Pepperney

John Puhl in the National Soldier’s Home

joelowry1982 1910s, Military, Paternal, Pepperney, Puhl , , , ,

On a snowy Sunday, November 13, 1910, in Dayton, Ohio, John Puhl walked into the National Soldier’s Home. Essentially an early Veterans Affairs hospital, the home provided not just medical care but also short and long-term lodging to veterans, most of the Civil War. As the National Park Service describes, “Requirements for admission were that soldiers had been honorably discharged from military service and that they had contracted their disabilities during the war. Men admitted themselves to the home voluntarily and could request a discharge. The homes were run in a military fashion: men wore uniforms and were assigned to companies; bugles and cannons signaled daily schedules. The homes provided schools, churches, hospitals, and gardens thought to be therapeutic for the veterans.”

It’s likely that John signed in that Sunday for medical care. His wife Emma was still living in Pittsburgh, so it’s doubtful he initially intended to live there for the rest of his life, although he could have if he wished. The intake form states Emma lived at 2621 Linwood Avenue in Pittsburgh (until 1907 the independent city of Allegheny) in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood, at the time an enclave of German, Irish, Italian, and Polish families primarily living in single-family homes. The form fails to capture that they lived with eight others in the home of their daughter Ida and son-in-law (and Major League baseball player) Augustus Dundon, their three children, and Ida’s siblings Harry, Bertha, and Grace. John was a molder in an iron foundry, a typical job in Pittsburgh’s booming steel and iron industry.

John’s intake form states that he was 5 foot, 5 inches and had “effective hearing and vision, old injury to left hip with about 1/2 inch shortening of the leg accordingly, G.S.W left shoulder, cardiac hypertrophy, arteriosclerosis, dermal condition good.” While most of those ailments are representatives of the diet and medical condition of most men his age, the G.S.W. – gunshot wound – could represent a Civil War injury and the needed disability to be seen for care in the National Soldier’s Home.

John stayed in Dayton for seven months, checking himself out on June 25, 1910. According to available records, he did not return to Dayton for further treatment. He died in Pittsburgh in 1916.

Editor’s Note: John Puhl is the older brother of Margaret Puhl Pepperney (1849 – 1923). Margaret is the wife of Frank Pepperney (1847 – 1927) and mother of George P. Pepperney (1871 – 1962).

Sources

1910 U.S. census, Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, population schedule, tract X4, enumeration district (ED) 629, sheet 1B, dwelling 17, family 18, household of August Dondon; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 Feb 2024); FHL microfilm 1375321, citing NARA publication  T624, roll 1308.

“An Atlas of the North Side: Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Area of Pittsburgh 1977,” Pittsburgh Neighborhood Alliance, 1977; University of Pittsburgh Center for Urban and Social Research, site search “Pleasant Valley,” (https://web.archive.org/web/20120415121104/http://www.ucsur.pitt.edu/files/nrep/1977/north%20side%20pleasant%20valley%20PNA%201977.pdf : accessed 3 February 2024).

Larue, Paul, “A Nation Repays Its Debt: The National Soldiers’ Home and Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio (Teaching with Historic Places),” National Park Service, 2003-2004, (https://www.nps.gov/articles/a-nation-repays-its-debt-the-national-soldiers-home-and-cemetery-in-dayton-ohio-teaching-with-historic-places.htm : accessed 3 February 2024).

“Pennsylvania, U.S., Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012,” digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 Feb 2024), entry for John Puhl; citing Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990, Series 1, Folder No. 393, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Register of Members, Entries 33000-34499, to the National Soldier’s Home at Dayton, Ohio, John Puhl, 34178, image 613 of 786; U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938; Ancestry.com, Provo, Utah, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.

“Weather Forecast,” Dayton Daily Herald, 12 Nov 1910, pg 1, masthead; digital image, (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 Feb 2024), Newspapers.com.

Photo of the Day – May 15, 2016

joelowry1982 1960s, Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD

Lowry6_0020I wonder what the occasion was for my Uncle Chuck to be dressed in a tuxedo with a slim bow tie. Graduation? Prom? Standing in the lawn of 607 Mansell Drive, the family home with my great grandmother Margaret Pepperney Lowry. Assuming this was later in high school for Chuck, it puts this photo around 1966.

