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Documents

1844-1846: Volunteering for the Mexican-American War (Doc A)

Bastian, Joseph.”Enlistment for the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry (Mexican-American War).”


National Archives, 1844-1846 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/60035318

Joseph Bastian record of military service, Company F of the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry as a
Private, date not stated though he enlisted sometime between 1844 and 1846

This military document shows the record of service of Joseph Bastain for the Mexican-
American War which began in 1846. It gives us the infantry that he was assigned to, which was
the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry, and it gives us his rank that he first enlisted with, which is as a
Private. This document also gives his company in the regiment, which was Company F.
A main inference that we can take from this document is that it was from 1846 as that is
when the war began and is most likely when Bastian wanted to volunteer to fight. It adds to the
story as it marks the beginning of his military career and shows us where he started. It gives us
his specific company in his infantry which helped us in writing the biography as we could now
write about what he specifically did in the war.
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1846: Mustering into the Mexican-American War (Doc B)

Bastian, Joseph A. “Muster Document for the First Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry.” 15 Dec.
1846. Adjutant General’s Office, Pennsylvania.
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/60035322?objectPage=2

Joseph A. Bastian mustering into Company F of the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry (Mexican-
American War). 1846.

This is a document that shows Joseph A. Bastian getting mustered into service. He was in
Company F of the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry regiment. He was mustered in on December 15th,
1846. He was mustered in in Philadelphia. He fought in the Mexican-American War.
This document gives us insight into when Bastian started fighting in the
Mexican-American War. While the war started in April, the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry didn’t see
its first major battle until March of 1847, so it makes sense for Bastian to have been mustered in
late after the war began.
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1847: Company Muster Roll with Remarks (Doc C)

Bastian, Joseph A. “Muster Document for the First Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry.” August
31December 31, 1847. Adjutant General’s Office, Pennsylvania.
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/60035322?objectPage=7

Military document that shows a specific time period Bastian was mustered in and out of. It also
states he was left sick at a hospital at the Castle of Perote, Mexico during the Mexican-American
War.

Transcript:

Left sick in the hospital at the Castle of Perote, Mexico. November 29, 1847.
This document is another muster roll for Joseph Bastian during the Mexican-American
War. This time the document provides us with a muster in date and a muster out date along with
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remarks about his service. The muster-in date was on August 31st, 1847 and the muster-out date
was December 31st, 1847, exactly four months later.
From this document we can infer that Bastian served in periods during the influential
Wars in the United States. This document adds to the story as we get some key details into what
occurred during his service during the Mexican-American War. The document tells us that he
became sick and was left at a hospital at the Castle of Perote, Mexico, on November 29th, 1847.
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1848: Mustering out of the Mexican-American War (Doc D)

Bastian, Joseph A. ``Muster-out Roll for the First Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry.” 28 July.
1848. Adjutant General’s Office, Pennsylvania.
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/60035322?objectPage=10

Muster-out date for Joseph A. Bastian, Mexican-American War, July 28th, 1848. 1st
Pennsylvania Infantry. Company F. 1848.

There are many facts present in this document that show all about Bastian’s military
service in the Mexican-American War. This document provides the date that he got mustered out
of the war, which was on July 28th, 1848. It labels him as a Private for the 1st Regiment
Pennsylvania Infantry. We can also see a small bill to the country regarding his uniform most
likely.
From this document we can infer exactly when and where he was mustered out of this
war. This helps because now we have a specific date to use in order to find perhaps some more
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documents pertaining to the same event. This document adds to our story as it provides an exact
date and place for when he got mustered out as this is an important part of his military career.
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1850: Federal Census (Doc E)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1850” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4914871:8054?ssrc=pt&tid=2569225&pid=
252377264542

1850 U.S. Federal Census, Joseph Bastian: male, 26 years old, paperhanger, Anthony Bastian:
male, 47 years old, paperstainer, Mary Bastian: female, 43 years old, no occupation

Transcript:
529 595 John Riburt 36 Male Carpenter Pennsylvania

Anthony Bastian 47 Male Paper Stainer Pennsylvania

Joseph Bastian 26 Male Paper Hanger Pennsylvania

James Whitehead 23 Male Shoemaker Pennsylvania

Edmund Bastian 19 Male Cooper Pennsylvania

Jerome Bastian 18 Male Lithograph Printer Pennsylvania

Mary Bastian 43 Female None Pennsylvania

Mary Ribart 22 Female None Pennsylvania

Cecelia Bastian 14 Female Envelope Maker Pennsylvania


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Adelaide Bastian 9 Female Pennsylvania

Louisa Bastian 7 Female Pennsylvania

Frances Bastian 5 Female Pennsylvania

Caroline Bastian 2 Female Pennsylvania


This is one of the only (if not the only) documents we found with Joseph Bastian and his
presumed parents. His father, Anthony Bastian, worked as a paperstainer. His mother, Mary
Bastian, stayed home as she did not have a job.
Many inferences could be made from this document. Firstly, Joseph Bastian followed in
his father’s footsteps in terms of career type. He chose paperhanging while his father
paperstained. Anthony and Mary had Joseph pretty young, as his mom was probably around the
age of 17 and his father 21.
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1860: 1860 United States Census (Doc F)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1860” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/23031341:7667

Census record for Joseph’s parent’s household, 1860.

