He was born in 1832 to Peter and Sarah Shriner (6). He was 33 years old when he enlisted in 1865 (5, 9 [27 in 1860]). He was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania (5, 9 [Maryland]).
On 13 February 1855, he was married to Mariah Ann Flohr (1832-1919), by Reverend George W Aughinbaugh, at Elias Lutheran Church, Emmitsburg, Maryland (6). They had two children, including Rena Shriner, who married George Basil Gilland (6).
He was a laborer in 1857 (6 [citing Liberty Township tax lists]).
He purchased a farm near Raven Rock Mountain, Liberty Township, in 1859 (6).
In 1860, he was living in Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (9). He was a laborer, and owned $300 in real property and $75 in personal property (9). He was living with his wife Maria and son Urias (9).
He was a laborer in 1864 (6 [citing Liberty Township tax lists]). He was a laborer when he was enlisted (5).
He was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and had a florid complexion, blue eyes, and sandy hair (5).
He was "steady, reserved and regular in his habits, and strictly a temperate man" (6 [citing military and pension records).
He was drafted (1, 5, 6). He enlisted and was mustered into service on 28 February 1865 (1, 5, 6). He was enlisted for one year, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, by Eyster (5). His enlistment was credited to the sixteenth congressional district (5). He served as a private in company A (1).
He reported for duty on 21 March 1865 (6 [citing his journal]).
On 2 April 1865, his regiment marched 28,000 prisoners to City Point (6 [citing his journal]).
He was in hospital beginning 26 April 1865, initially in the Fifth Corps hospital, and eventually in the Campbell Military Hospital, Washington DC (6 [citing his journal]).
He was discharged on 2 June 1865 by general order (1, 5. 6). However, the discharge is crossed out in the company descriptive roll; perhaps it was rescinded (5).
He died of meningitis on 5 June 1865, in Campbell Hospital, in Washington DC (1, 5, 6, 7).
According to Bates (1), he was buried at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia (1, 6). However, Arlington has no record of his interment (6). A Benjamin Shriner, died 5 June 1865, is buried in the family plot at Friends Creek Cemetery, Maryland (just west of Emmitsburg, just south of the Pennsylvania border) (2, 6). Since it seems very unlikely another Benjamin Shriner served in the Civil War and died on the same day, Bates' report is probably wrong.
On 8 September 1865, his widow, Maria A Shriner, applied successfully for a pension (3, 8).
In 1870, his widow, Mariah Shriner, was living in Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (10). She was keeping house, and owned $150 in real property and $150 in personal property (10). She was living with her children Urias and Irena (10).
In 1880, his widow, Mariah Shriner, was living in Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (11). She was keeping house (11). She was living with her children.
In 1890, his widow, Maria A Shriner, was living in Emmittsburg, Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (7). He had had chronic diarrhea (7).
In 1900, his widow, Mariah Shriner, was living in Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (12). She was a farmer (12). She was living alone (12).
In 1910, his widow, Mariah Shriner, was living in Liberty Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania (13). She was managing a home farm (13). She was living alone (13). One of her two children had died (13).
She continued to receive a pension until she died, on 25 May 1919 (6 [citing pension records]). She is buried in the family plot at Friends Creek Cemetery (6).
Kim Denny is researching Benjamin Shriner. Contact her at kimdenny@comcast.net.
