BIO: John Shelly DETWEILER, Dauphin County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 250.
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  DETWEILER, JOHN SHELLY, was born on the 18th of October, 1829, in 
Londonderry township, Dauphin county, on a farm occupied by his father, 
David Detweiler, near what is now known as the Buck Lock, Pennsylvania 
canal.  His mother, Susan Detweiler, was a daughter of William Shelly, 
of Shelly's Island.  When ten years old he attended the school in the 
neighborhood of his birthplace, and continued there until he was 
sixteen years old, when he came to Harrisburg and entered the printing 
office of Theophilus Fenn, where he remained but a short time, and then 
went to Lancaster, entering the office of the Lancaster Examiner and 
Herald.
  Leaving the Examiner office, Mr. Detweiler entered Franklin and 
Marshall College, at which institution he pursued a course of regular 
studies and graduated with high honor, after which he began the study 
of the law with Gen. George B. Ford, of Lancaster city, and was 
admitted to the bar of that county in 1850.  He remained in Lancaster 
only a few months after his admission, and came to Harrisburg in the 
winter of that year, entering at once in the practice of the law here, 
in which profession he continued until the breaking out of the Civil 
war.
  At the organization of the Ninth cavalry, Mr. Detweiler took an 
active part in securing the necessary companies to make up the 
regiment, and as captain of Company E was very prominent in securing a 
completed organization.  He was commissioned captain October 17, 1861.  
While on duty in Tennessee he was appointed on the staff of General 
DuMont.  On the 19th of March, 1863, Captain Detweiler was appointed 
major of the regiment, and on the 2d of April of the same year he 
resigned his commission and returned to Harrisburg, when he was 
appointed United States recruiting officer at this point, which post he 
held until the close of the war.  In 1864 Mr. Detweiler was appointed 
deputy United States assessor of internal revenue under Charles J. 
Bruner, which office he held until it was abolished in 1871.  In 1872 
he was appointed by Judge Cadwalader register in bankruptcy, which 
office he held at the time of his death.  In 1874 Mr. Detweiler was 
nominated and elected by the Republicans county solicitor for the term 
of three years.  Major Detweiler married Eunice Parke, daughter of 
Benjamin Parke, of Harrisburg, and they had three children who survived 
their father.  He died at Harrisburg, Pa., August 16, 1878.