Jacob Diehl
JACOB DIEHL, retired business man and veteran of the Civil war, Parker�s Landing, Pa., was born January 8, 1842, at Philadelphia, Pa., a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Feldtinan) Diehl.
The parents of Jacob Diehl, of Parker�s Landing, were born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, and came to the United States in 1840, settling in the city of Philadelphia. There the father followed the tailor�s trade and resided in the same city until his death, Feb. 14, 1854. His widow survived him but two weeks. The orphaned family consisted of five children: Catherine, now deceased, who was the wife of William Bull; John; Jacob; Elizabeth, who is deceased, was the wife of Harry Fetter; and Mary, who died after marriage.
Jacob Diehl attended the public schools of his native city and then learned the cigarmaker�s trade. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was one of the first young patriots to respond to the call of President Lincoln, enlisting on April 15, 1861, as a private in Co. D., 4th Bat., District of Columbia, at Washington, D. C., and served out his first term of enlistment and was honorably discharged July 17, 1861. On August 8, 1861, he re-enlisted, contracting to serve three years, or during the war, as a member of Co. R, 71st Pa. Vol. Inf. He took part in the battles of Ball�s Bluff, Winchester, the engagements of the Peninsular campaign, the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. At the last named place he was captured by the Confederates, July 3, 1863, and at first was incarcerated in Libby Prison, later transferred to Salisbury, N. C., then was sent to Macon, Ga., to Charleston and finally to the military prison at Columbia, S. C. From that stronghold he managed to escape after thrilling adventures and on February 14, 1865, succeeded in reaching the Union lines, was provided with a horse and traveled with his comrades until March 15, 1865, when he was again honorably discharged. Once more he enlisted, on April 1, 1865, entering Co. H, 6th U. S. Vet. Vols., as first sergeant, a position he held but one day, being elected second lieutenant of Co. B, 7th U. S. Vet. Vols. After one more year of service he received his third honorable discharge, at Washington, D. C., in March 1866. At the time of capture he was first lieutenant of Co. C, 71st Vol. Inf. and during his imprisonment was elected captain of that company.
In 1866 Captain Diehl located at Titusville, Pa., where he opened a billiard room which he successfully conducted until 1871, when he removed to Parker�s Landing and resumed the same business and continued until 1876, when he embarked in the hotel business and was proprietor of the Diehl Hotel, until 1889. His next business venture was the purchase of the opera house at Parker�s Landing and for fifteen years he conducted it and it was known far and wide to the public as the Diehl Opera House. Form 1896 until 1900 he was engaged in the oil business and since 1905 he has looked after his real estate interests. He is a member of Craig Post, No. 75, G. A. R., at Parker�s Landing.
On February 14, 1867, Captain Diehl was married to Mary Fowler, a daughter of William and Harriet (Goodrich) Fowler, of Titusville, Pa. The have two children: Fannie, who is the wife of Patrick C. Ahern; and William C. D. In politics Captain Diehl is a Democrat and fraternally he is a Mason
Source: Pages 925-926, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed November 1998 by Jeffrey Bish for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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