General Affidavit of 25 November 1901

This General Affidavit is found in my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  This is testimony from a man, William White, who knew my third great-grandfather for 50 years.  He was testifying as to my third great-grandfather's character and that his inguinal hernia was from nothing that my third-great grandfather nor any other person did.

The Affidavit states:

Affiant states that he is personally acquainted with the claimant James Odgers and have known him for the last past 50 years and testifies that he has always been since he knew him a sober, peaceable man of good habits and in no way addicted to any vicious habits.

Affiant states that that from his acquaintance with the claimant and his knowledge of the cliamants character, he testifies that the left inguinal hernia from which he is suffering was not caused by any vicious habits on his own or on the part of any other person.

At the time this Affidavit was taken, William White was 72 years old and my third great-grandfather was 68.  I wonder how these two men knew each other.  They lived less than a five minute walk away from each other in the city of Philadelphia, so maybe they knew each other as neighbors.