Chaplain, 171st Penna. Infantry
Nov 1862 -7 Aug 1863
Enrolled 22 May 1865 in 28th Regt. PA Inf. and mustered out 18 July 1865.

Husband of Eliza J Burnworth

N.B. Critchfield, son of Jacob [sic] B. Critchfield, was born July 20, 1838. At the age of 21 years he married Elizabeth J. Burnworth and began business as a farmer. In the summer of 1862 he entered the army and continued in the service until the close of the war. In the spring of 1865, he was elected Superintendent of Public Schools of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in which position he served three years. At the close of this term he returned to the farm but the year following was elected financial secretary of the Western Pennsylvania Classical and Scientific Institute, whereby he placed the farm in the hands of a tenant and moved to Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland County, PA, where said institution of learning is located. Here he remained until 1878 having in the meantime sold his farm. In the spring of 1878 he returned to Somerset County to accept the position of principal of the public schools of Berlin Borough to which he had been elected. The disposition to follow the occupation of farmer which seems to be hereditary in the branch of the Critchfield family proved too strong to prevent him to remain away longer from the farm and in 1881 he resigned this latter place and again purchased a farm in his native county upon which he moved. Three years later in 1884 he was taken up as a candidate for the Republican Party for the office of Posthonorary of Common Pleas and Clerk of the Criminal Courts and was elected. This time he determined not to leave the farm, employed a competent man in whose hands he could leave all details, while the general management he kept in his own hands. By driving into the countyseat Monday and returning to the farm Saturday Evening and having in the office a competent deputy and a good farmer at home, he was able to manage both without detriment to either. At the close of his term in 1888 he again devoted himself especially to his business as a farmer until elected as the Representative of the 36th Senatorial District of the Senate of Pennsylvania and re-elected in the fall of 1895. N.B. Critchfield had seven children of whom the eldest Elmer S.[sic] (should be Elmer Elsworth) was married and lived at Mt Pleasant, PA. He was by occupation a farmer and one of his specialties being the dairy business, he was first vice president of the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association. He also held a staff office in connection with the Pennsylvania Military Organization of the state being inspector of Rifle Practice. The next three are daughters Sarah, Mary, and Martha. The fifth is a son named John, the sixth and seventh are daughters named Lavinia and Mignion. Mary, daughter of Jacob B. Critchfield, married Joseph R. Coder who was by occupation a merchant and resided at Ursina, Somerset County, PA. She had three children, two sons and a daughter. James and Milton Critchfield, also sons of Joseph Critchfield, son of William 1st, both died in Bond County, Illinois, without leaving any children.