John Summerfield Staples
Encyclopedia
John Summerfield Staples (August 14, 1845 – January 11, 1888) was an American soldier
who served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He is notable as the paid "stand-in" for President
Abraham Lincoln
.
in rural Monroe County, Pennsylvania
. During the Civil War, he enlisted in late 1862 as a private
in Company C of the 176th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, but only served a few months due to illness, likely typhoid fever
.
Following his medical discharge, he moved to Washington, D.C.
, where he worked with his father as a carpenter. In October 1864, he was approached by a representative of the president. During the Civil War, it became customary for many citizens to pay for "substitutes" to serve in the army in their place. Hoping to set a good example, President Lincoln selected Staples as his substitute and offered him a bounty of $500. Staples saw little action during the year he served as the president's representative, primarily working as a clerk and prison guard. He mustered out in September 1865.
Following the war, Staples returned to Pennsylvania where he died in 1888. He is buried in Stroudsburg
Cemetery.
In 1910 a bill appropriating funds to erect a memorial to Summerfield was introduced in the United States House of Representatives
. In 1999, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Monroe County Historical Associationa erected a historical marker on West Main Street in Stroudsburg to commemorate John Summerfield Staples and his ties to President Lincoln.
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
who served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He is notable as the paid "stand-in" for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Biography
Staples was born in 1845 in Stroud TownshipStroud Township, Pennsylvania
Stroud Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population is 17,533 as of 2008.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 31.5 square miles , of which, 31.2 square miles of it is land and 0.3 square...
in rural Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Monroe County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there are 176,567 people, 49,454 households, and 36,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 228 people per square mile...
. During the Civil War, he enlisted in late 1862 as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in Company C of the 176th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, but only served a few months due to illness, likely typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
.
Following his medical discharge, he moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he worked with his father as a carpenter. In October 1864, he was approached by a representative of the president. During the Civil War, it became customary for many citizens to pay for "substitutes" to serve in the army in their place. Hoping to set a good example, President Lincoln selected Staples as his substitute and offered him a bounty of $500. Staples saw little action during the year he served as the president's representative, primarily working as a clerk and prison guard. He mustered out in September 1865.
Following the war, Staples returned to Pennsylvania where he died in 1888. He is buried in Stroudsburg
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
Cemetery.
In 1910 a bill appropriating funds to erect a memorial to Summerfield was introduced in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. In 1999, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Monroe County Historical Associationa erected a historical marker on West Main Street in Stroudsburg to commemorate John Summerfield Staples and his ties to President Lincoln.