Transcript:
1443 1644 Anthony Bastian 56 Male Paper Stainer Pennsylvania

Mary Bastian 53 Female Pennsylvania

Cecilia Bastian 24 Female Map Finisher Pennsylvania

Adelaide Bastian 19 Female Envelope Folder Pennsylvania

Louisa Bastian 17 Female Pennsylvania

Caroline Bastian 11 Female Pennsylvania

John Rebault 46 Male House Carpenter Pennsylvania

Mary E Rebault 32 Female Pennsylvania

Francis Rebault 9 Male Pennsylvania


This federal census document shows the record of Anthony Bastian, Joseph Bastian’s
father. It describes Bastian’s father’s occupation as a paper stainer, and lists the people in
Anthony Bastian’s household in 1860.
From this document, we can infer that since Anthony Bastian was a paper stainer and
Joseph Bastian was a paper hanger, it is possible that they worked together in the wallpapering
business. This adds to Joseph Bastian’s story as it shows that he likely worked with his father in a
small, family business, or at least gained some of his paper-hanging experience from learning
from his father.
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1860: 1860 United States Census (Doc G)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1860” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/23030869:7667?tid=&pid=&queryId=a3b39
125-09d2-4017-8f44-e958c043ca90&_phsrc=WsO6&_phstart=successSource

US Federal Census from 1860 with information about Joseph Bastian’s household.

Transcript:

1362 1552 Joseph A. 33 Male Paperhanger 300 Pennsylvania


Bastian

Eliza 25 Female Pennsylvania

Catherine 4 Female Pennsylvania

Anna 5 Female Pennsylvania

Adelaide 1 Female Pennsylvania


This document is a federal census from the year 1860 that provides a lot of information
regarding the Bastian household in Philadelphia. It gives us the names of his children at the time
and their ages. It also shows Joseph Bastian as the sole worker of the household, as there are no
occupations listed for anyone else.
From this document, we can infer that since Bastian was the only one working, then he
should have been making a decent amount of money in order to support a family of five that was
growing. This document adds to our story as it shows us that Bastian had a large family and was
able to provide for them.
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1862: Joseph A Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc H)

“US City Directories 1862.” Philadelphia, Mcelroy’s Philadelphia City and Business Directory,
1862, pg.33 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-
content/view/180321824:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=759d
2367-4a8c-4cb4-b9e3-053d08ce0928&_phsrc=Vcr101&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Bastian was living at 926 Wharton St. in 1862, he worked as a
paperhanger

This source is an image of a page from McElroy’s Philadelphia City and Business
Directory, published at 27 South Sixth St. It lists Joseph A. Bastian as a paperhanger living at
926 Wharton St.
This is the earliest city directory in which we found Bastian’s address, which helped us
get a more complete list of all the places he lived in, and when. It also helped us confirm that he
was a paperhanger for most of his life.
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1862:Volunteering to the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry (Doc I)

Bastian, Joseph A. “Volunteering for the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry.”


1862.https://catalog.archives.gov/id/161922838

Document of Joseph Bastian volunteering for the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry

Transcript:
Joseph A
Bastian Joseph
Co. [company] g, 121 Pennsylvania Inf. [Infantry]
Pvt [enlistment rank of Private] 1 L’t [discharge rank of First Lieutenant]
See also________
This source shows our person, Joseph Bastian volunteering for the Civil War and joining
the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry. Although it does not provide the year, the description on the
archive states that it was a document to volunteer during the Civil War. In the document we learn
that his enlistment rank was Private, and his discharge rank would be as a First Lieutenant.
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Some inferences that we could take from this document would be that he wanted to help
his side of the War (Union) and wanted to fight for it. The document adds to the story because it
shows what he was ranked when he first enlisted, and exactly where he enlisted in. This would
make it a lot easier to see exactly what his regiment was doing during the War.
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1862: Mustering into the Civil War (Doc J)

Bastian, Joseph A. “Mustering into the Civil War.” August 17th, 1862. Philadelphia.
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/29949:9040?tid=&pid=&queryId=99e9
8d71-700a-44af-bfeb-86aaeffbe2bb&_phsrc=yIu40&_phstart=successSource

Pennsylvania Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1869, Joseph Bastian, enlisted 17th of August, 1862,
mustered 18th of August, 1862, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Transcript:

Muster-out roll of Capt. James X. Halson, Company G, in the 121st Regiment of the
Pennsylvania Volunteers, Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James S. Warner, called into the
service of the United States by The President, at Philadelphia, Pa, (the place of general
rendezvous), on the first day of September, 186_, to serve for the term of three years, from the
date of enrollment, unless sooner discharged, from the ___ day of ___, 186_, (when ___), to the
___ day of ___, 186_, ___. The Company was organized by Captain William M. Wooldridge, at
Philadelphia, Pa, in the month of August, 1862, and marched thence to ___, where it arrived the
___ of ___, a distance of ___ miles.

