52 Ancestors - #9: Daniel Jack—a Civil War Veteran

Daniel  Jack

Daniel Jack, the son of Samuel Smith Jack and Catherine Beck, was born on August 30, 1840 in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He was the first child of eight—Daniel, Samuel Smith, John M., Matthew A., George W., Mary, David R., and Harry F. Jack. Looking at other researchers work, it appears that Samuel Smith Jack married multiple times so Daniel may have half-siblings. I’m only aware of this family so will leave it at that.

On October 9, 1850, Daniel lived with his family in the Township of Kiskiminetas, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. His father was a farmer. Census records show the home was valued at $500.

Daniel was first alto in Apollo’s first brass band organized in 1857. The band disbanded at the start of the Civil War. After the war ended, another band was formed with Daniel as a member.

On July 5, 1860, 20 year old Daniel lived at home in the Kittanning subdivision of Apollo. He was a laborer.

On April 27, 1861, Daniel was one of the first recruits to enroll in support of the Union Army when he enlisted at Camp Wright. His unit—Company G, Pennsylvania Eleventh Reserves, 40th Infantry Regiment—was recruited by S. M. Jackson at the first call for troops to fight in the Civil War. Daniel held the rank of Sergeant. On May 7, 1862, Daniel was detached to build bridges. He was captured with other members of his regiment at Fredericksburg, Virginia on December 13, 1862 and confined at Richmond, Virginia on December 17, 1862. Daniel was in the General Hospital from March 18 to April 1, 1863. On May 4, 1863, he was sent from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Annapolis, Maryland. On January 10, 1863, he was paroled at City Point, Virginia and reported at Camp Parole, Maryland on January 14, 1863. On May 16, 1863, Daniel was sent to defend Washington. He was honorably discharged on June 13, 1864 and mustered out of the company at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a little over 30 miles from his home in Apollo.

Three years later, Daniel married Eunice Alvira Smith, daughter of John Thompson Smith and Jane Gordon, in Apollo on June 27, 1867. Together they had six children—Charles Stanley, Effie Gordon, Ethel, Alice T., Samuel Howard, and Frank Walter Jack.


On June 23, 1870, Daniel, Eunice, and Charles lived in the Kelly’s Station subdivision of Apollo. Daniel must have made a good living working in a planing (lumber) mill as his real estate was valued at $4500. The planing mill was probably owned by his father. Eunice’s half-brother, James Xenophon McIlwain and his family were neighbors, living four doors away.

Daniel’s five year old daughter Ethel died in Apollo on August 19, 1879. She was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Apollo.

On June 26, 1880, Daniel and his family still lived in Apollo. His occupation was planing mill man. Eunice is keeping house with four children. Their four month old son, Howard, is sick with neuralgia.

On March 19, 1890, Daniel’s wife Eunice died in Apollo at the age of 45. Her daughter Effie and niece Edith E. Cochran were present in the home when she died. Eunice was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Apollo.

Six years later on February 20, 1896, Daniel married Electra Burnette Smith, daughter of John Thompson Smith and Jane Gordon, and sister of his first wife Eunice. The marriage took place at the Apollo Presbyterian Church. Both were 55 years old.

On March 13, 1896, Daniel submitted a Declaration for Invalid Pension in Armstrong County. It states that he is “partially unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of general disability.” His address is Apollo, Pennsylvania.

On March 28, 1899, Daniel filed papers with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, claiming that his wife was Erectra B. Jack (maiden name Erectra B. Smith). He further states that they were married February 20, 1896 at Apollo by Rev. J. Q. A. Fullerton. The marriage was recorded in the county seat. He was previously married to Eunice A. Jack. He stated that he had living children and their names and dates of birth were Charles Stanley born May 3, 1868, Effie G. born May 16, 1872, Alice T. born May 28, 1874, Samuel H. born December 28, 1880 and Frank W. born April 28, 1885.

