Ephraim Bisbee Civil War Pension File 

Ephraim Bisbee is described as 5'-10" tall, dark complected with light hair and blue eyes, and was a farmer prior to enlistment. He enrolled at Waterford, Pennsylvania on September 8, 1864, as a Private in Company F, 111 Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Capt. James Wells. That same month, he was stationed at Camp Reynolds (also known as Camp Copeland) located on the Pennsylvania Rail Road at the small town of Braddock's Field, near present day Braddock, Pennsylvania. During the year 1864 there was much sickness and many deaths at the camp and there was at least one case of small pox. By reason of "exposures" Ephraim was prostrated by chronic diarrhea and colds followed by severe coughing and soreness of lungs. He never recovered from these conditions which largely disabled him after the War. He also suffered an inguinal hernia resulting from an injury while building breastworks near Nashville, Tennessee, about Christmas day, 1864.

Ephraim was honorably discharged at Bladensburg, Maryland, in June, 1865. He returned to Wayne Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania where he lived the rest of his life.

Ephraim died near Wattsburg, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1890 and his wife applied for a widow's pension. She testifies her maiden name was Celinda J. Thompson, and that she was married to Ephraim by Rev. Brian S. Hill, February 19, 1869, near Wattsburg, Pennsylvania. Ephraim had three surviving children under age 16 (and thus eligible for minor dependents' stipends), Mary, Sarah and Curtis.

Celinda's pension ceased upon her death, January 13, 1912.

It is interesting that while his name usually appears as "Ephraim," some of his Civil War pension documents, and his own tombstone spell his given name, "Ephriam." In his pension application the name is rendered "Ephriam Bisbe" and "Ephraim Bisbee." However, the signature is "Ephraim Bisbe" and so we carry it as Ephraim (the more common spelling).