Number of each grade: 1 Names: Joseph A Bastian Rank: Sergeant Age: 37


Joined for Service and Enrolled at General Rendezvous --- Commencement of First
Payment by Time. When: August 17, 1862 Where: Philadelphia, Pa By whom: Captain
Wooldridge Period: 3 years
Mustered into Service. When: August 18, 1862 Where: Philadelphia, Pa By whom:
Lieutenant Limony
Last Paid. By Paymaster: Major Sheridan To what time: April 30, 1863
Remarks. Mustered-out May 19th 1865 by SO.W.D dated May 3, 1865 at Tilton
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Hospital. Mil. Del. by Solomon Townsend Captain 1st Del. Cavalry

This source is the mustering of Joseph Bastian into the Civil War, which is basically the
assembling of troops to fight in a war. It gives us information on the day that he was mustered,
when he first joined the service to fight for the Union, who he was mustered in by, and the last
time that he was paid for this.
From this document we can infer that he was very active and participated heavily in the
war. It adds to the story as we can delve into the information given such as finding out who his
captains and lieutenants were. This would help us see what battles he participated in and how he
contributed to the infantry.
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1863: Prisons at Richmond -- Union Troops Prisoners at Belle Isle (Doc K)

“Prisons at Richmond -- Union Troops Prisoners at Belle Isle.” Virginia Commonwealth


University, 1863, https://digital.library.vcu.edu/islandora/object/vcu%3A24671. Accessed 25
Feb. 2024.

Painting of the life of Union Troop Prisoners at the Belle Isle Prison

This source is an image that shows the conditions at the Confederate prison camp of
Belle Isle. It was published in a Richmond newspaper, so it likely shows better conditions than
prisoners kept there truly experienced. It portrays the captured Union soldiers as sad and weak,
while the Confederate soldiers are well-dressed and clean.
What we can infer from this doc about Joseph Bastian is his experience at Belle Isle. It’s
a very biased source as it was published during the Civil War, so the portrayal of Union soldiers
is likely a little worse than the truth. Still, we can infer that he was likely malnourished and
mistreated by Confederates.
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1864: Baptism of Anna and Adelaide Bastian (Doc L)

“Baptism Records of Anna and Adelaide Bastian, 1864.”


https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267215-00177?pId=
5167554

Baptism of Joseph’s daughters, Anna and Adelaide Bastian in 1864.

Transcript:

Day Place No. Baptismal Surname Place Parents Sponsors, Signature


and Name and or of
Date Date of Witnesses Clergyman
Birth

Sunday Church 2404 Anna Bastian July Joseph [illegible] Samuel


April Cecelia 14, & Eliza Durborow
17th, 1854
1864

Sunday Church 2405 Adelaida Bastian June Joseph [illegible] Samuel


April Malvera 30, & Eliza Durborow
17th, 1859
1864
This document shows the baptism of Joseph Bastian’s two daughters, Anna and Adelaide
Bastian. Some facts are that it took place in 1864, and it gives the exact day that it happened on.
The baptism for the two children took place on April 17th, and it also gives us the name of the
clergyman who was responsible for this. Reverend Samuel Durborow was his name.
From this document, we can infer that he was a pretty religious man, and we can find the
denomination of Christianity that he was in. We also can use this document to do research on the
clergyman to find exactly what church this was taking place at.
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1864: Baptism of Katie Pierce Bastian (Doc M)

“Baptism Record of Katie Pierce Bastian,


1864.”https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267215-00176
?pId=5167545

This document shows the Baptismal Record of Joseph Bastian’s daughter, Katie Pierce Bastian
on April 17th, 1864.

Transcript:

Sunday April Church 2403 Katie Bastian Nov. 2 Joseph C. Robinson Rev. Samuel
17th Pierce 1852 and and Parents Durborow
Eliza
This document shows the Baptismal record of one of Joseph Bastian’s daughters, Katie
Pierce Bastian. The baptism took place on Sunday, April 17th, 1864 when Katie was already 11
years old, which is not usually the age when people get baptized. We can also confirm that it was
Joseph’s daughter as he and his wife Eliza were listed as the parents. It was officiated by
Reverend Samuel Durborow.
From this document, we can infer that Katie Pierce had a late baptism, maybe as a result
of her father Joseph being away while serving for the Union during the Civil War. We can also
see that Joseph and Eliza Bastian were involved Christian parents, making sure that all of their
children were baptized. This document adds to our story because it could give us some more
information about the church that Bastian and his family would regularly attend for weekly
services.
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1866 - Report of the Heads of Departments, Transmitted to the Governor of Pennsylvania


(Doc N)

“Officers of the 121st Regiment, Infantry.” Reports of the Heads of Depts., Transmitted to the
Governor of Pennsylvania, vol. 2, State of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1866, pp.
156–156,
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reports_of_the_Heads_of_Depts_Transmitte/tlMbAQA
AIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Pennsylvania%20121st%20Regiment%20%22Bastion%22&pg=PP
7&printsec=frontcover. Accessed 23 Feb. 2024.

