• General Notes

  Sylvester McCall (1843-1897) son of Thomas and Lavina, served in the Civil War with Co. A. 103rd Pa.Volunteer Inf. He was captured and imprisoned at Andersonville prison, but survived the war. He married Margaret Daugherty and had 5 children, Maggie, Roy, Alvin, Elvina and Elrnina. He followed Oliver to Nebraska and lived on a farm near Oliver's. He is also buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, but after his death, his family moved to Oklahoma.
  
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  Sylvester McCall was born in Clarion County, Pennsylvania May 3rd 1843. He married Margaret Dougherty in 1869 at the bride's home. They moved to Nebraska.
  
  To this union four children were born, Roy, Alvin, Elvina, and Elmina.
  
  Sylvester volunteered for infantry service in the army in the Civil War. He spent nine months in the Andersonville prison. He bore a scar of a bullet which passed through his neck.
  
  While in prison he still had his gold watch that he cherished very much. Every day he would polish and shine his watch until it became almost like a mirror.
  
  One day while the guards were marching by and the sun was shining bright, Sylvester decided he would reflect the reflection of the watch into the guard's eyes. Soon the guard stopped by to talk with him and wanted to know what he had in his possession.
  
  Sylvester told him, I just have my gold watch and he showed it to him. The guard was impressed by the watch it looked so new. So Sylvester said if you will get me out of prison, I'll give you my watch. After looking the watch all over the guard decided to go along with him and Sylvester just had a few minutes to get over the wall.
  
  Then here came the howling and barking bloodhounds. Sylvester climbed high in a tree and the hounds went by. Sylvester would travel mostly by night but had very little food to eat.
  
  Thirteen weeks had gone by. He had good luck traveling. He just had 1/4 mile to go to be a free man. Soon Sylvester came to a road with a fork in it. He paused and tried to remember which road to take but could not. A fellow was near by so Sylvester asked him which road he should take. The colored fellow told him the wrong road to take. He was taken back to prison.
  
  Sylvester spent four years in the army. He was discharged from the army in 1865. He was a highly respected citizen. He died April 16, 1897.
  
  by Helen (McCall) Bachman
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  Obituary:
  "Sylvester McCall, an old and highly respected citizen, one of the pioneers of the country passed quietly away from this earth at his home south of the river on last Friday, April 16.
  
  "Sylvester McCall was born in Clarion County, PA, May 3rd, 1843 and died April 16th, 1897. He came to Nebraska in 1879 and with the exception of a short time in Kansas, has remained here until death. For the past twelve or fifteen years he has been a great sufferer from a disease undoubtedly contracted in the army [dysentery]. He belonged to Company A 103rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, was in the service four years of which nine months of it was spent in Andersonville prison.
  
  "The funeral service was conducted at the home by Rev. A. G. Blackwell and his remains was followed to the cemetery by a large company of neighbors and friends. He leaves a wife and four children."
  
  He and his brother Oliver were both in the Company A 103rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the civil war.
  
  After the war he followed his brother Oliver to Nebraska and lived on a farm near Oliver's. After his death, his family moved to Oklahoma.
  
  1880 Census:
  Name:     Sylvester McCall
  Home in 1880:     Pawnee twp, Smith County, Kansas
  Age:     35
  Estimated birth year:     abt 1845
  Birthplace:     Pennsylvania
  Spouse's name:     Margret B.
  Father's birthplace:     Pennsylvania
  Mother's birthplace:     Canada
  Occupation:     Farmer
  Marital Status:     Married
  Race:     White
  Gender:     Male
  Household Members:     
  Sylvester McCall     35
  Margret B. McCall     35
  Roy McCall     9
  Alvin McCall     6
  Levina McCall     4
  Mina McCall     6
  

Details of Sylvester's family with Margaret (Maggie) Rebecca Dougherty