December 17, 2014

 After publishing my post of October 20^TH, which discussed the McPherson barn and its impressive stonework, I received a comment from John Bell asking if I had seen the soldier carvings for which that particular section of the barn is well-known. Unfortunately, at the time I hadn’t remembered on which side they could be found, but on a subsequent trip I made it a point to locate them. You’ll notice the initials “J. C. T.” and “S. M. G.” (Someone apparently tried to mark in the etchings with chalk, but it seems they may have inadvertently turned the “3” in 143^RD into an “8”. You can clearly see the date of the carving, September 12, 1889). A quick trip to the fantastic site Gettysburg Daily revealed their names, Jonas C. Tubbs and Singleton M. Goss, who served in the 143^RD Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F.

Being a details person, I wanted to know more about these men. Pvt. Jonas Carter Tubbs was born March 08, 1842, in Union, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, the son of Charles and Catherine “Kate” (Benscoter) Tubbs. He had five siblings, Elizabeth born 1831, Isaac born 1837, Barbara born 1840, John born 1843, and Nathan born 1851. In the 1863 draft registration he was listed as a laborer. He enlisted in the 143^RD Pennsylvania Infantry on September 08, 1862, and was mustered out on June 12, 1865, at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, NY. On September 08, 1866, he married Sarah Jerusha Goss (Singleton Goss’s younger sister). Together they had Katherine “Kate” (born 1868), Edgar Bruce (born 1869), Ora Blanche (born 1874), and Lula Pearl (born 1881). Jonas died December 22, 1909, in Shickshinny, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania. His cause of death is given as tuberculosis.

As for the second soldier, Musician/Drummer Singleton Martin Goss was born March 10, 1845, in Fairmount, Luzerne Co., PA. His parents are given as Weston and Delanah (Bisher) Goss in his death certificate. He enlisted in the 143^RD Pennsylvania Infantry on September 08, 1862, and was mustered out on June 12, 1865, at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, NY, later marrying Sarah Catherine Benscoter (undoubtedly related to Jonas Tubbs’ mother, Kate Benscoter Tubbs). They had two known children, Thomas Merker (called “Merk” or “Mert”) born 1874, and Lillian D., born 1876. Singleton died on September 17, 1927 of bladder cancer.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. ANDREW MCKINNEY CAMPBELL

Co. E, 105^TH Pennsylvania Infantry

Born December 21, 1841 --- Died July 08, 1863

Pvt. Campbell, known as “Mack”, enlisted in September 1861 and was described as being 5’6½” tall, with brown eyes and a dark complexion. He was mortally wounded in the neck on July 02^ND and was later buried at the Gettysburg National Cemetery.