Reports of the Heads of Departments, Transmitted to the Governor of Pennsylvania, in


Pursuance of Law, for the Financial year ending November 30, 1865.

This is a book that gives information on the promotions and officers within the units from
Pennsylvania in 1865. It shows the officers within the 121st, which includes Joseph Bastian. It
shows that he was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.
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What can be inferred from this document is that Joseph Bastian was regarded as an
experienced and trustworthy soldier. He rose from the enlisted rank of Sergeant to become an
officer. This also shows that he likely benefited from his experience in the Mexican-American
war, making him a good candidate for promotion.
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1870: History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865, Vol. 4 (Doc O)

Bates, Samuel P. “One Hundred and Twenty-First Regiment.” History of Pennsylvania


Volunteers 1861-5, vol. 4, State of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1870, pp. 30–37,
https://books.google.com/books?id=0e-mbonpXMMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=history+of+pen
nsylvania+volunteers+1861-5&hl=en&ei=_NcnTKi7IoP78AaTu_DADw&sa=X&oi=book_resul
t&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false.

History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5. Contains info about what Bastian’s regiment did in
the Civil War.
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This source is a book on the history of Pennsylvanian volunteers fighting in the American
Civil War. It gives information on where the regiments were and in which battles they fought. It
gives casualty numbers and some specific details about battles. It specifically gives information
on the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteers, the regiment Joseph A. Bastian was in.
From this document, we can learn a lot about Joseph Bastian’s experience during the
Civil War. We know that he fought in two major battles, the Battle of Fredericksburg and the
Battle of Gettysburg, and we know some about the conditions he experienced during those
battles and while on the march. From this book, we can infer much about his experience during
the Civil War, especially his location and conditions.
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1870: United States Census (Doc P)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1870.” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/6389276:7163

This is a Census document from 1870 that gives information about Joseph Bastian’s household.

Transcript:

926 Bastian, Jos 45 M

Eliza 35 F

Katie 15 F

Annie 10 F

Addie 5 F
This document is another census from the year 1870. The page that it is on is for the
households on 9th and Wharton, in the heart of South Philadelphia. The document provides us
the address of Bastian at the time and the members of his household. We can see his wife, and his
three daughters along with their age and genders.
From this document, we can infer that Joseph Bastian was supporting a decently sized
family, which meant that he could have been doing well as a paperhanger. This adds to our story
because it tells us exactly who was living with him and how old they were. We can also infer that
Joseph is probably the only one who is earning money for the family.
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1870: 1870 United States Census (Doc Q)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1870” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/10739761:7163?tid=&pid=&queryId=6
702090d-04da-46c0-9d32-f83dd9f5a438&_phsrc=Vcr28&_phstart=successSource

U.S. Federal Census, Joseph, Louisa, Kate, Anna, Addie, George Bailey, Lucas Bastian. 1870.
Transcript:

74, 86 Bastian Joseph 45 M W Paper Hanger 300 Penn

74, 86 Louisa 35 F W Keeps house Penn

Kate 16 F W At home Penn

Anna 14 F W At school Penn

Addie 10 F W At school Penn

Bailey George 23 M W Bar keeper Penn

Lucy 25 F W At home Penn


This is another U.S. census, this time from 1870. It tells us where Joseph Bastian lived
and who lived with him in 1880. There was another pair living with his family named George
and Lucy Bailey. We can also see that his children were all sent to school.
From this document, we can infer that Joseph Bastian remained the sole earner for his
family through 1870. We can also assume that he and Eliza valued school, as even 16 year old
Kate had been to school in the past year. Since they lived with another couple, money was likely
tight or at least helped by their financial support.
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1870: US City Directories (Doc R)

“US City Directories 1870.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Philadelphia Business Directory, 1870,
pg.317 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-
content/view/1490974059:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId
=5235a4b1-388d-48f7-8eef-728429f8407a&_phsrc=Vcr74&_phstart=successSource

U.S. City Directories, Philadelphia, Joseph Bastian. Residence at 926 Wharton Street. 1870.

