AMOS R. HOUGENDOBLER was born October 03, 1843 in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster Co. Pa, and died November 12, 1919 in Columbia, Pa. He married MARGARET KNEISLY September 06, 1864 in Columbia Pa, daughter of ANDREW KNEISLY and MARGARET FORDNEY. She was born June 27, 1845 in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster Co. Pa, and died February 07, 1929 in Columbia, Pa.
He was reared on a farm in West Hempfield township, and attended the the district school. At the age of twelve years he went to Columbia and entered the Store of H. F. FonDersmith, as a clerk remaining with him for one year, when he was offered a larger salary, going into the store of Peter Haldeman, where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
He enlisted joining Co K, 5th Pa. Reserves known as the Cookman Rangers (so named by Joseph Fisher who was appointed captain). But almost at the beginning of his service he met a serious accident. Being first in the march, Campbell”s Battery ran over his left heel on June 27, 1861. He was again unfortunate, being slightly wounded in the left leg at the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, and was sent to the Columbia College Hospital, Washington D.C.
This was particularly discouraging, as the accident came upon the very day that his three-year term of enlistment expired. He endured but one month in the hospital before he joined his company and went home. He participated in the following battles: Gainesville, Mechanicsville, Gaines Mills, Charles City Cross Roads, Savage Station, Malvern Hill, Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Bristol Station, Mine Run and the Wilderness. At Fredericksburg few of his company escaped death or wounds, or at least bullet holes in their clothing. His term of service expired and he was discharged at Harrisburg, Pa., June 14, 1864.
The saddest experience of his army life was the death of his brother John who was in the same company and was killed on Sept 14, 1862.
He was one of the prominent men in Columbia Pa, and was postmaster having been appointed to the office through the Hon. Marriott Brosius in 1989.1
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
