Muster Roll record puzzle

SHenley

Private
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Apr 24, 2015
Location
Calgary, Alberta
Hello all,

I am hoping to get some guidance interpreting what appear to me to be conflicting entries for age at enlistment on the Muster Roll record of my gg grandfather, Jacob R. Phillips of the 80th NY Infantry.

I have not yet uncovered a definite birth date for him and this record just muddies the waters for me. If I was more certain if he was 21 or 31 when he enlisted in 1864 that would help me considerably.

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.

MusterRollRecord.jpg
 
Hello all,

I am hoping to get some guidance interpreting what appear to me to be conflicting entries for age at enlistment on the Muster Roll record of my gg grandfather, Jacob R. Phillips of the 80th NY Infantry.

I have not yet uncovered a definite birth date for him and this record just muddies the waters for me. If I was more certain if he was 21 or 31 when he enlisted in 1864 that would help me considerably.

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.

View attachment 104166
Does this record from FindAGrave help?

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...Sst=24&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=41201730&df=all&
 
Hello all,

I am hoping to get some guidance interpreting what appear to me to be conflicting entries for age at enlistment on the Muster Roll record of my gg grandfather, Jacob R. Phillips of the 80th NY Infantry.

I have not yet uncovered a definite birth date for him and this record just muddies the waters for me. If I was more certain if he was 21 or 31 when he enlisted in 1864 that would help me considerably.

Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.

View attachment 104166

- New York: Report of the Adjutant-General 1893-1906 :

Enlisted age 21, 9/6/1864 into "G" Company 80th NY Infantry at Utica, NY

Discharged at Richmond, Virginia 6/17/1865.
 
I think I have uncovered most of the other CW records, but I don't understand this particular record. Is the quoted second line essentially a correction to an incorrect initial age entry of 31 and I can just ignore it?

I guess I'm looking for the magic decoder ring for the clerk's entries EP, M-OR, M+DR, etc.

I have various source records from the middle part of his life, but unfortunately in New York during the early 1800's it appears that the name Jacob Phillips was the "John Smith" of the day. Makes it challenging looking for birth and death records.


Unfortunately, no. One of many Jacob Phillips' in findagrave but not mine.
 
I think I have uncovered most of the other CW records, but I don't understand this particular record. Is the quoted second line essentially a correction to an incorrect initial age entry of 31 and I can just ignore it?

I guess I'm looking for the magic decoder ring for the clerk's entries EP, M-OR, M+DR, etc.

I have various source records from the middle part of his life, but unfortunately in New York during the early 1800's it appears that the name Jacob Phillips was the "John Smith" of the day. Makes it challenging looking for birth and death records.



Unfortunately, no. One of many Jacob Phillips' in findagrave but not mine.
Remarkable coincidence. The Jacob Phillips I found had a sister named Sarah A. Phillips.
 
He's been an interesting challenge to research. I'll put him aside for a while, then come back to him occasionally.

My Jacob Phillips married Sarah A. Rubbins, who had 4 brothers (Adam, John, William and Foster) who all served in the 34th Infantry. There is more than one group of Phillips and Rubbins family's with similar first names that I come across regularly.

So, the age/date issues are important for me regarding Jacob's birth, marriage, and tracking back his parents.

If he was 21 when he enlisted in 1864, Sarah Ann (Rubbins) Phillips gave birth to her only daughter when Jacob was 14.

If he was 31 in 1864 then he and Sarah are closer in age and Sarah gave birth to a daughter when Jacob was 24.

And, to add to all this, my Jacob Phillips has an 80th NY/20th Ulster puzzle. The discharge information on the muster card seems to agree with what is written in his New Testament cover as him being in Virginia before his discharge. But I ask myself, if he is only enlisting in 1864, why is he still identifying with the 20th Ulster at that point in the war?
 

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He's been an interesting challenge to research. I'll put him aside for a while, then come back to him occasionally.

My Jacob Phillips married Sarah A. Rubbins, who had 4 brothers (Adam, John, William and Foster) who all served in the 34th Infantry. There is more than one group of Phillips and Rubbins family's with similar first names that I come across regularly.

So, the age/date issues are important for me regarding Jacob's birth, marriage, and tracking back his parents.

If he was 21 when he enlisted in 1864, Sarah Ann (Rubbins) Phillips gave birth to her only daughter when Jacob was 14.

If he was 31 in 1864 then he and Sarah are closer in age and Sarah gave birth to a daughter when Jacob was 24.

And, to add to all this, my Jacob Phillips has an 80th NY/20th Ulster puzzle. The discharge information on the muster card seems to agree with what is written in his New Testament cover as him being in Virginia before his discharge. But I ask myself, if he is only enlisting in 1864, why is he still identifying with the 20th Ulster at that point in the war?

