He was born in 1837 (15; 6 (24 in 1837), 8 (24 in 1837), 11 [21 in 1860], 16 [11 in 1850]). He was born in Pennsylvania (11, 16). He was born to Samuel Elder and Margaret Anne Bell (7, 8, 16).
In 1850, he was living in Union Borough, Fayette County, Pennsylvania (16). He was living with Samuel and Margaret Elder (presumably his parents), and various others (presumably siblings) (16). He had attended school within the year (16).
In 1860, he was living in Wilkins Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with his parents and siblings (7, 11). He was a farmer (11).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 23 December 1861, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1, 6 [as 1st sgt], 8 [also has enlisted 1 Nov 1861], 17 (1st sgt), 18 (1st sgt)). He was appointed first ("orderly") sergeant of company B on 31 December 1861 (1, 3).
On 16 May 1862, he testified at the court martial of Elias Swire (14).
On 26 July 1862, Lieutenant Kayser intercepted him as he was about to take the morning report book to Captain Bowman for his signature, and signed it (2). When Elder told Bowman, Bowman confronted Kayser and struck him, leading to his court-martial, at which Elder testified (2).
He was in the regimental hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, beginning 14 August 1862, apparently because of a fracture [?] (8).
He was severely wounded in his wrist and leg on 13 December 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia (1, 3 [killed], 8, 14). His right leg was amputated at Armory [?] Square Hospital, Washington DC (8). He died of those wounds in Armory Square Hospital at Washington DC, on 8 January 1863 (1, 3 [killed], 4 [13 Dec], 5 [25 Jan], 6, 7 [8 Jan], 8 [8 Jan], 10 [8 Jan], 12, 13, 14). He died of "vulnus sclopeticum" (that is, a gunshot wound) (8). He was first sergeant of company B (1, 17, 18).
The funeral was held on 10 January 1863 at 2 PM (7). He was buried at the Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (7, 15).
His father, Samuel Elder, died on 31 January 1900, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (7).
On 25 [?] March 1903, his mother, Margaret Bell Elder, unsuccessfully applied from Pennsylvania for a pension (8, 9, 10). She was then 86 years old, and lived in Ligonier, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (8).
Nancy Elder Petersen is researching Elder; contact her at [email protected].
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) (William G [sic] Elder)
2 court-martial record, Alpheus Bowman (Sergeant W. B. Elder)
3 list of non-commissioned officers, co.B (William B. Elder)
4 company B Register of deaths (Wm B Elder)
5 company B [first] descriptive roll, entry 1 (William B Elder)
6 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 30 May 2004 (William C [or perhaps G?] Elder)
7 e-mail, Nancy Elder Petersen, citing (a) Elder Family Newsletter volume 2 number 3, July-September 1994, page 9, reprint of 10 January 1863 Pittsburgh Post Gazette death notice, (b) 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Alleghany County, Wilkins Township (Turtle Creek Post Office), page 837, and (c) obituary of Samuel Elder.
8 pension application file (Nancy Elder Petersen has placed four pages online) (William B Elder)
9 pension index, by name (William B Elder)
10 pension index, by regiment (William B Elder)
11 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, Wilkins Township, microfilm series M653, film 1064, page 837 = 73 [?] handwritten (William B Elder)
12 'Deaths of Pennsylvania soldiers', Philadelphia Inquirer 13 January 1863 page [1] (W B Elder)
13 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer 13 January 1863 page 1 (W B Elder)
14 court-martial transcription, NARA, RG 153, 16 May 1862, Elias Swire (Wm B Elder)
15 Find a grave, memorial 14798346, created by Pat Callahan, added 2 July 2006, accessed 15 February 2011 [identity is confirmed by tombstone inscription: "CAPT WM BELL ELDER WOUNDED AT FREDERICKBURGH [sic] DEC. 13, 1862. DIED IN ARMORY SQUARE HOSPITAL, WASHINGTON D.C. JAN. 8. 1863"] (Wm Bell Elder)
16 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Fayette County, Union Boro, microfilm series M432, film 779, page 200 = 199 handwritten (William B Elder)
17 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William B Elder)
18 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (William G Elder)
| line | 25 | 26v | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| Dwellings visited | 269 | ||||||||
| Families visited | 277 | Hotel | |||||||
| Name | Samuel Elder | Margaret " | Martha J " | Mary E " | William B " | Anna V " | Josephine " | Margaret " | Jesse " |
| Age | 45 | 33 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 7 [?] | 2 |
| Sex | m | f | f | f | m | f | f | f | m |
| Color | |||||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Innkeeper | ||||||||
| Real estate owned | 1000 | ||||||||
| Birthplace | " [sc. Penna] | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Married within year | |||||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |||||||||
| line | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Dwelling number | 478 | ||||||||||||
| Family number | 486 | ||||||||||||
| Name | Samuel Elder | Margeret - | William B " | Anna V " | Josephine " | Margeret " | Jessie " | George W [?] " | Samuel G " Jr | Fannie C " | John Henry " | Elfin Brant | Susan Lowe |
| Age | 55 | 43 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 18 |
| Sex | m | f | m | f | f | f | f | m | m | m | m | f | f |
| Color | |||||||||||||
| Occupation | Boarding Inn | wife | Farmer | Student | " | Domestic | " | ||||||
| Value of real estate owned | 8000$ | ||||||||||||
| Value of personal estate | $500 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | " [sc. Penna] | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Married within year | |||||||||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
... Sergeant W. B. Elder, Co. B, 91st Pa., ...