Collection Title: Society of the 97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers
Collection Number: Ms. Coll. 170
Dates of Collection: 1861-1939
Box Numbers: 6 boxes, 146 folders
Repository: Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, PA
Language: English
Project Archivist: Margaret Miles Baillie
The Society of the 97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was organized in 1883 and had their first reunion on October 29th. Reunions were held thereafter for 47 years until 1930. Afterwards, they merged with the Society of the 124th and held joint reunions from 1931 to 1937.
The 97th Regiment was formed in 1861 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with the former Captain Henry R. Guss as its Colonel. There were ten companies, A-K, which totaled 1,089 officers and men. The Regiment saw action in ten conflicts. Although all companies are represented in this collection, the principal focus of the Civil War era manuscripts is Company C. Company C was commanded by Isaiah Price.
The collection spans the years from 1861-1939, with two additional clippings from 1955 and 1960. It includes reunion programs, invitations, newspaper articles, correspondence, and updated obituary lists. Civil War era manuscripts include muster lists and roll calls, quartermaster, furniture, equipage, and ordnance reports, hospital documents, and correspondence between the officers, the men and their families. Most of the reports are in regards to their time in Fernandina, Florida, and South Carolina. Two individual photographs are in the collection.
Manuscripts in the collection are arranged chronologically according to subject. First in order are those relating to the organization of the Society of the 97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers then Civil War papers and last newspaper articles and clippings.
See also: Additional individual manuscripts in the CCHS collection: Ms. 5391, 7261, 32884-32887, 76520, and 76609-76613.
Box 1 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V.
Folder 1 – Reception of the State Colors, 1866.
Folder 2 – 1st Reunion, 1883. Program and Attendance Report.
Folder 3 – 3rd Reunion, Program, 1886.
Folder 4 – 4th Reunion, Dedication of the 97th P.V. Monument, 1887. Manuscript of the song “Requiem 97th Penna. Vols.,” by Mrs. Jannetta H. Levengood and rendered by the West Chester Cornet Band.
Folder 5 – 5th Reunion, Program, 1888.
Folder 6 – 6th Reunion, Program, 1889.
Folder 7 – 7th Reunion, Program, 1890.
Folder 8 – 8th Reunion, Program, 1891.
Folder 9 – 9th Reunion, Program, 1892.
Folder 10 – 10th Reunion, Program, 1893.
Folder 11 – 11th Reunion, Program, 1894.
Folder 12 – 11th Reunion, Letter to Pennypacker, 1894.
Folder 13 – 12th Reunion, Correspondence, 1895. Photo of L. E. Humpton.
Folder 14 – 12th Reunion, Program and Tickets, 1895.
Folder 15 – 13th Reunion, Correspondence, 1896.
Folder 16 – 13th Reunion, Program, 1896.
Folder 17 – 14th Reunion, Program, 1897.
Folder 18 – 15th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1898.
Folder 19 – 16th Reunion, Program, 1899.
Folder 20 – 16th Reunion, Correspondence, 1899.
Folder 21 – 17th Reunion, Program, 1900.
Folder 22 – 18th Reunion, Program, 1901.
Folder 23 – 19th Reunion, Program, 1902.
Folder 24 – 20th Reunion, Correspondence and Program 1903. Photo of Michael Dunleavy.
Folder 25 – 21st Reunion, Program, 1904.
Folder 26 – 22nd Reunion, Program, 1905.
Box 2 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V
Folder 27 – 23rd Reunion, Program, 1906.
Folder 28 – 24th Reunion, Program, 1907.
Folder 29 – 24th Reunion, Correspondence and Records, 1907.
Folder 30 – 25th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1908.
Folder 31 – 26th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1909.
Folder 32 – 27th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1910.
Folder 33 – 28th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1911.
Folder 34 – 29th Reunion, Correspondence and Program, 1912.
Folder 35 – 30th Reunion, Records and Program, 1913.
Folder 36 – 31st Reunion, Records and Program, 1914.