This is a US City Directories document from the year 1870 and lists the occupation of
people along with the address that they were living at at the time. From this document we learn
that Joseph is still a paperhanger at the age of 57. We can also see that he is still living at 926
Wharton.
We can infer that Joseph will be a paperhanger for the rest of his life as he is still doing
this in the latter stage of his life. This adds to the story as it shows us that he has lived in South
Philadelphia for his whole life and it doesn’t seem that he would abandon the area for a different
one.
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1877: Joseph A Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc S)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1877.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1877,
pg.150https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/176819443:2469?tid=&pid=&queryI
d=f4ae49c7-ec58-4c5d-b6cb-6ce4fe0d0e8e&_phsrc=Vcr78&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This source is an image of a page from Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1877,
published by James Gospill at 200 Walnut Place. It lists Joseph A. Bastian as a paperhanger
living at 926 Wharton St.
This is the latest city directory where Joseph A. Bastian is listed as living at 926 Wharton
St. It helped our group figure out that 1877 was the final year that Bastian lived at 926 Wharton
St before moving.
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1878: Joseph A. Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc T)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1878.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1878,
pg.146https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/175987864:2469?tid=&pid=&queryI
d=fe78e89d-00f0-4505-a7b6-f844f953121a&_phsrc=Vcr92&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This source is an image of a page from Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1878,
published by James Gospill at 200 Walnut Place. It lists Joseph A. Bastian as a paperhanger
living at 928 Wharton St.
This city directory is the first one that lists Joseph A. Bastian’s address at 928 Wharton
St. Since we know he lived at 926 Wharton the previous year, this document lets us infer that
Bastian moved next door from his previous house sometime between 1877 and 1878.
Unfortunately, the exact date of publication for this directory isn’t listed, so he could have made
the move anytime within that 2-year period.
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1880: United States Federal Census (Doc U)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1880” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/513230:6742?nreg=1

U.S. Federal Census, Joseph Bastian, Eliza Bastian, Kate P, Adelaide M. 1880.

Transcript:

9 4 Bastian, White Male 56 Married Paper Penns Pennsy Pennsylva


2 0 Joseph A. Hanger ylvan lvania nia
8 4 ia
2

Eliza White Female 45 Wife Married Keeping Penns Pennsy Pennsylva


House ylvan lvania nia
ia

Kate P. White Female 26 Daughter Single At Home Penns Pennsy Pennsylva


ylvan lvania nia
ia

Adalaide M. White Female 21 Daughter Single At Home Penns Pennsy Pennsylva


ylvan lvania nia
ia
This source is a United States Census from 1880. It shows Joseph Bastian’s household in
1880. It shows that Bastian is still working as a paper hanger. Neither of Bastian’s daughters are
employed. The record also shows that Bastian’s middle daughter, Anna, is not living in the same
household as the rest of the family.
From this document, we can infer that Anna moved out of the Bastian household
sometime between 1870 and 1880. This communicates Bastian’s story because it shows
information about his family life and his day-to-day life.
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1882: Joseph A. Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc V)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1882.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1882,
pg.145https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/178606041:2469?tid=&pid=&queryI
d=c3b59e81-575f-47e6-84ff-e8f0d1c5aeb3&_phsrc=Vcr84&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This source is an image of a page from Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1882,
published by James Gospill at 220 South Fourth St. It lists Joseph A. Bastian as a paperhanger
living at 928 Wharton St.
This is the most recent city directory available saying that Bastian lived at 928 Wharton
Street. It helped our group figure out that he must have moved out of 928 Wharton sometime
after 1882, letting us get a clearer picture of the different places he lived.
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1882: Katie Pierce Foote (his daughter) Marriage Record (Doc W)


“Marriage Record of William Foote and Katie Pierce Foote.” St. John the Evangelist Catholic
Church, Philadelphia, 3 July
1882.https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/135414521:62460

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church record, 1882.

Transcript:

Monday July 3rd, 1882. William Foote and Katie Pierce Foote. Ages 38 and 28, respectively.
Living at 928 Wharton Street. Parents of William: Skeltm and Margaret. Parents of Katie: Joseph
and Eliza. From Philadelphia. Clergyman: Sam Durborow. Witnesses: Eliza Bastian and Anna C.
Carpenter.
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This is a marriage record for Joseph Bastian’s eldest daughter, Katie. Katie is getting
married to William Foote. This all happened on July 3rd, 1882. The witnesses to this event are
Eliza Bastian, who is Katie’s mom, and Anna C. Carpenter, who is Katie’s sister.
The only witnesses that are listed here are Eliza Bastian and Anna C. Carpenter, who are
immediate family members of Kaite. Joseph Bastian is not listed as a witness, but maybe there
was not enough room to write his name. Joseph Bastian might have been occupied during that
time period too. Anna attended this in 1882, which was a year before she died of tuberculosis.
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1883: Death Record of Anne Carpenter (Doc X)

“Carpenter, Anne. Death Record,


1883.”https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267215-00176
?pId=5167545

This is the document of the death record of Bastian’s daughter, Anne Carpenter.

Transcript:

October 12th, 1883 8 Anne Carpenter 27 October 9th Woodlands H.R Percival

This document is the death record of one of Joseph and Eliza Bastian’s daughters, Anne
Carpenter. It gives us information on the day she was buried, the day that she passed, and the
clergyman that was responsible during her burial. We can see that she was buried only three days
later after she passed at the famous Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia.
From this document, we can infer that did not pass away from natural causes as she was
only 27 years old when she passed. This would have definitely affected Joseph and Eliza as they
were both still alive and well. The death was most likely sudden and was not expected by
anyone. This document adds to the story as it shows an important roadblock in Bastian’s life, and
shows the obstacles that he had to face.
1883: Anna C. Carpenter’s Obituary (Doc Y)

“Obituary for Anna C. Carpenter.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 Oct. 1883, pp. 5–5.

