James Harwood Closson
Before the war
He was born on 23 September 1826, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6, 7, 8, 26, 54, 55, 57). He was born to John Closson and Mary Libhart Loukes (55). He was 35 years old when he was enlisted (37, 54 [32 in 1860]).
He married Josephine Baines, on 23 September 1851, at Logan Square Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6, 7, 55, 57 ["Banes"]). She was born on 24 June 1829, at Matanzas, Cuba, to Joseph Banes and Hannah Foster (6, 7, 8, 55). They had these children (8, 55):
- Edward Foster Closson
- Franklin Banes Closson
- Robert Dickenson Closson
- Edward M Closson
- Alice Josephin Closson [not in (8)]
- James Harwood Closson, born 27 November 1861, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
In 1860, he was living in the 20th ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (54). He was living with his wife Josephine Closson, and their children Bobb, Ed, and Allice (54). He was a coach maker, and owned $1,200 in real estate and $300 in personal property (54).
He was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he was enlisted (37).
During the war
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 19 November 1861 (1, 22, 37 [9 Sep 61], 38 [19 Nov]). He was enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (37). He was mustered into service as first lieutenant, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (37, 47). He was initially first lieutenant of company G (1).
He enlisted William Pritchett on 2 October 1861 (9). When he did not report, Closson visited his home, and spoke to his mother, who attempted to convince him that Pritchett couldn't serve because of eye problems (9).
On 29 June 1862, he, along with the other commissioned officers in the regiment (except Colonel Gregory), signed a statement denying accusations that they were on the verge of open mutiny, that the regiment had been reduced to 400 men, and that Colonel Gregory was too lenient to Confederates and too harsh to men in the regiment (46).
His wife, Josephine Closson, died on 31 July 1862, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of consumption of lungs (8, 55, 56). She died at, or was buried from, 1107 Brown Street, on 2 August 1862 (56). She was buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery (56).
In August 1862, he was a recruiting officer for the regiment (49, 50).
At some point (perhaps before the regiment reenlisted as veteran volunteers in December 1863?) he and Justus Gregory were recruiting for the regiment in Philadelphia (43).
On 7 February 1863, he was sick in Philadelphia (24). He was returned to duty on 11 February 1863 (25).
He was appointed captain on 12 May 1863 (22, 40). On 13 May 1863, as a lieutenant, he was assigned to company H (27).
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg (45).
On 16 August 1863, he was assigned to lead a detail on picket duty (10, 28).
On 20 August 1863, he was transferred from company H to company G (29).
On 24 August 1863, he led a picket detail (11). On 25 August 1863, he was on picket duty (30).
He was acting adjutant on 17 September 1863 (13), 18 September 1863 (12), and 19 September 1863 (14). On 20 September 1863, he accompanied a fatigue detail (15, 31).
He seems to have been assigned to a special duty beginning 4 November 1863, but I do not know what it was (31). It had ended on 15 November 1863 (33).
He was on leave from 16 December 1863 to 26 December 1863 (34, 35).
He was mustered in on 1 March 1864 as captain of company H (1, 22, 37, 38, 39, 40). He was reported mustered in as captain, on 13 April 1864 (36).
On 4 July 1864, he transmitted to Benjamin Tayman (the regimental adjutant) a request by five men of his company to be transferred to a newly forming battalion of sharpshooters (17). None were transferred. On 5 July 1864, he was assigned to command company C also (19). On 10 July 1864, he was appointed to a Board of Survey to determine what government property was in company D (20).
On 24 September 1864, he was appointed to a board of survey to determine how much government property John Hamill was responsible for (5).
On 28 September 1864, he was ordered to turn over to Theodore Hope company H's surplus ordnance and ordnance stores (21).
On 21 October 1864, he was appointed to a regimental court martial to try George Justice (D) (23).
He was wounded on 28 October 1864 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia (1 [roster, p.192], 2, 3), while "gallantly charging the enemy's works" (4).
On 6 November 1864, he was reported absent sick (42).
On 19 November 1864, Sellers recommended that he receive a brevet appointment, effective 28 October 1864, for meritorious conduct during the battle at Hatcher's Run (18).
He died at City Point, Virginia, on 22 November 1864 of those wounds--secondary hemorrhage following a limb amputation (1 [23 Nov], 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 [23 Nov], 26, 37 [23 Nov], 44, 53, 55 [23 Nov]). He was buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (26). He was married (53).
After the war
On 25 February 1865, his minor dependent, Mary Glin Closson, successfully applied for a pension (41, 52).
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, and on page 192.)
2 'Address of Chaplain Joseph Welch', in Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, Volume 1: 1914, pp.500-507, at p.506.
4 testimonial to Captain Closson (from Lawrence Van Sullen)
5 special order 84, headquarters 91st Pennsylvania Infantry, 24 September 1864
6 gedcom, on RootsWeb WorldConnect. Supplied by Craig Beeman. Searched 9 January 2001.
7 gedcom, on RootsWeb WorldConnect. Searched 9 January 2001. Information from Howard Barclay French, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Volume I, published privately in Philadelphia, Pa, 1909 page 439.
8 gedcom on Ancestry. Submitted by kenrex@aol.com. Retrieved 10 Jan 2001.
