In 1850, he was living with his family in Jackson Township, Dauphin County. He is in the 1863-65 draft registration as a machinist residing in Harrisburg, but his military records claim that in 1862 he was working at a shop in Philadelphia. He stood 5' 6" tall and had brown hair and brown eyes.

A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in Philadelphia with the U.S. Navy September 19, 1862, and served as an assistant engineer (3rd and 2nd) variously aboard the supply ship U.S.S. Rhode Island, monitor U.S.S Chimo, sidewheeler U.S.S. Mercury, and patrol vessel U.S.S. Ella. On March 8, 1863, while assigned to the Rhode Island, he was hospitalized for treatment of syphilis, "origin not duty," and reported as exhibiting several overt symptoms on his genitals. He returned to duty by April 10 following during an era when treatment of STDs was impossible beyond usually pointless topical applications. While aboard the Mercury, he suffered a back injury while attempting to put out a fire and thus on October 7, 1864, was "chock full of rheumatism" when admitted to the naval hospital in Washington DC. While there he wrote home to say that his hospital accommodations were rather spartan but "a better place than the one I came from." Moreover, he was in possession of a $1,400 government check in "prize money" from capturing of Confederate vessels and was eager to cash it. He discharged the navy by surgeon's certificate to date October 19, 1864, although he referred to his discharge as a "resignation."

He returned home and according to several accounts was unable to engage in physical laborer due to his injured back. He therefore took work with the railroad as a clerk and cashier. He married Adelaide E. Stroh October 22, 1867, in Harrisburg and fathered the two children you see linked below. He applied for a disability pension and received it. He died from the lingering effects of a stroke, specifically "locomotor ataxia," a common symptom of late stage syphilis.

On April 1, 1901, Adelaide applied for a widow's pension but did not receive it "on the ground of nondependence" as she was well propertied and Isaac had left her $1,500 in life insurance plus railroad benefits. The pension file contains several of Isaac's war time letters.

bio info courtesy of Dennis Brandt

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Harrisburg Daily Independent, Monday, May 1, 1889, page 1

DEATH OF I. S. MUENCH.

Ex-Cashier of the Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Department Dies This Morning.

Isaac S. Muench died early this morning at his home, 929 North Sixth street, after a prolonged illness. Until about three years ago he was an attache of the Pennsylvania railroad freight department, but was obliged to resign owing to ill health. His condition for the last few weeks has been critical and his death was caused by a stroke of paralysis, induced by locomotor ataxia, from which he suffered.

Mr. Muench was born in Halifax township, Dauphin county, December 7, 1839 and was the son of Daniel A. and Lydia S. Muench, the former of whom was one of the early settlers in Dauphin county. After a public school education, obtained at Halifax, Mr. Muench came to this city at the age of 16, where he completed his education and learned the trade of machinist. In 1862 he entered the United States navy as an engineer, serving in the gulf squadron, with Admiral Farragut, and in the West Indian squadron under Admiral Larder. He resigned from the navy on account of ill health in 1864 and returning to this city he entered the freight department of the Pennsylvania railroad company a year later. He was made chief clerk and cashier in 1868, but was forced to resign in 1896, because of his broken health.

He married October 22, 1867, Miss Adelaide E. Stroh, of this city and had two children, one of whom died in childhood and the other, Miss Elizabeth A. D. Muench, with his wife, survives him. Mr. Muench was a member of Perseverance lodge of Masons and was a member of the Pennsylvania railroad relief association. He held a government pension for injuries to his health contracted while in the navy.