Obituary for Anna C. Carpenter, Joseph Bastian’s daughter. Info on where the funeral service is
and when. 1883.
33

This is an obituary for one of Joseph A. Bastian’s daughters. It gives little information
other than her direct relatives and the day of her death. We also learn where she was buried and
which church her funeral was held at, which can help with knowing her religious orientation.
From this document, we can infer that the death of his daughter was impactful for him, as
they still both lived in the city, although at that point she didn’t live with him anymore. This
document helped us to understand the funeral service that Anna had that Joseph Basitan would
most likely have attended.
34

1884: Philadelphia City Directory for Samuel Dutton (Doc Z)

“US City Directories 1884.” Philadelphia, Philadelphia City and Business Directory, 1884, pg.
477.https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/178251857:2469?tid=&pid=&quer
yId=638376a8-6ac3-4c3b-93f2-80777d1bd695&_phsrc=Vcr106&_phstart=successSource

Philadelphia City Directory for Samuel Dutton, 1884.

There is one key fact listed in this document. Samuel Dutton, who was a police officer,
was living at 928 Wharton Street by 1884.
This is a very important fact as it relates to Joseph Bastian’s life. Joseph Bastian moved
to 928 Wharton Street sometime between 1877 and 1878, and we knew he stayed there up until
1886 when he moved houses again. This source shows us that someone was living at 928
Wharton Street in 1884, which means the latest Bastian could’ve left 928 Wharton Street was by
1884.
35

1886: Joseph A. Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc AA)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1886.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1886,
pg.150https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/172771385:2469?tid=&pid=&queryI
d=910ade40-a5fe-463e-81c4-99a5fff0d582&_phsrc=Vcr80&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This source is an image of a page from Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1886,
published by James Gospill’s sons at 220 South Fourth St. It lists Joseph A. Bastian as a
paperhanger living at 1121 Dickinson St.
This is the earliest city directory available saying that Bastian lived at 1121 Dickinson
Street. It helped our group figure out that Bastian had moved into 1121 Dickinson St. from his
old residence at 928 Wharton St. no later than 1886. Unfortunately, there were no available city
directories between 1882 and 1886 to help us narrow down when Bastian moved, so this
directory lets us be as accurate as we can.
36

1890: United States Census of Union Veterans (Doc AB)

“Eleventh Census of the United States 1890: Philadelphia. Census 1890 (image 243) Joseph A.
Bastian” https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-R9SN-
VH?view=index&personArk=% 2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AK895-
S51&action=view

U.S. Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890. Joseph A. Bastian, sergeant,
Company G of 121st Pennsylvania Infantry. Enlisted August 18th, 1862. Discharged May 19th,
1865. Bastian fought for 2 years, 9 months, and 1 day.
This document lists Bastian’s rank. This document also gives his enlistment date which is
a helpful piece of information to have when figuring out his life as the Civil War was a major
37

part of his life. The discharge date is also given, as well as the time he spent enlisted and serving
in the Civil War.
The listing of the company and regiment reinforce the information we acquired from
other sources. The enlistment and discharge information lined up pretty well with the
information we got from other sources. The actual time that he served in the Civil War was an
interesting piece of information as it showed how long he served and how it was a major part of
his life.
38

1892: City Directories (Doc AC)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1892.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1892,
pg.130https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/174218405:2469?tid=&pid=&qu
eryId=fe78e89d-00f0-4505-a7b6-f844f953121a&_phsrc=Vcr92&_phstart=successSource

US City Directory from 1892.

From this city directory of Philadelphia in the year 1892, we can see that our person,
Joseph Bastian is still a paperhanger at the old age of 72. We can also see that he moved from his
address on 9th and Wharton to 11th and Dickinson. Since these streets are a couple of blocks
apart, and both in the heart of South Philadelphia, this move did not really affect him.
From this document, we can infer that Joseph Bastian was a hard-working man at heart.
We can also infer that he was in a good physical condition as he was in the military of course and
it takes some energy to be able to work jobs such as a paperhanger when someone is in their 70s.
39

1893: History of the 121st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (Doc AD)

“History of the 121st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.” Google Books, Google, 1893,
www.google.com/books/edition/History_of_the_121st_Regiment_Pennsylvan/YdhEAAAAYAA
J?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Pennsylvania%2B121st%2BRegiment%2B%22Bastian%22&pg=PA93-I
A1&printsec=frontcover.

