Joseph Gill
Civil War Veteran

Photo and article submitted by chapter member, Rena Goss

CIVIL WAR VETERAN JOSEPH GILL - Private in Company D of the 157th ONG Infantry, served in the Civil War from Jefferson County for 100 days. At age 17, he enlisted on 2 May 1864 and was mustered out 2 September 1864 at Camp Chase. He was a guard for Confederate prisoners at Camp Delaware.

JOSEPH GILL MY GREAT – GRANDFATHER - He was born on 16 August 1846 in Steubenville, Ohio to WILLIAM GILL and ELIZABETH CROWLEY. His first wife, MARIA JANE MARTIN, died in July 1876 while pregnant with their 4th child, leaving him with 3 children, ages 6, 4, and 2. In 1880, he married LOVEINA OWEN and had 2 daughters, one being my grandmother MYRTLE a.k.a. MERLE GILL.

PENSION FILE - JOSEPH GILL’S Pension File and Service Record indicates that he: was billed 41 cents for a lost canteen; was discovered asleep while on guard duty at 1 AM after which he was ordered to wear a 24 lb. ball and chain for 2 weeks while sweeping the guardhouses outside the fort for 9 hours daily; wrote numerous letters requesting an increase in his pension amount because of critical health problems.

AFTER THE WAR - After his military service, he lived in Steubenville and York. He died on 1 November 1917 and is buried in Cadiz, Ohio. The photo is of his 2nd wife Loveina, daughter Myrtle, and himself.

L to R – Loveina Owen, Myrtle {Merle}, Joseph Gill

{Photo courtesy of Rena Goss}