Folder 37 – 31st Reunion, Address at Reunion, 1914.
Folder 38 – 32nd Reunion, Records and Program, 1915.
Folder 39 – 33rd Reunion, Records and Program, 1916.
Folder 40 – 34th Reunion, Records and Program, 1917.
Folder 41 – 35th Reunion, Records and Program, 1918 (cancelled due to Spanish Influenza).
Folder 42 – 36th Reunion, Records and Program, 1919.
Folder 43 – 37th Reunion, Records and Program, 1920.
Folder 44 – 38th Reunion, Records and Program, 1921.
Folder 45 – 39th Reunion, Records and Program, 1922.
Folder 46 – 40th Reunion, Records and Program, 1923.
Folder 47 – 41st Reunion, Records and Program, 1924.
Folder 48 – 42nd Reunion, Program, 1925.
Folder 49 – 43rd Reunion, Records and Program, 1926.
Folder 50 – 44th Reunion, Records and Program, 1927.
Folder 51 – 45th – 47th Reunions, Programs, 1928 – 1930.
Folder 52 – Society of the 97th and 124th Reunions, 1931-1937.
Folder 53 – Transfer of Society of the 97th Records, 1910-1911.
Folder 54 – Miscellaneous: Poems and Songs to 97th, Poem of the Monument, The story of the Flag, and Two court martial reports dated 1873 and 1882.
Box 3 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V
Folder 55 – “History of the 97th” Book: Correspondence and notes.
Folder 56 – “History of the 97th” Book: Engraving of Isaiah Price.
Folder 57 – Death lists since the publication of the “History of the 97th.”
Folder 58 – Unaccounted for original volunteers.
Folder 59 – Death list to 1939. Names of grandchildren included.
Folder 60 – Book: Record of Deaths, obituaries. Fragile.
Folder 61 – Book with National Guard clippings glued in it. Book entitled, “Military Code of the State of Pennsylvania codified and compiled by James W. Latta, 1874.
Folder 62 – Pennsylvania Military Map of 1896.
Folder 63 – Two books: Book 1 – Company Savings Co. C. 97th P.V. 1861-1863 with Account of Books received of Samuel Moore & Sons and delivered to subscribers for “History of the 97th P.V.” commencing on April 24, 1875. Book 2 – Minutes of the Survivors of the 97th P.V., 1884-1896.
Box 4 – 97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers
Folder 64 – Order to Recruit, August 1861.
Folder 65 – Muster Roll, September 1861.
Folder 66 – Names and Addresses, December 1961.
Folder 67 – Muster Roll, Company C, 1862.
Folder 68 – Company Savings Distribution, 1863. (See also Box 3, Folder 9)
Folder 69 – Furlough, C. Burleigh Hambleton, May 1863.
Folder 70 – Descriptive Roll, Company C, December 1863.
Folder 71 – Payroll, T. Eachus, April 1864.
Folder 72 – Muster Roll, Company C, September 1864.
Folder 73 – List of Company C men that returned to W. Chester, September 1864.
Folder 74 – Orders, April 1864.
Folder 75 – Prisoner John Williams, February 1864.
Folder 76 – Court Martial, February 1864.
Folder 77 – Prisoners at Fernandina Beach, FL, April 1864.
Folder 78 – Prisoners and Court Martials, April 1864.
Folder 79 – List of Casualties, May 20, 1864.
Folder 80 – Mustered Out Roll, August 1865.
Folder 81 – Medical and Hospital Correspondence
Folder 82 – Correspondence in regards to the deceased: William Gardiner and Joseph McKinley, 1863.
Folder 83 – Correspondence in regards to the deceased: Nicholas Durnin, 1864.
Folder 84 – Correspondence in regards to the deceased: Joseph Wetherill, 1864.
Folder 85 – Correspondence in regards to the deceased: Charles K. Wentz, 1864.
Folder 86 – Tri-monthly Report of Soldiers, July 1864.
Folder 87 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, November 1863.
Folder 88 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, December 1863.
Folder 89 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, January 1864.