Book written about the history of the 121st Pennsylvania Regiment Volunteers by the Survivor’s
Association.
40

This document is a book that was written in order to bring attention to the 121st
Pennsylvania Regiment Volunteers that fought during the crucial Civil War. This book mentions
Joseph Bastian and informs us of his rank during the war and the Company that it was for
(Company G). It stated that he first started receiving commission as a First Lieutenant on
December 7th, 1864.
From this document, we can infer that Bastian was of a higher rank during the Civil War
than he was in previous wars and battles that he fought in. This means that he was a leader to a
group of people and was potentially important during the wars. This adds to our story as it tells
us exactly when he became this rank.
41

1895: Joseph A. Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc AE)

Gospill, James.“US City Directories 1895.” Philadelphia, Gospill’s Business Directory, 1895,
pg.128https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/145847892:2469?tid=&pid=&queryI
d=101a22e4-49c6-46c3-961c-f005f54fa986&_phsrc=Vcr109&_phstart=successSource

U. S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This source is an image of a page from Gospill’s Philadelphia City Directory for March
1895, published by James Gospill’s sons at 904 Walnut St. It still lists Joseph A. Bastian working
as a paperhanger, with him living at 1121 Dickinson St.
This is the most recent available city directory which lists Bastian’s address as 1121
Dickinson St., letting us infer that he moved out no earlier than March of 1895. This is the first
city directory we’ve found that lists the month of publication, which helps us be even more
specific about what we know.
42

1900: 1900 Federal Census (Doc AF)

United States Census Bureau. “United States Census of 1900” Ancestry.com,


https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/52798914:7602\

U.S. Federal Census, Joseph and Eliza Bastian, William, Kate, and Anna Foote. 1900.

Transcript:

1121 181 192 Bastian, Joseph Head Male Jan. 1822, 77, Penna Penna Penna Paperhanger
Bastian, Eliza Wife, Female, Nov. 1832, 58, Penna,
Foote, William, Son in Law, Male, Mar. 1858, 42, Penna, Machinist Lab
Foote, Kate, Daughter, Female, Jan. 1873, 26, Penna
Foote, Anna, G.D, Female, Apr. 1884, 16, Penna

This is the 1900 United States census. It shows us where Joseph Bastian was living in
1900 and some other members of his household. We can also see that his daughter and son in law
were living in his house. His occupation is shown too, telling us that he was working even in old
age.
We can infer that he and his daughter Kate had a close relationship because she and her
husband were living with him and Eliza. One more thing that we can infer is that Joseph Bastian
was not really able to retire, as he was still working even nearing 80 years old.
43

1901: Joseph A. Bastian in the U.S., City Directories (Doc AG)

“US City Directories 1901.” Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Directory, 1901, pg.163
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/177710068:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=fe78
e89d-00f0-4505-a7b6-f844f953121a&_phsrc=Vcr92&_phstart=successSource

U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Ancestry, 1997-2024,

This is an image from the Philadelphia City Directory of 1901. This source tells us where
Joseph Bastian was living and what his occupation was. He was now living at 1125 Dickinson St
and had no occupation listed.
His previous address was 1121 Dickinson St so the slight change in his address may be a
simple clerical error. He also could have moved down a few houses, but there is no certain
answer or reason known. There is no occupation listed for Bastian in this directory, so he may
have retired at this point as this was recorded just a year before his death.
44

1902: Joseph Bastian Death Record (Doc AH)

“Death Record of Joseph A. Bastian.” Philadelphia, 29 Nov. 1902. Philadelphia Health Office.

Joseph A. Bastian death certificate. 1902. Died on November 29th, 1902. Cause of death was
Bright’s disease. He was 79 years old. He worked as a paperhanger and his last address was 1125
Dickinson Street. He was originally buried at Philanthropic Cemetery on December 3rd, 1902.

This source is a death certificate by the physician William K. William. It states that
Bastian died due to Bright's disease in the kidneys on November 29, 1902. It also states that
Bastian was 79 years old when he died and was buried in the Philadelphia Philanthropic
Cemetery, of which the undertaker was David H. Bowen & Son.
From this information, we can infer that Bastian suffered from the symptoms of Bright’s
disease up until the point of his death. This adds to the story in that it provides more detail about
Bastian’s life in his old age and how he died.
45

1902: Pension for Eliza Bastian from Joseph Bastian’s Mexican-American War Service
(Doc AI)

“Army Widow Document for Eliza Bastian.” United States Veterans Administration Pension
Payment Cards, Eliza Bastian, November 30, 1902 to April 19,1908.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6H5-4LN#

Pension for Eliza Bastian due to Joseph Bastian’s service in the Mexican-American war, 1902-
1910.

This document shows the pension that Eliza got as a result of Bastian’s service in the
Mexican-American war. It says the pension of 8 dollars for her started on November 30th of
1902, and it was officially certified on August 15th of 1903. The pension increased to 12 dollars
on April 19th of 1908. The pension stopped when Eliza died on December 28th, 1910.
The pension pay started for Eliza on November 30th, 1902, which was just one day after
her husband Joseph passed away. Joseph was getting the money until his death when it got
passed to her. The pension stopped on December 28th, 1910, as that is when Eliza died.
46

1902: Joseph Bastian Obituary (Doc AJ)

“Joseph A Bastian’s Death.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 Dec. 1902, pp. 30–30.

