Swander Family

Daniel L. Swander, Edward H. Swander, Dewalt J. Swander, Aaron Swander,
Alfred Swander, William J. Swander, John W. Swander, Frank Shaffer,
and Ziba P. Sayre

Daniel Lewis Swander served in Company B of the 86th Illinois Infantry. He was born November 3, 1830 in Old Stone Tavern, Easton Pennsylvania and died November 13, 1898 in Moline, Illinois. He was a member of R.H. Graham Post #312, Grand Army of the Republic, in Moline, Illinois.

Edward H. Swander served in Company K, 71st Indiana Volunteer Infantry from July 22 1862 to November 28, 1862. He was injured at the Battle of New Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862. In June 1863, he served as the enrolling officer for the 79th District and later (from August 8, 1863 to May 9, 1864) as Captain of Company E, 115th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He later was employed in the the Provost Marshal Office in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1868, he married to Rebecca Burnside. His occupations after the war included: school teacher in Indiana, Director and a President of the Farmers Mutual Relief Association; Board of Directors Agricultural Society in Seneca County, Ohio; and Justice of The Peace for Clinton Township Tiffin, Ohio. He was a member of the Gibson Post, Grand Army of the Republic, in Tiffin, Ohio. He died April 17, 1915 at Dayton, Ohio.

Dewalt J. Swander was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania on August 17, 1840. He served as a Private in Company A, 55th Ohio Volunteer Infantry from September 24, 1861 to September 29, 1864. He was discharged in Atlanta, Georgia. He had light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. After the war he married Mary E. Kemmerer on May 21,1867. He was carpenter in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. He died April 5, 1915 in Tiffin, Ohio.

James W. Swander, younger brother of Dewalt Swander, was born June 29, 1842 in Seneca County, Ohio. He served as a Sgt in Company A, 55th Ohio Volunteer Infantry from September 26, 1861 to September 29, 1864. At end of service his age was 22. He was 5'9", had light complexion, gray eyes, and light hair. He married Ms. Fannie Funk on September September 27, 1866. He was a farmer. He died June 26, 1919 in Tiffin, Ohio.

Daniel L. Swander (left), Edward H. Swander (middle) and Dewalt J. Swander (right)

Aaron Swander (brother to Alfred and William Swander) of Shelby County, Ohio was born November 2, 1840. On August 10, 1862 he was enlisted as a Private in Company H, 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was mustered for three years at Camp Lima, Ohio by Captain C.O. Howard on August 26, 1862. He was killed in action June 20, 1864 near Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia. According to Rich Wallace, a bullet passed throught the hat of Tom Hennell and killed Aaron (Honnell would be discharged from Company C of the 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment in 1865 as a Captain). The Ohio Adjutant General Report indicates that Aaron Swander was interred in Section G, Grave #334, Marietta, Georgia. A photograph of his tombstone in Marietta, Georgia National Cemetery reads (#)6906 Aaron Swander Ohio.

Aaron Swander

Alfred Swander (brother to Aaron and William) of Shelby County, Ohio was born October 3, 1842. On August 11, 1862, he was enrolled as a Private in Company H, 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was mustered for three years at Camp Lima, Ohio by Captain C.O. Howard on August 26, 1862. He was captured September 20, 1863 at battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. He died January 1, 1864 in prison at Danville, Virginia. Because the 99th and the 50th Ohio Infantry Regiments were consolidated December 31, 1864 he is listed on the 50th Muster Roll (even through he was already deceased!). The 99th Ohio's Roll of Honor lists him as buried Danville, Virginia. The 50th Ohio's Roll of Honor has a similar entry with the added information that he died December 31, 1863 and that he is buried in Grave #683. However, his gravesite cannot now be found. Additional Swander(s) who served in the Civil War include:

Alfred Swander

William Jefferson Swander (brother to Aaron and Alfred Swander) was born July 11, 1844 and died September 13, 1887. He served in Company K, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry from October 1, 1862 to July 1, 1863. After the war he was a member of J.B. McPherson Post #87, Grand Army of the Republic, in McPherson, Kansas.

William Jefferson Swander

John W. Swander (cousin to Aaron, Alfred and William Swander), enlisted in Company H, 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry at the age of 24 (August 10, 1862). He died of wounds February 3, 1863 at the Seminary US General Hospital in Covington, Kentucky. The Ohio Adjutant General Report indicates that he was buried in Linden Grove Cemetery, Covington, Kentucky. He was later reburied in Pearl Cemetery, Franklin Township, Shelby County, Ohio with his parents under a triple headstone.

Dr. William Henry Swander was born May 2, 1835. He served as a Assistant Surgeon with the 79th Ohio Volunteer Infantry from August 25,1862 to December 26, 1863. From May 1864 to October 1864, he served as Assistant Surgeon at Madison, Indiana, General Hospital and later served in Springfield, Illinois, General Hospital. He also worked with Bureau of Pensions. He died December 12, 1910 at Hampden, Virginia.

Dr. William Henry Swander

Franklin Shaffer was born May 2, 1837 in Shelby County, Ohio. He served in Company H, 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry from August 14, 1862 to March 16, 1863. He married Savilla Swander on April 7, 1864. He died February 26, 1911 in Argenta, Illinois. Photograph submitted by A. Niven, a descendant.

Frank Shaffer

Ziba P. Sayre was born March 17, 1813 in Champaign County, Ohio. By occupation he was a farmer. He married twice, (1) Rachel Moore on February 24, 1838 and (2) Elizabeth (Sarver) Lockard on July 23, 1846. By both marriages he had a total of seven children of whom one is unknown, two died young and four survived him. Ziba Sayre enlisted July 2, 1863 in Company H, 4th Ohio National Guard Regiment and was discharged October 4, 1865 for being overage. On November 2, 1869, he served as a County Commissioner for Champaign County, Ohio. He died November 20, 1879 and is buried in Cost Cemetery, Miami Township, Logan County, Ohio. Ziba's son, William M. Sayre, enlisted October 12, 1861 in Company K, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and died of wounds June 16, 1864 near Pine Knob, Georgia (buried unknown grave Marietta, Georgia National Cemetery). Years after the war a wooden box was found by Ziba descendants which was filled with William Sayre's Civil War letters and Ziba's discharge.

Ziba P. Sayre

Information and photographs provided by J. Carroll, Swander family researcher, and T. Fazzini, Camp #91, Ohio Department, SUVCW.