9 letter, Gregory to Thomas, 21 November 1863
10 special order 56, HQ 91st PA, 16 August 1863
11 special order 60, HQ 91st PA, 24 August 1863
12 special order 81, HQ 91st PA, 18 September 1863
13 circular, HQ 91st PA, 17 September 1863
14 special order 84, HQ 91st PA, 19 September 1863 [dated 19 September 1862]
15 special order 85, HQ 91st PA, 20 September 1863
16 special order 30, HQ 91st PA, 28 March 1864
17 letters, Fraley et al. to Closson, and Closson to Tayman, 3 and 4 July 1864 (James H Closson)
18 letter, Sellers to Bartlett, 19 November 1864
19 special order 62, HQ 91st PA, 5 [?] July 1864
20 special order 65, HQ 91st PA, 10 July 1864
21 special order [unnumbered], HQ 91st PA, 28 September 1864
22 regimental descriptive book
23 special order 99, HQ 91st PA, 21 October 1864
24 consolidated morning report, 7 February 1863
25 consolidated morning report, 11 February 1863
26 West Laurel Hill cemetery records, on http://www.thefinalwalt.com (thanks to Amy Waltz!) (James Closson)
27 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 13 May 1863 (Lt Closson)
28 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 16 Aug 1863 (Lt Closson)
29 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 20 Aug 1863 (Lieut Closson)
30 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 25 Aug 1863 (Lieut Closson)
31 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 21 Sep 1863 (Lieut Closson)
32 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 4 Nov 1863 (not named)
33 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 15 November 1863 (not named)
34 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 16 December 1863 (not named)
35 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 26 December 1863 (not named)
36 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 13 April 1864 (Lieut Closson)
37 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 21 January 2005 (James H Closson)
38 company G, list of commissioned officers (James H Closson)
39 company G, register of men discharged, second list, #2 (James H Closson)
40 company H, list of commissioned officers (James H Closson)
41 pension index, by name (James H Clossen)
42 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 6 November 1864 (Capt Closson)
43 recruitment poster (Lieut Jas H Closson)
44 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 24 November 1864 (Jas H Closson)
45 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (J H Closson)
46 'Ninety-first Pennsylvania Regiment'. Philadelphia Inquirer, 11 July 1862, page 2 (James H Closson)
47 'Camp Chase at Gray's Ferry' Philadelphia Inquirer 19 October 1861 page 8 (- Closson)
48 'Camp Chase', Philadelphia Inquirer 30 November 1861 (JH Closson)
49 '$160 bounty', Philadelphia Inquirer 16 August 1862 page 5 (James H Closson)
50 '$160 bounty', Philadelphia Inquirer 18 August 1862 page 5 (James H Closson)
51 'Departure of Col. Gregory's regiment', Philadelphia Inquirer 22 January 1862 page 2 (JH Closson)
52 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company H (James H Closson)
53 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 22 Nov [1864] (James H [Closson])
54 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 20th ward, microfilm series M653, film 1171, page 702 = 200 handwritten (Jas Closson)
55 'Cresson/Hoehn/Mattern Ancestry', a gedcom, available on RootsWeb WorldConnect, contact D Cresson Hoehn, last updated 19 November 2005, accessed 30 May 2009 (note: many other gedcoms on WorldConnect had similar information; this had the most extensive notes) (this gedcom cites Lea Simitz Buzby and also "Colonial Families of Phila., PA, Jordan (Closson Family) Vol. II, Pt. I, p.1210") (James Harwood Closson)
56 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 31 July 1862, Josephine Closson, available on LDS pilot site (accessed 30 May 2009)
57 LDS pedigree resource file, compact disc #127 pin# 1366319 (thanks to Dennis Clowney for finding this!) (James Harwood Closson)
[I did not find an entry for him in the LDS pilot index to the 1850 census (searched 30 May 2009)]
[I did not find an entry for him in the HeritageQuest indices to the 1860-1920 censuses, or the Footnote index to the 1930 census (searched 30 May 2009)]
[I did not find an entry for him in the Ancestry index to the 1890 veteran's census (searched May 2007)]
1860 census
[1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 20th ward, microfilm series M653, film 1171, page 702 = 200 handwritten]| line | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Dwelling number | 1266 | ||||
| Family number | 1606 | ||||
| Name | Jas Closson | Josephine | Bobb | Ed " | Allice " |
| Age | 32 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 8/12 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M | F |
| Color | |||||
| Occupation | Coach Maker | ||||
| Value of real estate owned | 1200 | ||||
| Value of personal estate | 300 | ||||
| Place of birth | Penn | W. Indies | Penn | " | " |
| Married within year | |||||
| Attended school within year | |||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
death certificate
[death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, James H [Closson], 22 Nov [1864]][Thanks to Edward McLaughlin for finding this certificate!]
[This consists of one piece of paper, which is partly covered]
City Point
[T]his Certifies, That James H [Closson] Capt of Co. H Reg't 91st [di]ed on the 22 day of Nov 1[864]
Cause of Death, Direct, Gun Shot wo[und]
Indirect, [blank]
Colour White
married man
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revised 15 Aug 09
contact Harry Ide at hide1@unl.edu with comments or questions