NEW YORK
EIGHTIETH-INFANTRY
(Three Years)
Eightieth Infantry.-Cols., Jacob B. Hardenberg, George W. Pratt,
Theodore B. Gates; Lieut.-Cols., John McEntee, Theodore B. Gates,
Jacob B. Hardenberg; Majs., John R. Leslie, Jacob B. Hardenberg,
Walter A. Van Rensselaer.

The 80th, the "Ulster Guard," was formed by the reorganization of
the 20th militia, one of the oldest militia regiments in the
state, upon its return from three months' service. It was
mustered into the U. S. service at Kingston, Sept. 20 to Oct. 20,
1861, for a three years' term, and was composed principally of
men from Ulster county.


The regiment left for Washington Oct. 26, was assigned to
Wadsworth's brigade, McDowell's division, and performed picket
duty along the Potomac. in the vicinity of Upton's hill, Va.,
during the first winter. In March, 1862, it was attached to the
1st brigade, 3d division, 1st corps, Army of the Potomac; in May
to the 2nd brigade of the same division, Department of the
Rappahannock, and in June, to the 3d brigade, 1st division, 3d
corps, with which last assignment it fought in Gen. Pope's
Virginia campaign.

At the second Bull Run the 80th lost 279 in killed, wounded and
missing, and Col. Pratt died a few weeks later of the wounds
received in that battle. It was active at South mountain and
Antietam, encamped at Sharpsburg for one week and marched through
Crampton's gap, Leesburg, Warrenton and Stafford Court House to
Fredericksburg, where it participated in the battle.

Winter quarters were established soon after near Hall's landing
and occupied until Jan. 7, 1863, when the 80th was assigned to
the provost guard brigade, with headquarters at Brooks' station
and remained on duty at army headquarters until after the battle
of Chancellorsville.

In June, 1863, the regiment was assigned to the 1st brigade, 3d
division, 1st corps, and was closely engaged at Gettysburg, where
it lost 170 killed, wounded or missing out of 287 engaged. It
suffered most severely in the repulse of Pickett's charge on the
last day.

After the battle of Gettysburg, the 80th was again ordered to
headquarters for provost guard duty and continued in this service
until the end of the siege of Petersburg, when it shared in the
final assault, April 2, 1865. From April 22 to Nov. 27, 1865, it
was stationed at Richmond and then ordered to Norfolk, where it
remained until mustered out on Jan. 29, 1866.

The total enrollment of the regiment was 2,103, of whom 128 died
of wounds and 156 from accident, imprisonment or disease. The
regiment early became known for its fine fighting qualities and
sustained a reputation for courage and steadiness under fire
throughout its long term of service, which lasted, including its
militia service, from the spring of 1861 to Jan., 1866. The
regiment is classed among the "three hundred fighting regiments."

Source: The Union Army, Vol. 2, p. 109

*****************************************************************************************

NEW YORK
EIGHTIETH REGIMENT 0F INFANTRY (VETERAN).
Twentieth New York State Militia; Ulster Guard.
(Three Years)

On the return of the 20th Militia from its three months'
service, Col. George W. Pratt received authority to reorganize
it at Kingston as a regiment of volunteers, and it was mustered
in the service of the United States for three years between
September 20 and October 20, 1861. December 7, 1861, it
received its State numerical designation, and May 24, 1863, the
three years' men of the 35th Infantry. At the expiration of
its term of service the men entitled thereto were mustered out
and the regiment retained in service. November 6, 1864, a new
company joined the regiment, taking the letter I.

The companies were recruited principally in Ulster county;
quite a number of men from the neighboring counties joined the
regiment, however, and the men enlisted for James A. Raney's
Battery became part of it.

The regiment left the State October 26, 1861; served in
Wadsworth's Brigade from October, 1861; in McDowell's Division,
Army of Potomac, from November, 1861; in 2d Brigade, McDowell's
Division, Army of Potomac, from January, 1862; in Patrick's,
1st, Brigade, King's, 3d, Division, 1st Corps, Army of Potomac,
from March, 1862; in 2d Brigade, same division, Department
Rappahannock, from May, 1862; in 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 3d
Corps, Army of Virginia, from June, 1862; in same brigade and
division, 1st Corps, Army of Potomac, from September 12, 1862;
in Patrick's Provost Guard Brigade, Army of Potomac, from
January 7, 1863; in 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 1st Corps, Army
of Potomac, from June, 1863; in Provost Guard Brigade, Army of
Potomac, from July 16, 1863; in the Independent Brigade, 9th
Corps, Army of Potomac, from March, 1865; on provost duty at
City Point, Va., from April 7, 1865; at Richmond, Va., from
April 22, 1865; at Norfolk, Va., from November 27, 1865; and it
was honorably discharged and mustered out, under Col. Jacob B.
Hardenbergh, January 29, 1866, at Portsmouth, Va.

