PVT Joseph Allhiser was born about 1805 in Virginia. He worked as a laborer, probably on somebody else's farm as late as 1850. At that time he and his wife Nancy had 7 children living with them. Their 2 oldest sons, John and James, were also working by that time; John was also working as a laborer and James was working for a miller.
Virginia units had been fighting as part of the Confederate States of America for about 9 months when Joseph, at the age of 57, enlisted in G Company 5th Virginia Infantry on 10 Mar 1862 he may have joined his unit but would have been a raw recruit indeed if he participated in the Battle of Kernstown on 23 Mar 1862. Like many other new soldiers, exposure to the diseases of an army camp and the privations of army life resulted in PVT Allhiser becoming sick and in hospital on 13 Apr 1862. The disease ran its course and PVT Allhiser succumbed to it and died on or just before 1 Jul 1862.
We do not know if he was returned home for care as were many other soldiers or died where he was initially treated in Stanardsville, Virginia. We do not know where he was buried.