View information related to Cumberland County soldiers who served their country during the Civil War as members of the United States Colored Troops.
Jonas William Kee was born in Maryland, July 14th, 1839, to Phillip Kee and Nancy Stout.[1][2] He was not recorded in a federal census until 1850. At the time, he was 12 years old and worked as a laborer in William N. Thanine’s home, located in the 8th District of Frederick, Maryland. The census labeled his race as mulatto, but later censuses and military records record him as black.
Samuel Kelley served with Company G of the 44th U.S.C.T. He was born around 1844 in Cherokee, Alabama, and was working as a farmer before he joined the military. He enlisted as a private in Rome, Georgia, at twenty years old, on July 30, 1864, and he was mustered out on August 6, 1864.
Joseph Lane served in the 22nd U.S.C.T. with Company G. He was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, between 1844 and 1850, the second child of Samuel and Maria Lane.1 According to his company muster rolls, he was a free man as of April 19, 1861.2 He enlisted as a private on December 25, 1863, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and his military records describe him as eighteen years old upon enlistment, standing 5 feet and 9 ¼ inches, with dark eyes, hair, and complexion. He could not read or write.
George Lucas served with Company F of the 20th U.S.C.T. He was born in Pennsylvania around 1843, and was drafted in as a private at 20 years old on December 18, 1863, at Riker’s Island, New York Harbor. He was working as a farmer at the time. He was described as having black eyes, hair, and complexion, and standing at five feet, eight inches tall.1 In September of 1865, he was absent sick in a General Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana.2 On October 4, 1865, he was mustered out from New Orleans with the rest of his company due to the end of the Civil War.
John Luckett served in Company I of the 45th U.S.C.T. He was born in Washington, Maryland around or before 1830, and married his wife, Mary Pattinson, on August 7, 1850, in Frederick County, Maryland.1 In 1860, the two of them moved to Southampton, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a day laborer. At this point they also had two children, who are listed on the Federal Census as “M.A.” and “E.L.”.2 Luckett was drafted on July 19th, 1864, in Southampton Township, but then enlisted separately on August 15, 1864, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
David S. Mcfarland was born in Carlise, Pennsyvania in May, 1842, the son of John and Mary Mcfarland. David was raised in Lower Dickinson Township with his 5 brothers and 3 sisters, and worked as a laborer. At the age of 20 in January, 1863, Mcfarland was drafted into the army, and was eventually assigned to Company A of the 22nd Regiment of the United States Colored troops. Mcfarland was wounded during the War, which restricted his ability to find work after. He was was discharged in 1865, and returned to Cumberland County.
Very little is known about Carson Miller’s early life before his enlistment in the United States Army. Carson was born in 1834. On May 30th, 1864, he joined the United States Army, enlisting in Company L of the 45th Regiment of the United States Colored Troops. After being reorganized into Company H, Miller became a member of the Color Guard, assigned to protect the regiment’s Flag. Carson was injured attempting to protect the flag, not from Confederate Soldiers, but strong winds.