Daniel, Electra (center in white blouse and dark skirt), and some of the Smith women

On March 30, 1899, Daniel declared that he had been employed in the military and that he has suffered from muscular rheumatism for about five years. He also suffered from heart trouble but did not consult a physician. Daniel did not know the name of the disabilities until shortly before his application was filed for pension and that by [unreadable] of each disabilities has been disabled for five years and upwards.

On March 30, 1899, John Milton Smith (Eunice and Electra’s brother) declared that he has been acquainted with Daniel Jack the claimant for 30 years and upwards and worked with him almost constantly for 15 years at and about Jack’s Planing Mill at Apollo, Pennsylvania up to October 1893. He knows positively that he had a lame or crippled right arm from long prior to that year and knows from seeing claimant frequently and living near him that this disability has continued since that year to the present date. That he did not know what caused it at that time but has been informed since that physician called it muscular rheumatism.

On March 30, 1899, D. R. Jack of Apollo claimed that he is a brother of the claimant and has worked with claimant in and about the planing mill of Samuel Jacks and Sons at Apollo Pennsylvania for 14 years and upwards constantly and knows positively that claimant has suffered from crippled right arm and hand and has been incapacitated for general service for five years and upwards and that disability has continued until the present time, and that there is many kinds of labor that claimant cannot perform and is not in condition to do any hard labor and is incapacitated at least three fourths. That he has been informed that physicians call his disability muscular rheumatism.

Civil War Veterans. First row: Ed Dentzel, Henry Blystone, Mr. Ross, Joseph McGuire, Daniel Jack, Thomas Cochran, Sylvester Hildebrand, John Fiscus. Back row: Unknown, Enoch Whay, unknown, Samuel Ams, James Rowland, David Coulter, Hugh Owens, Col. S. M. Jackson.

On June 1, 1900, Daniel, Electra, Howard, and Frank lived in Apollo. He lived between his oldest son, Charles, and his brother Harry. There isn’t an occupation listed for Daniel, however, the census record shows zero as the number of months not employed. Daniel is able to read and write. He owns his home “free” of mortgage.

On April 15, 1910, Daniel and Electra lived in Apollo. The census record shows that Daniel has been married two times, 14 years to Electra. His occupation is listed as “own income.”

A newspaper article that ran in July 1916 stated “Mr. Daniel Jack is a life long resident of Apollo. He has been quarter-master of the local G.A.R. post for a long term of years and until two years ago has carried the colors to the cemetery on Memorial Day since the organization of the post. His residence is on S. Fourth Street.” Unfortunately I don’t know the name of the newspaper.

On January 2, 1920, the Apollo, Armstrong County census shows that Daniel owns his house and that he can read and write. There is a woman named Margaret Hunter living with Daniel and Electra. Margaret’s occupation is housekeeper; she is single and 20 years old. In an affidavit dated May 18, 1922, Margaret stated that she was 22 years old and “is employed in the home of Daniel Jack, Civil War Veteran, Pension Certificate Number 983474. That said Daniel Jack requires almost constant attention, having to have someone help dress him every day. That his mind is in such condition that if he leaves the house even for a short distance by himself he becomes lost and has to have some neighbor bring him home. Affiant has lived in the home almost three years and knows the above facts from personal knowledge. That she is not in any way related to the Soldier.”

On May 1, 1920, Daniel described himself at enlistment as 5 feet, 7 ¼ inches; complexion Florid; color of eyes Gray; color of hair light; that his occupation was Cooper; that he was born August 30, 1840 at near Apollo Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and that he requires the regular personal aid and attendance of another person by reason of sore and crippled feet, scarcely able to walk, continuously.

On April 15, 1921, Daniel appeared before a justice of the peace in Apollo to file a declaration of pension. He claimed that he was 80 years old, a resident of Apollo, and the identical person who enrolled at Apollo under the name of Daniel Jack on April 27, 1861 as a Sergeant in Captain James H. Mills Company G, 11th Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves Infantry, in the service of the United States in the Civil War. He further claimed that he was honorably discharged at Pittsburgh on June 13, 1864, ending his service.

