Andrew J. Kiser - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Andrew Kiser must have regaled his family with stories of witnessing the end of the War of the Rebellion at Appomattox, as he watched from a ravine as a prisoner of war.  It was a well known family story, obviously, and published in his obituary. No record could be found to substantiate this.

Andrew J. Kiser was born in Seneca County, Ohio, on November 5, 1844.  He grew up as the oldest of a large family headed by his father, Daniel, and mother, Nancy.  Both the 1850 and 1860 showed the family near Loudon or Fostoria in Seneca County.

When he was eighteen, he enlisted into Company I, 123rd Ohio Infantry, on December 18, 1863.  The 123rd fought battles in Virginia from Winchester down to Appomattox in April, 1865.

Union Soldiers at Appomattox  by Timothy H. O'Sullivan

After the surrender, Andrew was discharged on June 12, 1865, as a private.  On the Defiance, Ohio, 1890 Veterans Census, he reported a disability - a gunshot wound to the leg.  He also "thinks he is suffering the effects of sunstroke, caused in service."

He returned to Seneca County after the war and married Alzina J. (Julia) Laughlin on August 6, 1867.  The 1870 census enumerator found them in Fostoria when A.J. Kiser, laborer, was 25, and Julia (Alzina) was also 25.  By 1880, they had added their only son, Delbert, to the family. Andrew was farming.

Sometime around 1882, according to Andrew's obituary, the family moved to the Defiance area where they remained to the end of their lives.  Andrew farmed and they lived beside their only son, Delbert, and family.  In the 1900 census, Alzina noted that she had had only one child and he was living.  

On August 30, 1907, Alzina passed away, and she was buried in a family plot at Riverside Cemetery.

Defiance Daily Crescent News, August 30, 1907

 Andrew continued to live alone on the farm on the 1910 census when he was 65, still next door to his son, Delbert.  But by 1920, Andrew moved in with Delbert and his wife, Emma and two daughters.  Delbert worked as a salesman in a clothing store and the eldest daughter, Emma, worked as a cashier in a 5 &10 store.  A boarder also lived there - Cora Garver - who worked as a seamstress in a dress shop.

Delbert and his wife went on to manage a bath system operation by 1930.  Andrew, 85, lived with them and the daughters were no longer home.  On September 22, 1931, Andrew died and was buried beside Alzina in Riverside.

Read below first and then continue to Column 2 above.

In the KISER plot in Section 30 of New Riverside Cemetery, the following rest:

Andrew J. 1844-1931, d. Sept. 25, 1931, Co I., 123 Reg O.V.I

Anna M., wife of Delbert, 1870- 1913, d. Dec. 8, 1913

Delbert D. 1871-1938, d. May 3, 1938

Alzina J. 1851 - 1907, d. Aug. 30, 1907, wife of Andrew J. Kiser

Emma Degler, 1879 - 1969

Nettie M. 1868 - 1907, d. Aug. 14, 1907

In looking at the dates, it would appear that Andrew Kiser lost a wife and Nettie, born 1868, within a few weeks of each other.   Born after an 1867 wedding, Nettie was apparently a daughter of Andrew and Alzina...yet, she appeared in no census with them ever.  She is a mystery to be solved.

(This is part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city.  Formed in 1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop, Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of wounds received in battle.  The veterans' photos are part of a composite photo of members that has survived.  If you have other information or corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the comments!)