Folder 90 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, February 1864.
Folder 91 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, March 1864.
Folder 92 – Quartermaster’s Store Monthly Return, April 1864, and Transfer.
Folder 93 – Returns of Furniture, April 1864.
Folder 94 – Monthly Return; Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage, February 1864.
Folder 95 – Ordnances Issued, January 1864.
Folder 96 – Value of Clothing, April 1864.
Folder 97 – Inventory; Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage, February 1864.
Folder 98 – Ordnance Quarterly Return, June 1864.
Folder 99 – Ordnance and Ordnance Stores Quarterly Return, blank forms.
Folder 100 – Letters verifying no indebtedness by Isaiah Price to the US Government, 1864.
Folder 101 – Report of Actions, 1864.
Folder 102 – Soldier Ephemera.
Folder 103 – Correspondence, H.R. Guss 1862-1863.
Folder 104 – Account of Battle at Fort Wagner and Gen. H. R. Guss, written in 1886 by M. Brosius, Co. K., Newspaper article.
Folder 105 – Paper cover for above referenced newspaper.
Folder 106 – Book: Record of Ordnance and Property during the Civil War. Includes separate list dated 1864.
Box 5 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V., Clippings and Newspapers.
Folder 107 – Dedication of the 97th Reg. P.V. Monument, Clipping 1887. Monument Committee Meeting, clipping 1873.
Folder 108 – Clippings 1813-1875.
Folder 109 – Clippings 1887-1890.
Folder 110 – Clippings 1891-1899.
Folder 111 – Clippings 1900-1911.
Folder 112 – Clippings 1912-1960.
Folder 113 – Book of Clippings.
Folder 114 – Newspaper, Medal of Honor Men, January 20, 1989.
Folder 115 – Newspaper, 10th Reunion, 1893.
Folder 116 – Newspaper, 11th Reunion, 1894.
Box 6 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V., Clippings and Newspapers.
Folder 117 – Newspaper, 11th Reunion, 1894.
Folder 118 – Newspaper, 12th Reunion, 1895.
Folder 119 – Newspaper, 13th Reunion, 1896.
Folder 120 – Newspaper, 14th Reunion, 1897.
Folder 121 – Newspaper, 15th Reunion, 1898.
Folder 122 – Newspaper, 16th Reunion, 1899.
Folder 123 – Newspaper, 17th Reunion, 1901.
Folder 124 – Newspaper, 18th Reunion, 1902.
Folder 125 – Newspaper, 19th Reunion, 1903.
Folder 126 – Newspaper, 22nd Reunion, 1905.
Folder 127 – Newspaper, 23rd Reunion, 1906.
Box 7 – Society of the 97th Reg. P.V., Clippings and Newspapers.
Folder 128 – Newspaper, 24th Reunion, 1907.
Folder 129 – Newspaper, 25th Reunion, 1908.
Folder 130 – Newspaper, 27th Reunion, 1910.
Folder 131 – Newspaper, 28th Reunion, 1911.
Folder 132 – Newspaper, 29th Reunion, 1912.
Folder 133 – Newspaper, 30th Reunion, 1913.
Folder 134 – Newspaper, 31st Reunion, 1914.
Folder 135 – Newspaper, 32nd Reunion, 1915.
Folder 136 – Newspaper, 33rd, Reunion, 1916.
Folder 137 – Newspaper, 34th Reunion 1917.
Folder 138 – Newspaper, 36th Reunion 1919.
Folder 139 – Newspaper, 37th Reunion 1920.
Folder 140 – Newspaper, 38th Reunion 1921.
Folder 141 – Newspaper, 39th Reunion 1922.
Folder 142 – Newspaper, 40th Reunion 1923.
Folder 143 – Newspaper, 41st Reunion 1924.
Folder 144 – Newspaper, 42nd Reunion 1925.
Folder 145 – Newspaper, 43rd Reunion 1926.
Folder 146 – Newspaper, 44th Reunion 1927.
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
Sign up for our Newsletter
