This small group of two images relate to Corporal Franklin T. Beerer who served in the 19th and 90th Pennsylvania Infantry.

The first image is a wonderful view of Beerer with two of his comrades. A period pencil inscription on the reverse reads “2 CLERKS AND COMY’ SGT AT CAMP CONVALESCENT, FORT MC HENRY MD.” The image shows Beerer seated at left with a friend named Carson seated at right and another soldier standing at center. What makes this image so nice is the fact that the photographer carefully hand-tinted the uniforms. Another interesting point is the variety of uniforms being worn.

First is Beerer who wears a dark blue frock coat with gold tinted buttons, light blue vest and trousers. In his right hand he is holding a black slouch hat complete with ostrich feather. The man at center is wearing a dark blue forage cap and shell jacket with red trim and gold buttons. His trousers are light blue. Carson, the soldier seated at right, wears a dark round hat with military hat cord, a dark blue shell jacket with no visible trim and light trousers with a dark blue NCO leg stripe. The names of the three soldiers are written in period pencil across the bottom but the name of the soldier standing at center is very faint. The image is clear with good contrast and sharpness. There is some light surface dirt and a small chip in the top edge of the paper.

The reverse of the image has the pencil inscription mentioned above and a photographer’s mark of George A. Lenzi, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

The second image in the group is a three-quarter standing view of Beerer by himself. This image is not tinted like the other. Beerer is shown leaning on a cane with his right hand and on a small podium with his left. He wears the same slouch hat that he is holding in the first photo. He also wears his dark frock coat, vest and trousers. The image is clear with contrast that is a little light. The image surface also has some light surface dirt to match the first image.

The reverse of this image has a strong period ink inscription that reads “FRANKLIN T. BEERER, NORRISTOWN, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNA.” There is also a photographer’s imprint of ISRAEL & CO… BALTIMORE.

Franklin Theodore Beerer was born May 21, 1836 in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He was educated at the Treemount Seminary and Elmwood Institute before going into the drug business in Philadelphia. He married in 1854 but his first wife Clara died in 1860. At this time Beerer was serving as inspector at the United States Customs House in Philadelphia.

On May 18, 1861 he enlisted as a Private in Company C, 19th Pennsylvania Infantry for 3 months and was mustered out on August 29, 1861.

Beerer next enlisted as a Corporal in Company B, 90th Pennsylvania Infantry most likely in March of 1862. He served with his regiment in the Armies of Virginia and the Potomac seeing action at Cedar Mountain, Rappahannock Station, Thoroughfare Gap, 2nd Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain and Antietam. In the last named battle Beerer was shot through the left knee, left elbow and suffered a contusion on the left shoulder from a shell fragment. He also suffered nine other slight flesh wounds. The knee wound necessitated the cane he is carrying in his CDV. After recovered at Camp Convalescent, Maryland where the group CDV offered here was taken. Corporal Beerer obtained his discharge on December 10, 1862.

Upon his return to Norristown, Pa. now Mr. Beerer went into the cigar making business and remarried in 1866. He became a pension attorney in 1889. He was popular in his community and was a member of the Charity Lodge, Hutchinson Commandery, the Knights Templer, the Order of Red Men, the Zook Post #11 of the GAR, Encampment 96 of the Union Veteran’s Legion and the Lynwood Lodge #154 of the A.O.U. Workmen.

Franklin T. Beerer died in 1899 after a very eventful life. He is buried in Montgomery Cemetery in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Beerer was missed by Samuel Bates when he compiled his multi-volume roster books for Pennsylvania soldiers who served during the Civil War and thus he was also missed by an online Civil War database. However Beerer is found in the U. S. Government’s Soldiers and Sailors database and one of his descendants posted a useful biography on Ancestry.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.