Husband Capt. James J. Wirsing 1 2 3 4
Born: 9 Nov 1840 - Donegal Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA 1 2 3
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Father: John Wirsing (1798-1852) 1 2 3
Mother: Mary Shafer (1801- ) 1 2 3
Marriage: 5 Jun 1867 5 6 7
Wife Charlotte M. "Lottie" Fluke 5 6 7
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Father: William S. Fluke ( - ) 5 6 7
Mother: Elizabeth Moore ( - ) 5
Children
1 F Myrtle Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA
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2 M J. Edgar Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA
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3 M William F. Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA
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4 M Herbert Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA
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5 F Mary Elizabeth Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co, PA
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6 M Ralph Wirsing 5 6 7
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA
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7 F Mabel Wirsing 6 7
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8 F Martha H. Wirsing 4 6 7
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Spouse: Charles Warden Keck (1876/1877- ) 8 9 10
General Notes: Husband - Capt. James J. Wirsing
He received his early education in the common and select schools of Donegal, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and learned the plastering trade. Just after arriving at majority he enlisted a company of soldiers for the Civil War from the Ligonier Valley, and was chosen lieutenant. The company reported to Harrisburg, and there drilled for a while, when it selected the Eighty-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry as the one to which it desired to be attached, and joined the regiment at Arlington Heights in the latter part of September, 1862. The regiment immediately proceeded to the seat of active war, at first joining the Third Army Corps, under Maj.-Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, and participated in various battles, among which was the fearful fight at Fredericksburg, as well as the battle of Chancellorsville, in which Lieut. Wirsing was shot twice, through the leg and hip. The loss of the Eighty-fourth Regiment was so severe at the battle of Chancellorsville that, together with its prior losses, it came off that field with only about one hundred and fifty men and officers, Lieut. Wirsing being furloughed for sixty days on account of his wounds, and returning home. What remained of his regiment eventually went with the army to Gettysburg, on the way to which place, at Edwards' Ferry, on the Potomac, Lieut. Wirsing rejoined his command. At Gettysburg he and his men were detailed to protect the army trains in the rear. After the battle of Gettysburg they crossed over into Virginia and went into camp. At about this time the Third Army Corps was disbanded, and one division of its forces was placed in the Second Army Corps under Gen. Hancock. To this division belonged Lieut. Wirsing, who, in August, 1863, was promoted to a captaincy. He thereafter participated in many battles, being engaged in all of those of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, etc., on till Oct. 4, 1864, when he was severely wounded through both shoulders and his left thigh and was left in the field for dead, On recovering consciousness he was approached by a rebel soldier, who was in the act of shooting him when a Confederate officer interfered and saved his life; he was taken up by the enemy and carried off. After being held for nine days, during which he was confined in Libby Prison, being comfortably cared for by a detail of Union soldiers who were prisoners also, he was, under a general agreement between the government and the Confederacy whereby soldiers unfit for duty for three months were exchanged, paroled and sent to hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, where he remained till December, 1864, and then received leave of absence from the War Department, returned home, and being unable to rejoin his regiment was honorably discharged in January, 1865, as "a prisoner of war," under a clause of the agreement above referred to between the government and the Confederacy, and was therefore never duly "exchanged." After the war Capt. Wirsing was engaged in various avocations, and eventually was conducting the business of insurance. At the fall election of 1878 he was chosen treasurer of Westmoreland County for the period of three years, and entered upon the duties of his office Jan. 1, 1879.
From 1865 to 1878 he was engaged in plastering and as a clerk in a dry goods and hardware store at Mount Pleasant. In the latter year he was elected treasurer of Westmoreland County. In 1885 Capt. Wirsing was recommended by Hon. C. E. Boyle for pension agent of the western district of Pennsylvania and was endorsed by all the democratic Congressmen of the state. His appointment was generally conceded, but when Mr. Boyle failed in securing the nomination for a third term in Congress, the influences that defeated Boyle were brought to bear against Capt. Wirsing and secured the position for the Captain's opponent, William Barclay. After 1882 Mr. Wirsing was successfully engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business.
He was a prominent member of the G. A. R., U. V. L., Philanthropy Lodge, No. 225, A. Y. M., and several other secret organzations. He was a large, fine-looking man, a member of the M. E. church and an ardent democrat.