JULY, 1835 - APRIL 5, 1901 Born in 1835 in Pittsburgh (Allegheny City), Israel J. Barry was a printer and reporter by trade. On April 25, 1861 at age 26, married with an infant son, he enlisted in the Pennsylvania 13th Regiment for three months. Upon completion, Israel re-enlisted on August 16, 1861 in the newly formed Pa. 102nd Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company A. Israel received a flesh wound to his hand during the battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862. Records at the National Archives in Washington, D. C. indicate that several weeks later on May 31, he was captured at Fair Oaks; then sent to Salisbury Prison where he was imprisoned for four months before being paroled. Approximately one year later, he was again captured __this time at Fredericksburg. confined at Richmond for a period of six months, he was paroled at City Point and reported back to the Army of the Potomac on October 20, 1863. Honorably discharged on September 3, 1864 at Charleston, Virginia, Israel completed his three-year service.
At 5-feet, 11-inches and 175 pounds, Israel was a tall, healthy man when he enlisted. He and his wife, Eliza Stuart Barry, eventually had nine children: George, Frank, Earl, Margaret, Augusta, Israel, Paul, Bessie, and Grant. Less than three years after his discharge, however, Israel was diagnosed with inflammatory rheumatism and heart disease. Over the next ten years his health steadily deteriorated. Once described by H. W. Jeurgen, owner of the University Press as "a splendid, intelligent compositor...," __Israel now had great difficulty type-setting. Unable to perform manual labor either, he unsuccessfully filed for a disability pension under the Act of June 27, 1890. In a subsequent letter to the pension board dated June 30, 1892, Robert Johnston, City of Pittsburgh council member and former sergeant in Company A, asserted, "Israel is as good and faithful a soldier as ever carried a gun in defense of our country!" Mr. Johnston attributed Israel's poor health with the hardships he endured in the Army. Israel John Barry
In another letter dated July 6, 1892, John Warner, Jr. recounted that Israel returned to him the sum of money Israel retrieved from his dead brother's pocket after the horrific battle of Cold Harbor. Henry T. Rowley related in yet another letter on Israel's behalf that his father, Thomas A. Rowley, spoke "highly of Mr. Barry" and described him as a "good soldier".
Eliza Stuart Barry
In addition to his maladies, Israel endured many personal tragedies. His son Augusta died at age ten; followed only two years later with the death of his fourteen-year-old daughter Margaret. Then, tragically in 1889 Israel's wife Eliza, died. She was only forty-seven. Their three younger children __Paul, Bessie, and Grant had to be placed in the Home for the Friendless which was established to assist needy children of war veterans.
In September of 1889 , Israel attended the dedication of the Pennsylvania monuments at Gettysburg. Finally in 1896 after repeated attempts, Israel was granted a partial pension of $6 per month. Four years later he joined G. A. R. post 545 and was commissioned to write a "Decoration Day" paper __a project which would take four months to complete and bring much - needed income. Financially, things were looking up. In February of that same year, though Israel suffered another devastating loss Earl, his third son, died in New York City. In a letter he wrote concerning funeral arrangements for Earl, Israel promises to cover all burial expenses for his son "on the an and a soldier". On April 5, ten years to the day of Eliza's death, Israel died and was buried in the G.A.R. section of Uniondale Cemetery.
Israel John Barry is the Great grandfather of Nancy L. Gregg, who has generously provided this information
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