Source:
Charles Lowry and Margaret Mary Pepperney Lowry (1902-1980), photograph, taken at 607 Mansell Drive, Youngstown, Ohio, around 1966; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio; Young man in tuxedo standing next to older woman in frock coat; Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Military Monday – John Pepperney at the Third Battle of Winchester

joelowry1982 1860s, Paternal, Pepperney

In the late summer of 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early marched his men up the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with Union General Philip Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah not far behind them. The concern for the Union Army was that if Early went unchecked, he had an easy path down the Potomac River using the nearby railroads to force his way into Washington, D.C. With the 1864 presidential election not far away, and political catastrophe for Lincoln if Early got close to Washington, Sheridan knew he had to stop him.

One of the men in this Army, under Wright’s VI Corps, Getty’s Division, Wheaton’s Brigade, the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry and finally D Company, was my great grand uncle John Pepperney of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

John was born in Prussia on 15 January 1845 to Jacob and Anna Maria Krotterin Pepperney. He arrived in America around 1852 and his family settled in Reserve Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. John was inducted into the Federal army on 1 September 1862 when he was 17 years old. The 139th Infantry was comprised of men from Allegheny County. Many of them were no doubt immigrants like John who either volunteered or were drafted to fight for their new country.

Within two days of being organized, the 139th Infantry found itself in Manassas, Virginia where it buried the bodies of the men killed at the Battle of Second Manassas. It was no doubt a grisly welcome to the army and made the reality of what was in front of them very real. The official summary of service of the Pennsylvania regiments tells this tale well:

After that, John and the 139th found themselves confronted by the enemy in battles we know well from history books. Antietam. Fredericksburg. Chancellorsville. Maryes Heights. Gettysburg. Wilderness. Spotsylvania. Cold Harbor. Petersburg. That John made his way through the hell of those battles unscathed is a miracle. That is, until he arrives near Winchester, Virginia on the evening of 18 September 1864.

At 3 a.m. on 19 September, General Sheridan launched his attack on Early’s men from the north, pushing his leading forces back into Winchester. This early action by cavalry allowed Sheridan to organize his infantry forces marching from Berryville to the east.

Company D of the 139th Infantry was square in the center of the VI Corps assault on the Confederate lines. To their right were no fewer than 13 Union brigades while to their left just General Daniel Bidwell’s brigade held the end of the line. With cannon fire shooting over their heads, the 139th Infantry advanced down the Berryville Road. They entered into Winchester as the Confederates pulled out, leading a retreat to Strasburg, 20 miles to the south. It was during this action that John was wounded. What caused this injury remains unclear, but the muster rolls of the 139th Infantry state he was injured on this date and at this place. Still, his injury was minor enough to keep him with the Army. John Pepperney would continue with the 139th Infantry through the remainder of the war and was mustered out of service on 21 June 1865.

The interchange of Interstate 81 (north and south) and Route 7 (east and west) in Winchester, Virginia. It was just a few hundred feet to the south of the interchange where the 139th Pennsylvania advanced on the Confederate troops on 19 September 1864.

The Third Battle of Winchester was the bloodiest battle in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 and effectively pushed the Confederate army out of this part of Virginia.

Sources:
Bates, Samual. “History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5; Prepared in Compliance with Acts of the Legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.” Making of America. University of Michigan, 1 Jan. 1869. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

“139th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Civil War Volunteers,” Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War, (http://www.pacivilwar.com/ : accessed 28 Nov 2020), article on the 139th Infantry.

“Third Battle of Winchester.” Civil War Trust. Civil War Trust. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

Photo of the Day – March 23, 2015

joelowry1982 1940s, Groucutt, Lowry, Pepperney, POTD
I can’t put a specific date or location on this photo, but my grandmother Jean Groucutt Lowry and her mother-in-law Margaret Pepperney Lowry look to be on a road trip. They probably stopped for gas or a quick bite to eat and one of their husbands asked for a quick photo. Neither looks particularly happy to be posing for the camera.
Source:
Mary Margaret Pepperney Lowry (1902-1980) and Jean Groucutt Lowry (1924-1986), photograph, taken at unknown location, in late 1940s; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. Two women standing in front of a restaurant. Provenance is Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Photo of the Day – March 19, 2015

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD

My grandfather Charles Lowry is posing in this photo looking dapper in a double breasted jacket and white tie. I seem to recall other similar photos indicating that this his 8th grade graduation in the spring of 1938 or 1939. The timing is right, as I think the little girl is is his first cousin Catherine Pepperney who was born in 1937 and would be 1 or 2 years old.