Obituary for Joseph A. Bastian. He fought in Mexican-American War and Civil War. Was
captured on the second day of Gettysburg and imprisoned at Belle Isle. Buried at Philanthropic
Cemetery.

This source is an obituary of Joseph Bastian which is an excerpt from the Philadelphia
Inquirer. It gives a rough summary of the life of our person, and goes into specific details
regarding his military service and duties. It also helped me to find the name of his general, which
I could not find in any other documents about his military service. It also states that Bastian was
wounded during the Civil War, which was key information.
From the document we can learn a lot about his military service and what exactly was
happening when he was at war. We can see the pains that he went through from this obituary
such as going to prison and getting injured. It adds to the story as it provides in depth content
about his duties and key information that seemed too personal to be published anywhere else.
47

1902: Joseph Bastian Obituary (Doc AK)

“Obituary: Joseph Bastian.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 01 December 1902, p. 14.

Obituary for Joseph A. Bastian. 79 years old when he died. Mexican-American and Civil War
veteran. Funeral on Wednesday December 3rd, 1902. Buried at Philanthropic Cemetery. Mass at
Church of Annunciation.

This obituary from the Philadelphia Inquirer gives details about the date of Joseph
Bastian’s death, as well as information about his funeral proceedings. It states multiple specific
groups from the military that are invited to Bastian’s funeral.
This source can be used to infer that Joseph Bastian was involved in all of the military
groups listed in this obituary. This shows his participation in the military and that if military
people officiated his funeral then he must have been respected in the military. We also learned
from this document where his funeral and mass services were held which led us to be able to
better describe his funeral in the biography.
48

1910: Eliza Bastian Certificate of Death (Doc AL)

“Death Record of Eliza A. Bastian.” Philadelphia, 28. Dec. 1910. Vital Records Office,
Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

Eliza Bastian certificate of death, Pennsylvania, 1910. City of Philadelphia, Eliza Bastian.
Female, white, widowed. Birth year was 1833, age 77 when she died. Born in Philadelphia to
James and Mary Ayres, both born in Philadelphia. Date of death was December 28th, 1910.
Buried at Woodlands Cemetery on December 31st, 1910.
There are many facts in this document. First, Eliza Bastian died on December 28th, 1910.
She was buried at the Woodlands Cemetery 3 days later. She was 77 when she died as this states
she was born in 1833.
49

Eliza Bastian died in December of 1910 which was just over 8 years after Joseph Bastian
died. She presumably still lived in their house up until her death. She was born in Philadelphia
and her parents were also both born in Philadelphia just like Joseph so they both spent a lot of
time in Philadelphia. She was buried at Woodlands Cemetery where some of Joseph’s family
members were buried, and where he was eventually moved to after the Philanthropic Cemetery
shut down.
50

1931: Article about Bastian’s souvenirs, kept by Kate and William Foote (Doc AM) “Bullet-

Torn Flag Flew In Civil War.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 Apr. 1931, p. 42.

Story about Joseph Bastian’s relics he had through the wars. They were held on to by Katie
Bastian. He had a sword, crucifix, and flag. The flag was carried throughout his whole time in
the Civil War, including when he went to Belle Isle.

This is an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1931 and it centers on the souvenirs
Bastian took home with him from the war which his family now has, such as an American flag
with bullet holes and a pearl-hilted sword captured from Mexico. There are a lot of details, like
the train station he left for the war from and a couple of family members' names (septuagenarian
daughter Kate P. Foote and son-in-law William Foote).
We used this document to add some details to our biography and tell more of a story
about Bastian’s time in the war by focusing on the little things instead of the statistics. It really
shows how much of the war Bastian was able to experience and how close he was to a pivotal
moment in American history.
51

1935: Katie Pierce Foote (his daughter) Death Record (Doc AN)

“Death Record of Katie Pierce Foote.” Philadelphia, 18 Dec. 1935. Vital Records Office,
Philadelphia Department of Public Health, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-
content/view/603430127:5164.

U.S. Death Certificates, Pennsylvania, 1906-1970, Katie Pierce Foote, Date of Death: December
18th 1935, Residence: 4510 N. Smedley St., Buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery on December
21st 1935

This document gives a lot of information about Kate Pierce Foote, who was Bastian’s
daughter. It gives her date of birth and date of death, and where she was born. It also gives the
names of her parents, who are Joseph and Eliza Bastian. It also gives her late address, along with
info like sex, ethnicity, and relationship status.
52

Inferences were made from this document in many ways. Firstly, it showed us that Katie
eventually stopped living in Joseph Bastian’s home after his death and she went to a different
residence. It is also given that she was buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery and not the
Woodlands Cemetery where a lot of her other family was buried which is pretty interesting.

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