On June 26, 1922, Daniel received a medical examination in Apollo. The doctor reported the following: Heart beats very irregular. Mitral regurgitation, hypertrophy dullness extending from two inches below nipple to left border of sternum ... Rheumatism [unreadable] in right and left shoulders, limitation of motion in each shoulder 1/3. Limitation of motion in left leg 3/4, in right leg 3/4, hands drawn out of shape the result of rheumatism. .... Mental condition bad, very forgetful and dull. Insane but not dangerous. He imagines people are following him, persecuting him and robbing him and trying to torture him in many different ways. No evidence of nervous habits. Eyesight—can read ordinary print with glasses but not without. The claimant can dress, eat, and attend to the calls of nature unassisted. But from disease of heart, rheumatism mental imbecility and insanity it is unsafe for him to go out unattended.

Daniel died at home at 2:30 p.m. on December 10, 1925 of a paralytic stroke. He was 85 years, 3 months, and 10 days old. He and Electra lived in the home of George Athya and his wife Bertha (Smith) Athya in Apollo. Bertha, the daughter of John Milton Smith, was Electra’s niece. Electra was the informant on Daniel’s death certificate. His obituary read: On June 27, 1867, Mr. Jack was married to Miss Eunice Alvira Smith, the ceremony being performed by Rev. J. A. Orr, pastor of the Apollo Presbyterian Church. To this union six children were born, five of whom survive: Charles S., of Vandergrift; Mrs. A. H. Biehl, of Pittsburgh; Mrs. W. H. Clark, of Lebanon; S. Howard, of Apollo, and Frank W. of Chicago. On March 19, 1890, Mrs. Jack passed away and for six years her husband traveled alone, when on Feb. 20, 1896, he married Miss Electa B. Smith of Apollo. Funeral services were conducted at the late home on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock, in charge of Rev. W. E. E. Barrens, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal church, who was assisted by Rev. W. L. Moser, pastor of the Presbyterian church. Interment was made in the Apollo cemetery. Daniel Jack had an enviable military record. He was a soldier, one might say, all his life. Away back in the early forties an organization was formed, known in those days as a militia company. This company was known as the Apollo Independent Blues. When a young boy, Daniel Jack joined this company and served until the beginning of the Civil War. The militia company was disbanded, but troops were called by S. M. Jackson who had been captain of the local militia company. One hundred men were enlisted for three years service, Daniel Jack being one of the first recruits to answer the call. At the organization of the company he was made a sergeant and left with the company on a canal boat the latter part of May 1861, and reported at Camp Wright on the Allegheny Valley railroad at Hulton station. The following month ten companies located there and were organized into a regiment of one thousand men and served throughout the war as the Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. This organization took part in many of the great battles of the Army of the Potomac. Daniel Jack was always on hand and ready to take part in any duty he was called on to do. He took part in the following battles: Gaines Mill, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg. On Dec. 13, 1862, he with others of his company were taken prisoners around Fredericksburg. [unreadable.] He then reported to his company and again took part in the battle of Gettysburg, Mine Run, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Ann River and Bethesda Church. The last battle in which he was engaged was fought on the last day of May, 1864, and some of his comrades were killed, and some were taken prisoner and never again heard from. This was also the last day of his three years’ service, the regiment’s time expiring the following day, June 1. He was honorably discharged and left for home after three years of service. Out of the company of 100 men leaving Apollo on the canal boat, but one man now survives, Benton Coulter, of Colorado. James S. Whitworth Post No. 89, G.A.R., of Apollo, was organized January 1, 1878. Daniel Jack was among the first to join their ranks and was made quartermaster at the organization meeting. This office he held faithfully for 40 years when his health failed and he was compelled to give it up. During all those years he handled all the funds of the Post and never made a miscount of one cent. He was a faithful member and on all occasions when the Post would turn out he was always seen at the head of the column carrying the flag, in which duty he took a delightful pride. [Editor’s Note—We are indebted to Sylvester F. Hildebrand, of Armstrong ave., for the excellent military history of Mr. Jack. Mr. Hildebrand is the youngest member of the local post and is exceptionally diligent in keeping the records of his comrades intact.]