Jesse Kightlinger (b.1837) and his wife Margaret Allen Kightlinger (b.1841) were married in 1858 and lived in Warren County, PA when the Civil War began in 1861. Jesse was a laborer, Margaret kept house, and they had two young children, Leonard Lorenzo (b.1860) and Eva (b.1862). Jesse signed up to serve his country for the Union by joining the 145th Infantry Regiment Pennsylvania at the age of 21 on Aug. 28, 1862. He remained a Private during his enlistment.

During his time in the war his regiment was in Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg, Virginia and participated in several battles there: Fredericksburg, VA. on Dec. 13, 1862, Chancellorsville on May 3-6 and June 4, 1863, Gettysburg, PA on 2-3 July, 1863, Bristoe Station, VA on Oct. 14, 1863, Auburn, VA on Oct. 14 and Dec. 2,1863,, Wilderness, VA on May 7, 1864, Spotsylvania Court House on May 10-12, 25, 1864 , VA, Totopotomoy Creek, VA on May 30-31, 1864, Cold Harbor, VA on June 2-4, 7-8, 1864, Petersburg, VA on June 12-13, 16-18, 22, 28, 1864, and Petersburg (Deep Bottom) on Aug. 14, 1864.

Jesse was wounded on August 14, 1864, in Petersburg during the second battle at Deep Bottom. He was shot in the left leg and eventually endured amputated. He was transported from Petersburg to Campbell Hospital in Washington, D.C. (approximately 130 miles) where he died on October 7, 1864, from his injuries. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Jesse died far from home and was laid to rest in Washington, D.C. It’s unknown if Margaret ever visited the site as this would have been a several days journey at that time. With Jesse’s death, she found herself a widow with small children without occupation opportunities. So many wives found themselves in the same position during the war and the only chance of survival was to get remarried. Many young women had to resort to marrying men who were several decades older. Thankfully for Margaret, that was not the case.

She remained in Pennsylvania after Jesse’s death with both Viola Eva and Leonard and married John A. Goss between 1864-1865. John was born in Canada around 1840, but how Margaret and John knew each other is unknown. Margaret filed for Jesse’s veteran pension on Sep. 20, 1865 and listed John as the guardian of Leonard and Eva. He’s listed on the 1870 census at 40 years old as a carpenter by trade. Both Viola and Leonard grew up with John as their father and took on the Goss name (which ended the Kightlinger name for his lineage and passed down for generations). Margaret and John moved to Titusville, PA around 1868, where John became an oil refiner. This was the time that oil production was ramping up in America They remained married until her death in 1903 at the age of 57 from Tuberculosis.

“DEATH OF MRS MARGARET GOSS – Well Known Woman Passed Away at Her Central Avenue Home – Margaret, wife of John Goss, of 165 East Central avenue, died at the family residence late Tuesday afternoon. The disease causing dissolution was tuberculosis of the lungs. Her illness was long but it was not until last Sunday that she was compelled to seek her bed. She was born fifty-seven years ago and had resided in Titusville about thirty-five years. Her husband was an oil refiner at one time and was last employed by John Schwartz. The family was well and favorably known throughout the city and Mrs. Goss was a woman with an extensive acquaintance. She was kind and charitable, often willing to surrender her personal convenience and comfort for the benefit of those less fortunate than she. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a Christian woman loved by her family and admired by her entire circle of friends. Besides the bereaved husband she is survived by the following children: L L Goss, of Oil City; Mrs A J Lesser, Mrs W P McMillen, Frank and Albert Goss, of this city. Services in her remembrance will be conducted at the home at 3:30 Friday afternoon and interment will be made in Greenwood cemetery.”
(Titusville Herald, Oct 15, 1903, p.2)

John died five years later in 1908 from an abdominal tumor. In honor of Memorial Day, we honor Jesse’s sacrifice for his country and highlight the war widows who suffered the destruction of their homes, starvation, lost loves, and the fear of rebuilding.