Source: Phisterer p. 2,860

***************************************************************************
 
I looked around and it seems like the record you posted is abstracted from various muster roll sources. I think the initials are referencing the original records that the information was extracted from.

Take a look at the link below. The first one that's showing up for me at this link below has initials, plus a few records written out in that space. Just guessing, but IMIR on this one could stand for something along the lines of Initial Muster In Roster.
http://digitalcollections.archives....?search=civil+war+muster&s=&target=ca_objects

Just tossing out some ideas for these--
MIR--muster in roster
MOR-muster out roster
EP-enlistment paper (on some records this appears as E or Enl)
Det-detachment
DR-discharge record or roll

Some other notations on other records indicate TR= transfer roll, MR=muster roll, and sometimes there are other notations in that space alongside data, such as National Cemetery Record. Occasionally there are conflicts such as you noted.

Copied from Ancestry:

About New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900


This collection contains abstracts compiled from original muster rolls for New York State infantry units involved in the Civil War. The records have personal enlistment information and military service, as well as regiment engagements. The personal record and unit information makes the collection valuable to anyone with New York ancestors in the Civil War era.

A New York state law passed in 1863 required a record be made and preserved with pertinent information of every New Yorker who had volunteered for service. In 1876, New York authorized funds to copy the muster-out rolls, which is where this collection came from. It consists of 395 volumes and contains 550,000 records, which are contained on microfilm housed in the New York State Archives.

The beginning of each regiment record has information on the regiment including the commanding officers. In a few of the abstracts, a detailed history of the unit also appears. The abstracts are printed forms, which were completed by hand, so the regiment’s information will have to be browsed for or searched by regiment. Records may contain:

  • Name
  • Date of enlistment
  • Age
  • Place of enlistment
  • Grade
  • Company
  • Regiment
  • Reason for leaving
  • Promotions
  • Participation in engagements
  • Wounds
  • Physical appearance


Related Website

The New York State Archives was established in 1971 and opened its doors to the public in 1978. It is a program of the State Education Department, with its main facility located in the Cultural Education Center on Madison Avenue in Albany. There it cares for and provides access to more than 200 million documents that tell the story of New York from the seventeenth century to the present. From its main facility, it also administers statewide programs that reach out to state agencies, local governments and community organizations. Archives staff are located in nine regional offices around the State to address the archives and records management concerns of every area of the State.

New York State Archives
 
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That makes great sense to me, thank you very much mcfb50. I don't know if I read the Ancestry info before or not, but tying it in with the NY Archives - very clear.

I've been looking at that card as if it was an original source document not as a transcription. I will have to spend some more time going through those archives.

Thank you everyone, this has been a great help.
 
Glad to help out.

I'd be far more apt to believe that he was 31 and close to Sarah's age at the time of enlistment, especially if you have two middle of life records such as census that are in agreement with that age. The other thing I noticed is that in the lower right hand corner, where it says congressional district, it lists 21. Perhaps there was a transcription error along the way and the congressional district was incorrectly entered as his age?

It looks like he was receiving an invalid pension starting in 1877 or 1878 , plus she applied for a widow's pension on September 9, 1887. The date and location of his death are likely in those pension records, along with other details of his service. They're pricey to order, but those few I've ordered have been worth it for the information I've not been able to find elsewhere.

JacobPhillips_Pension2_.jpg


JacobPhillips_Pension.jpg
.
 
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Thanks, I have those records also. I appreciate the help and the information.

I have also found him listed in the 1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll with his disability given as diseased heart June, 1881.

The widow's application filed from Illinois agrees with a letter I have from John H. Rubbins (father of the Rubbins brothers) that puts them in Rock Island at some point before Jacob's daughter (my great grandmother) was married in Davenport in Dec. 1888. I have tried various online searches of cemeteries in the Quad-cities area with no success to date.

I have been considering ordering his records. But, I also have a WWI ancestor I would like to see if I can find more records for, and a Spanish American War ancestor, and various genealogy related records I need to order from different state governments also - so think I might need to prioritize.

Now, if the National Archives gave a volume discount... :smile:

Steering off into a slightly different direction, I assume the portion of the 34th Infantry muster roll I have attached would have been one of the source record types for what I posted at the start of this discussion?

Just for general interest - note that two of the 3 Rubbins brothers are listed as Robbins, and there is a Jacob Phillips in the same company, but not the one who ends up marrying one of their sisters.
 

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