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PA Civil War > Biography > Kister  

Free Genealogy Biography of David Kister,
Pennsylvania Volunteer of the Civil War



David Kister

John Kister was born in Newberry Township, York Co., Penn., June 24, 1833, on the place where now stands a part of Goldsboro. His parents were Jacob G. and Nancy (Bowen) Kister, natives of York County, of German descent, who had eleven children, of whom four sons and three daughters grew up, and of whom John was the sixth child. At the age of nineteen years John left the farm, and followed saw-milling, running a stationary engine in York County, until he was twenty-six years old, when he engaged in farming, which he followed eight years.

June 27, 1863, he enlisted at Harrisburgh, Penn., in Company B, First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 1st Regiment--six months' men--and served until October 3, 1863. August 17, 1864, he re-enlisted at Harrisburgh as second sergeant of Company B. Two Hundredth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, 200th Regiment, and served until the close of the war. His regiment was connected with the First Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Corps, and fought at Fort Steadman, Petersburg, and until Lee's surrender.

At the close of the war he returned to Goldsboro In 1867 he quit farming, and again ran a stationary engine. In 1869 he was appointed postmaster at Etters, Penn., and has held that office since. In 1855 he was married, at Shiremanstown, Penn., to Hannah Willis, who died January 8, 1867, leaving two children: Frazer and Nora. The son Frazer is engineer for Mr. Isaac Frazer, occupying his father's old position. The daughter, Nora, died a short time after her mother.

March 10, 1868, Mr. Kister was married, at Goldsborough, to Mrs. Catherine A. Wise, daughter of G. C. Wentz, and widow of W. Wise, who was killed in the late war. They had one child: Robert, who died in infancy, Mr. Kister belongs to the I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Junior Mechanics; he was chief burgess four terms, councilman two terms, and school director two terms. He is a Republican. He owns a farm, is a stockholder in the Star Building & Loan Association of York, and keeps a confectionary store in the postoffice building. In 1883 he organized the Independent Cornet Band, of Goldsboro, and equipped it with uniforms and instruments at his own expense. He has traveled a great deal, but lives now within 300 yards of his birthplace.




Source: York County, Pennsylvania Biographical History, John Gibson, Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.







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