[first-- this is *not* a typical file, so don't be disappointed if yours has less in it] In his service record he is called Friedrich W.,Wilhelm & Frederich PRIOR. He enlisted as a 1st Sgt in the 7th NY- but only made a couple musters with the Regiment, as he was sick, awol, or assigned to recruiting duties for all the others. [sounds like a real recruiting posterboy, doesn't he?<g>] Summary; Fr. Wm. PRIOR b.abt1830 Enlisted in 7th Inf, Co C- in NY April 23, 1861 for 2 yrs. as a First Sgt. [at some time detached to recruiting office in NY] July 21- muster Aug 31; sick in Monroe Oct 15-20 extra duty to the Quartermaster Dept. Oct 20-muster Feb '62- detached to recruiting office, NY by Dec 31 Muster- reduced to Private- detached to NY recruiting office [unaccounted for on cards from Jan 1 '62-Mar. 31, 62] Present for muster Mar & Apr. '62 May & June '62- card filled out, but no info given. Present for Aug. muster Absent for Oct. muster- "On detached service to [blank space on card] staff." Sick at NY for Dec '62 Muster Feb muster notes Present, AWOL Nov 16 '62- Feb 25 '63. April 10 '63- special muster- Present May 8 1863- mustered out in NY. Paid to June 1862 I ordered this soldier's pension sort of on 'speculation' & because I'm trying to find PRIER/PREYER/PRIOR links to Germany. I've ordered a few pensions in the past, and I've never been disappointed, but then I've never gotten a whole lot from one, either.... The first 18 pages arrived with 99 more to follow for another $30. It figures. I finally 'strike it rich' with a pension & he *probably* isn't mine.<G> There are just enough coincidences to wrangle the next $30 out of me. I'll probably be following up on this post in a few weeks. [In the meantime, if anyone else has run across this family, let's talk] Here are the genealogical facts from the pages that I have; [his parents] William PRIOR b. Germany m. Margaret KWITJE b. France. they had at least one son; Friedrich Wilhelm [ aka Frederick William] PRIOR, b. Bonn, Prussia in 1829, arrived NY in 1859. Occupation Cook. Veteran of Civil War-- Co. C, 7th Regiment [Steuben] NY Vol. Inf. April 23, 1861-May 8 1863. Frederick died Oct 26, 1911 & is buried at St Michaels Cem. Astoria, Queens, NY. Frederick m. April 22, 1861, Helen Eliza Froman[FROMMANN?] at St. George's Chapel, 105 2d st., NYC by 'D.' Charles SCHRAMM.[pastor of The German Congregation] Helen was b. in Nierstein, Grand Hessia, betJan23-Apr23 1839 - the daughter of Frederick FROMAN, & Carolina KOLBFUSS both b. Germany. Helen immigrated in 1850. She died Jan 23, 1912 & was buried at St. Michaels Cem., in Astoria, Queens Co., NY by A.F. Stolzenberg[er?]. In 1898 Frederick & Helen had the following children still living; Johanna M. PRIOR b. Aug 27, 1862 Frederick William Prior jr. b. Aug 15 1864 [still single & living at 207 E83d St., New York City] Lizzie H. PRIOR [probably still PRIOR in 1912] b. Sept 4, 1869 Charles PRIOR b. June 18, 1875 ***** This is far more than I've ever seen in a pension file-- & I wonder how much of it was because he hired someone to handle the pension-- they were getting a commission & didn't want to leave any stone unturned & risk losing their commission. He didn't file until 1892- and the paper trail continues after his wife's death in 1912, when a son asks for the burial re-imbursement. jim