Sylvester Rannels (Reynolds) ¹⁰⁹

   Cause of his death was Heart Disease.

  General Notes:

Sylvester Rannels (Reynolds) served in the 215th Pa. Inf. Co.H. The unit was organized at Philadelphia April, 1865. Sylvester enlisted April 15, 1865 and was mustered out July 31, 1865 after a short stay at Fort Delaware where he was hospitalized due to injuries suffered while "lifting a shell to a truck" (according to his invalid pension application in 1890). His injury is described as a "left ventral hernia". At this time, in 1890, he is living at 37 North Plum, Lancaster, Pa. and has "never fully recovered, and his disability is growing worse". At his death on January 9, 1900, his wife, Emma Becker Rannels, applied for a widow's pension on January 20, 1900. She was living at 665 North 31st Street in Philadelphia. Emma dies later that year in March of appendicitis.

http://www.pacivilwar.com/bates.html
The above website allows access to Samuel P. Bates' History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865. This book gives rosters for all Pennsylvania Soldiers.


See general notes on his father Levi for 1850 and 1860 census facts for Sylvester.

The 1880 Federal Census for Lancaster, PA, District 162, page 267A taken June 4, 1880, has Sylvester Rannels (32 - PA/PA/PA) living at 312 North Mulberry Street with his wife, Emma (29), daughter, Mary (7), and twins, Ella and Ada (1 9/12). Sylvester's occupation is listed as a shoemaker. Within a few blocks of their home in Lancaster lives Mary's future husband, Edwin Walter Hagen Jr., at 44 South Water Street with his parents, Edwin and Maggie Hagen, and siblings Emma, Charles, and Nettie. Edwin and Maggie later moved to 131 North Charlotte Street.

The William's Annual Lancaster City Directory 1888 lists Rannels Sylvester, shoemaker, 37 N Plum, h do [ditto].

The William's Annual Lancaster City Directory 1890 lists Rannels Sylvester, shoemaker, 37 N Plum, h do [ditto].

Sylvester is buried in Lancaster Cemetery in Lot 2185 next to his wife and father. His headstone records (transcribed) his name as Reynolds but his wife as Rannels. (Burial records from: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/lancaster/cemet.htm)

  Research Notes:

Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985

Name: Sylvester Rannels
Birth Date: 31 May 1848
Event Type: Baptism
Baptism Date: 21 Mar 1852
Baptism Place: Reading, Berks, Pennsylvania
Baptism Age: 3
Father Name: Levi Rannels
Mother Name: Mary Ann Rannels
Denomination: Lutheran
Organization Name: Trinity Lutheran Church

Siblings Baptised at the same time:
Name: Edward Franklin Rannels
Birth Date: 25 March 1843
Name: Elvira Rannels
Birth Date: 9 Nov 1844
Name: Elizabeth Ann Rannels
Birth Date: 4 Sept 1846
Name: William Rannels
Birth Date: 31 July 1848

Baptism: March 21, 1852

  Medical Notes:

Philadelphia Death Certificates from pilot.familysearch.org
Name: Sylvester Rannels
Death date: 09 Jan 1900
Death place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cause of Death: Heart Disease
Coroner: Thomas Dugan
Undertaker: S. P. Frankenfield
[Samuel Frankenfield at 5300 Vine St was born Jan 1857 in PA ... family business]
Gender: Male
Race or color (on document): white
Age at death: 51 years
Estimated birth year: 1849
Birth date:
Birth place: Lancaster, Pa.
Marital status: Married
Spouse name:
Father name:
Father birth place:
Mother name:
Mother birth place:
Occupation: Shoemaker
Street address: 6221 Race Street
Residence:
Cemetery name: Lancaster Cem
Burial place: Lancaster, Pa.
Burial date: 13 Jan 1900
Additional relatives:
Film number: 1838795
Digital GS number: 4009493
Image number: 654
Reference number: cn 13530
Collection: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Shoemaker.

Sylvester married Emma Becher, daughter of Jacob Becher and Mary Yundt, on 19 Apr 1869 in Lancaster Co., PA. (Emma Becher was born on 3 May 1851 in Lancaster Co., PA, died on 10 Mar 1900 in Philadelphia, PA. and was buried on 13 Mar 1900 in Lancaster Cemetery, Lancaster, PA - Lot 2185.) The cause of her death was Appendicitis.