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) (Benjamin Shriner)
2 e-mail, from Kim Denny, 30 January 2003
3 pension index, by regiment (Benjamin Shriner)
4 tombstone, Friends Creek, Maryland (Benjamin Shriver)
5 company A descriptive roll, entry 180 (Benjamin Shriner)
6 [biographical information about Benjamin Shriner] (searched 8 March 2005) (Benjamin Shriner)
7 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 16, page [2] (Benjamin Shriner)
8 pension index, by name (Benjamin Shriner)
9 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, microfilm series M653, film 1057, page 364 = 44 handwritten (Benjamin Shriner)
10 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, microfilm series M593, film 1289, page 246 = 15 handwritten (Mariah Shriner)
11 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 53, microfilm series T9, film 1085, page 227 = 1A handwritten (Maria Shriner)
12 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, superivsor's district 12, enumeration district 12, microfilm series T623, film 1354, page 144 = 6A handwritten (Maria A Shriner)
13 1910 US census, Pennsylvania, Adams County, Liberty Township, supervisor's district 15, enumeration district 20, microfilm series T624, film 1292, page 216 = 2 handwritten (Maria A Shriner)
| line | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| Dwelling number | 295 | ||
| Family number | 325 | ||
| Name | Benjamin Shriner | Maria A. " | Urias [?] A. " |
| Age | 27 | 27 | 2 |
| Sex | m | f | m |
| Color | |||
| Occupation | Laborer | ||
| Value of real estate owned | 300 | ||
| Value of personal estate | 75 | ||
| Place of birth | Md. | Penna. | " |
| Married within year | |||
| Attended school within year | |||
| Cannot read & write | |||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Dwelling-house number | 97 | ||
| Family number | 102 | ||
| Name | Shriner, Mariah | - Urias A. | - Irena E |
| Age | 38 | 13 | 8 |
| Sex | F | M | F |
| Color | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Keeping house | ||
| Real estate value | 150 | ||
| Personal estate value | 150 | ||
| Birthplace | " [sc. Penna] | " | " |
| Father foreign born | |||
| Mother foreign born | |||
| Birth month if born within year | |||
| Marriage month if married within year | |||
| Attended school past year | 1 | 1 | |
| Can't read | |||
| Can't write | |||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | |||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 42 | 43 | 44 |
| street name | |||
| house number | |||
| dwelling visit # | 12 | ||
| family visit # | 12 | ||
| name | Shriner Maria | - Uriah | -Irena |
| color | W | W | W |
| sex | F | M | F |
| age | 47 | 22 | 18 |
| month born if born in year | |||
| relationship | Son | Daughter | |
| single | 1 | 1 | |
| married | |||
| widowed/divorced | 1 | ||
| married during year | |||
| occupation | Keeping house | Laborer | At home |
| months unemployed | 4 | ||
| currently ill? | |||
| blind | |||
| deaf/dumb | |||
| idiotic | |||
| insane | |||
| disabled | |||
| school this year | |||
| can't read | |||
| can't write | |||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| line | 12 |
| street | |
| house number | |
| dwelling number | 98 |
| family number | 103 |
| name | Shriner Maria A |
| relationship | Head |
| color | W |
| sex | F |
| birth date | Feb 1832 |
| age | 68 |
| married? | Wd |
| # years married | |
| mother of how many children? | 0 [sic] |
| # of children living | 0 [sic] |
| birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | |
| # years in USA | |
| naturalized citizen? | |
| occupation | Farmer |
| # months not employed | 0 |
| # months in school | |
| can read | yes |
| can write | yes |
| speaks English | yes |
| owned/rented | O |
| free or mortgaged | F |
| farm/house | F |
| # of farm schedule | 91 |
| line | 97 |
| street | Roads leading to [illegible] Pike |
| house nr | |
| dwelling nr | 35 |
| family nr | 38 |
| name | Shriner Maria A. |
| relationship | [illegible] |
| sex | F |
| color | W |
| age | 78 |
| marital status | Wd |
| #years present marriage | |
| mother of # children | 2 |
| mother of # living children | 1 |
| birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| immigrated | |
| naturalized/alien | |
| speaks English | English |
| occupation | Manager |
| nature of industry etc. | Home farm |
| employer etc. | Emp [??] |
| out of work 15 Apr 1910? | |
| # weeks out of work 1909 | |
| can read | yes |
| can write | yes |
| school since 1 Sep 09 | |
| owned/rented | [illegible] |
| owned free or mortagaged | [illegible] |
| farm/house | F |
| nr on farm schedule | 27 |
| civil war vet | |
| blind | [illegible] |
| deaf & dumb | [illegible] |