He was 32 years old when he was enlisted (4, 7 [71 in ?1893]). He was 35 years old when he was reenlisted (5). He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4, 5).
He was a mason (5).
He was 5 feet 4-1/2 inches tall, and had a light complexion, hazel eyes, and light hair (4, 5).
He also served in company D of the 9th Pennsylvania Infantry (9).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 30 September 1861 (1, 4, 9). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Sinex (4). He was mustered in service by Captain Dye (4). He served in company D (1).
He may have been detailed for duty with the Ambulance Corps on 1 April 1863 (3).
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg (6).
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer, on 26 December 1863 (1, 5). He was reenlisted for three years, at Bealton, Virginia, by Lieutenant Shipley (5).
On 3 July 1865, he was promoted to corporal, effective 1 July 1865 (1, 2).
He was mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company (1, 9).
On 1 February 1888, he applied successfully from Pennsylvania for a pension (8, 9).
On 27 September 1893, he was admitted to the Pennsylvania Soldiers Home, in Erie County, Pennsylvania (7). He was a widower (7). He had rheumatism, hoarseness, and slight deafness of the right ear (7).
He remained in the Home until 17 May 1894 (7).
On 1 October 1895, he was readmitted to the Home (7). He had rheumatism, deafness of right ear, catarrhal pharyngitis, and bronchitis (7). His problems worsened (except for his rheumatism) until April 1896 (7). He was then able to speak only in a whisper, and had trouble swallowing (7). His esophagus then was about one-half the normal diameter (7).
He died on 23 September 1896 (7, 9). The autopsy found a mass obstructing the esophagus, which "had every appearance of being tubercular" (7). Directly across from the mass was an ulcer (7).
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)
2 special order 39, HQ 91st PA, 3 July 1865 (Jesse Vance)
3 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 1 April 1863 (Jesse Vance [???] [The surname is very hard to read; my best guess is 'Vance', but I'm not at all confident I'm right])
4 company D, descriptive roll, entry 28 (Jesse Wence)
5 company D, [second] descriptive roll, entry 66 (Jesse Vance)
6 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (Jesse Vance)
7 Report of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1897. Serial Set volume 3664, session volume 36, 55th Congress, 2nd Session, House Document 27. Page 502. (Jesse Vance)
8 pension index, by name (Jesse Vance)
9 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company D (Jesse Vance)