Francis Ritter Schmucker

Son of a prosperous innkeeper in Reading, PA, he entered Yale with the Class of 1860 and moved to the Class of 1861 in his Junior year. On graduation he studied the law in Reading and was admitted to the bar in August 1862. He enrolled there at age 24 on 6 August and mustered in Harrisburg on 10 August as First Lieutenant of Company A, 128th Pennsylvania Infantry.

He was with his company in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was promoted to Captain on 1 February 1863 and mustered out with his company at the end of their 9-month term of service on 19 May 1863. He enrolled again, in Reading on 28 June 1863 as First Lieutenant of Company C of the 42nd Regiment, Emergency Militia of 1863. He was appointed Adjutant on 6 July and mustered out on 11 August 1863.

He returned to practice law in Reading to at least 1870, then attended medical school in New York, graduating in 1873. He practiced medicine for 2 years in Pittsburgh, then returned to Reading and was a doctor there for 28 years to his death in 1902.

His service from Bates1 and the Card File.2 Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860-1900, and his bio sketch in the Obituary Record of the Graduates of Yale University (1902). His gravesite is on Findagrave, source also of his photograph, from one sold on ebay by "CheeseheadPicker" and shared to his memorial by Dale B. Thanks to John Banks for the poke to look into Schmucker.

He married Emma Catherine Young (1840-1918) in August 1865 and they had 9 children: 5 sons and 4 daughters. The daughters all died young, but his sons survived him.

05/24/1838; near Reading, PA

03/29/1902; Harrisburg, PA; burial in Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, PA