John Nyce

As a young man he managed a lumber yard in Delanco, NJ, and was a dry goods store clerk in New York City. He went to Stroudsburg, Monroe County, PA in 1856 and began the study of the law. In 1860 he was a 27 year old school teacher there.

He mustered into service with the 4th Pennsylvania Reserves (33rd Regiment Infantry) on 11 June 1861 as 2nd Lieutenant, Company F and was appointed Adjutant of the Regiment as they completed their initial organization. He was promoted to Major on 1 June 1862 and was wounded by a sabre at Charles City Crossroads, VA on 30 June and by a gunshot through his right arm at Malvern Hill on 1 July.

He was in command of the 4th Reserves on the Campaign as senior officer present; Colonel Magilton had taken command of the Brigade and Lieutenant Colonel Woolworth was absent, wounded. He was himself wounded at Antietam on 17 September 1862, shot through the lung, and was further injured in the hip when he fell from his horse.

He was appointed Colonel of the 174th Pennsylvania Infantry (militia) - a nine-month regiment - on 29 November 1862 and served with them, mostly in the Carolinas, until mustered out in August 1863 at the expiration of their term of service.

He returned to Stroudsburg and was admitted to the bar there in February 1864, then in April began a practice in Milford, in Pike County, PA, near the New York state line. That was his occupation up to his death of tuberculosis (perhaps aggravated by his Antietam wound) at age 49 in 1880.

His service from Bates1 and Sypher.2 Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860, a bio sketch posted by August Marchetti on his PRVC Historical Society, from Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania (Vol. 2, 1900), and Nyce's obituary in the Wayne County Herald of 15 April 1880. His gravesite is on Findagrave. Thanks to Jim Smith for his obituary and the nudge to look further into Nyce.

He married Martha Ann Allen (1836-1923) in December 1853 and they had at least 7 children. They named their youngest George McClellan Nyce (1876-1941).

07/22/1831; Sandyston, NJ

04/13/1880; Milford, PA; burial in Milford Cemetery, Milford, PA