Source:
Charles James Lowry (1924-2007) and believed to be Catherine Pepperney Campana, photograph, taken at unknown location around 1939; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. Young man in dark blazer and white shirt and white pants standing in front of young child on small bike. Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Photo of the Day – March 18, 2015

joelowry1982 Paternal, Pepperney, POTD

My great uncle Francis Witt Jr. married Mary Lou Murray on August 2, 1944. Shown in this photo on their wedding day are Francis’s younger brother Howard (my grandfather) and the baby of the family, his sister Helen. It is unknown to me who the woman on the right is. Less than a week prior Francis had returned home to Youngstown after being reported missing in action. According to a Vindicator report, how he arrived home was not disclosed (but I can let you in on the secret).

Source:
Unknown, Mary Lou Murray Witt (1917-2001), Helen Witt (1934-2009), Francis Witt Jr. (1920-2002) and Howard Witt (1929-2001), photograph, taken at unknown location on 2 Aug 1944; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Marie Dockry, [address for private use], Austintown, Ohio. Three women and two men, one in a service uniform, appearing for a wedding. Provenance is Marie Dockry to Joseph Lowry.

Photo of the Day – February 6, 2015

joelowry1982 1940s, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD
The Pepperney family in the summer of 1942. In the photo are my great grand uncle James Albert Pepperney, Sr., his wife Catherine Butsko Pepperney, and their children, Catherine and James Jr. The youngest was born in January 1942, so this photo was no doubt taken sometime that summer.
Source:
James Albert Pepperney, Sr. (1906-1999), Catherine Butsko Pepperney (1910-1975), Catherine Pepperney and James Albert Pepperney, Jr., photograph, taken at unknown location in 1942; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. Family of four, including father, mother, boy and girl in light summer clothing standing on grass. Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Photo of the Day – February 5, 2015

joelowry1982 1940s, Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD

Instead of taking a picture of my great grandmother Margaret Pepperney Lowry shovel the snow, perhaps the photographer could have helped her? It was probably either my grandfather Chuck Lowry or great grandfather Charles Lowry who took this image on a wintery day in the 1940s. Fortunately, there’s only an inch or two on the ground so it didn’t take much time to shovel.

Source:
Mary Margaret Pepperney Lowry (1902-1980), photograph, taken at either Thornton Avenue or 50 Bissell Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio in mid-1940s; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. Woman in overcoat shoveling snow from a walkway. Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Photo of the Day – February 2, 2015

joelowry1982 1920s, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD
I want badly to identify the child that my great grand uncle James Pepperney is holding. It is unfortunetly too hard to tell without additional details. It could be my grandfather, Charles Lowry or another of his cousins. Based on the age of the photo, the pen ink on the bottom (unfortunetly unreadable) and similar photos like it, I place this photo in the mid-1920s. If anyone has any more details, please share!


Source:
James Albert Pepperney, Sr. (1906-1999) and unknown infant, photograph, taken at unknown location in mid 1920s; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. Young man wearing suit holding an infant in front of a wood building. Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.

Photo of the Day – January 22, 2015

joelowry1982 1940s, Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney, POTD

My grandfather Chuck Lowry was home on leave from the Army in mid-June 1944. After being drafted, he completed basic training at Camp Blanding, Florida and was given approximately two weeks off before he was to report to Fort Meade, Maryland. While on leave, I believe he traveled from Youngstown to Leetonia, Ohio to visit with his grandfather and aunts Eleanor and Katherine Pepperney. I believe this photo was taken in their backyard. He reported to Fort Meade on June 30, 1944.

Source:
Eleanor Pepperney (1912-1951), Charles Lowry (1924-2007), and Katherine Pepperney (1910-1978), photograph, taken at unknown location, possibly Leetonia, Ohio, in 1944; digital image, photocopy of original, scanned in 2013 by Joseph Lowry; privately held by Mary McCaffrey, [address for private use], Canton, Ohio. One man in service uniform and two woman standing in backyard. Provenance is Mary Pepperney Lowry to Charles Lowry to Mary McCaffrey.