An undated photograph of a Civil War drum said to belong to Joseph Dunlap.
Joseph Dunlap was a Civil War soldier who was born in Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1838 and died in Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1914. He was married to Mariah Keiser (1841-1908), who was the sister of Henry Keiser (1840-1923), a Civil War diarist.
The description of the drum from the card pictured:
JOSEPH DUNLAP enrolled in Co. F, 15th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry April 30, 1861 — M. O. August 7, 1861
Enlisted in Co. G, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, August 22, 1861, Mustered Out July 18, 1865, as 1st Sergeant.
Born February 2, 1837, Chester County, Pennsylvania, married Maria Keiser, March 15, 1866. Had several children; one survived infancy, Jacob Harper Dunlap, born March 7, 1867.
After the war he worked in the mines in Lykens, and in June 1887 his left leg was broken in 2 places by a fall of coal. In 1889 he was injured again in work. While rolling logs a hook caught him twisting him around, causing permanent disability.
In 1903, Joseph lived in Moon, Coahoma County, Mississippi. Probably came back to Lykens. Maria died 1908. Joseph died 1914. Both buried I.O.O.F. Cemetery [Lykens].
There is an interesting story about this drum and its placement in the museum of the Gratz Historical Society. In the settling of the estate of a descendant of Joseph Dunlap, the executor claimed that the drum had only been loaned to the historical society, not donated to it. After a short legal dispute, the historical society was forced to surrender the drum to the estate because they could not produce a record of donation or a copy of a “thank you” letter acknowledging the receipt of the drum as a donation.
The whereabouts of this drum today is not known.
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Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.