The Slandering of Abraham Lincoln
John Emory Berkstresser was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania, and is in that census by his middle name.
In the summer of 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College when Robert E. Lee's army crossed into Pennsylvania. Responding to the governor's call for emergency troops, Berkstresser, along with many of his classmates, enlisted on June 16 with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. After mustering at Harrisburg, they headed back toward Gettysburg where, several days before the battle proper, they tried to stand before a section of the Confederate army bound for York and the burning of the Wrightsville bridge. Wisely, the overmatched militiamen ran for their lives, or we might not be discussing John Berkstresser now. He was honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He also enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered the following day as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865. He is on the roster of the 21st Pa Cav as "Bergstresser," which a Pennsylvania "Dutchman" would pronounce exactly as he would "Berkstresser."
After the war, John Berkstresser attended medical school and became a doctor.He moved south after the war and married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama. Their children were Florence Adnie (b. 02/23/1893), John Emory (b. 01/14/1894), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/1897), and Sydney born during or after 1900.
The son of Rev. George & Anna Catherine (Horn) Bergstresser or Berkstresser, it does not matter because a Pennsylvania Dutchman would pronounce either spelling the say way, i.e., the "g" would also have a "k" sound. In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, and stood 5' 8" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. In June 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College on his way to a degree in medicine and, according to the 1863 draft registration, living in Liberty Township, Adams County, a fair distance from Gettysburg, so he likely was not commuting to school.
A Civil War veteran, he first enlisted in Gettysburg June 20, 1863, mustered into state service at Harrisburg June 29 as a private with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia, and honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He then enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered into federal service there February 12 as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865.
He married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama, and fathered Florence A. (b. 02/23/93), John Emory (b. 01/14/94), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/97 - U.S. Navy), and Sydney (b. =1900).
Dennis W. Brandt
Red Lion, PA
Author: From Home Guards to Heroes: The 87th Pennsylvania and its Civil War Community
Pathway to Hell: A Tragedy of the American Civil War
Shattering the Truth: The Slandering of Abraham Lincoln
In the summer of 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College when Robert E. Lee's army crossed into Pennsylvania. Responding to the governor's call for emergency troops, Berkstresser, along with many of his classmates, enlisted on June 16 with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia. After mustering at Harrisburg, they headed back toward Gettysburg where, several days before the battle proper, they tried to stand before a section of the Confederate army bound for York and the burning of the Wrightsville bridge. Wisely, the overmatched militiamen ran for their lives, or we might not be discussing John Berkstresser now. He was honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He also enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered the following day as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865. He is on the roster of the 21st Pa Cav as "Bergstresser," which a Pennsylvania "Dutchman" would pronounce exactly as he would "Berkstresser."
After the war, John Berkstresser attended medical school and became a doctor.He moved south after the war and married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama. Their children were Florence Adnie (b. 02/23/1893), John Emory (b. 01/14/1894), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/1897), and Sydney born during or after 1900.
The son of Rev. George & Anna Catherine (Horn) Bergstresser or Berkstresser, it does not matter because a Pennsylvania Dutchman would pronounce either spelling the say way, i.e., the "g" would also have a "k" sound. In 1860, he was a student living with his family in Shrewsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, and stood 5' 8" tall with brown hair and brown eyes. In June 1863, he was a student at Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College on his way to a degree in medicine and, according to the 1863 draft registration, living in Liberty Township, Adams County, a fair distance from Gettysburg, so he likely was not commuting to school.
A Civil War veteran, he first enlisted in Gettysburg June 20, 1863, mustered into state service at Harrisburg June 29 as a private with Co. A, 26th Pennsylvania Militia, and honorably discharged with his company July 30, 1863. He then enlisted in Chambersburg February 11, 1864, mustered into federal service there February 12 as a private with Co. B, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry (182nd Pa), and honorably discharged with his company July 8, 1865.
He married Minnie Lou Edwards sometime during 1892 in Talladega County, Alabama, and fathered Florence A. (b. 02/23/93), John Emory (b. 01/14/94), Harry Lee (b. 07/06/97 - U.S. Navy), and Sydney (b. =1900).
Dennis W. Brandt
Red Lion, PA
Author: From Home Guards to Heroes: The 87th Pennsylvania and its Civil War Community
Pathway to Hell: A Tragedy of the American Civil War
Shattering the Truth: The Slandering of Abraham Lincoln
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