Civil War Notes from Readers
What’s Your Story?
From: Ellen M Dobos / Wisconsin & sister Virginia S. Moore (Ginger)/Maryland
My 2x great grandfather was a Civil War Veteran. I have a census for 1860 – listed as Indian Census with his family. Being from the Reading, Pa area-I do believe they were Lenni Lenape. I also have family pictures that match Lenape people from the 1800’s. His name was Joseph Monmiller (probably named from the German Moravians. His father was David) My father always spoke of our Indian/Native Heritage. I also have Joseph’s Civil War Pension file and obit, but they do not mention his heritage, only that he was a peaceable man in his obit.
What I have is Joseph Monmiller’s Civil War Pension File, his obituary and the 1860 Census–from the website Footnote, now called Fold3.com, listing the census as Indian Census, His father David was born about 1779 in Pennsylvania, and I have an 1850 Census with them living in Perry Co., Pa. (alternate spellings of his name are Vanmiller and Manmiller) His mother’s name was Barbara. Joseph was living with them at that time in 1850. He had a brother William who moved to Indiana.
His obituary mentions he was a soldier in the Civil War. Joseph’s first wife-my grandmother died of smallpox in the early 1860’s.
I also have confirmation for my sister and I for the Daughter’s of the Civil War Union Soldiers Society for Joseph Monmiller.