Deposition of Rowland C. Evans July 10, 1904

This deposition is found in the Civil War Pension File of my third great-grandfather.  He had qualified for a pension by serving in the Union Army for a short time at the end of the Civil War.  This deposition was taken over two months after his death, when my third great-grandmother was filing to get a Widow's Pension.

She had hired an attorney, Rowland C. Evans, to search public and church records for proof of her marriage.  He had an office at 14 South Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He first requested the marriage record from the Registration Bureau for Births and Marriages of the Bureau of Heath.  He was informed that the bureau began in 1862.  That was no help since my third great-grandparents had been married in 1854.

He then reached out to Jacob J. Hatcher, the clerk of the North Tenth Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.  This church was the successor of the Penn Presbyterian Church, where my third great-grandparents had been married.  According to Mr. Hatcher, the church kept no record of marriages.  Another dead end.

Mr. Evans testified that he believed that my third great-grandparents were married on December 31, 1854  by the pastor of the Penn Presbyterian Church, Francis D. Ladd.  Unfortunately, the pastor could not verify this since he had died on July 7, 1862.

After a careful search, Mr. Evans was unable to find any record of marriage, nor could he find anyone who was present at the time of the marriage ceremony.

Deposition of Robert E. Henderson July 7, 1904

This deposition is found in the Civil War Pension File of my third great-grandfather.  It was taken over two months after his death when my third great-grandmother was trying to receive a Widow's Pension.  My third great-grandfather qualified for the pension by serving as a Union Soldier for a short time at the end of the Civil War.

My third great-grandmother was unable to provide a marriage certificate, so she had to provide other proof that she had a valid marriage and was qualified to receive the pension as a widow of a Union Soldier.

Robert E. Henderson of 1428 South Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was an acquaintance of my third great-grandparents.  He stated he had lived with them from about 1866 to 1876.  When I looked at the 1870 census, there was no mention of him living with them, so maybe his timing is a little off.

He testified that as far as he knew, they were married on December 31, 1854 and had cohabited as husband and wife until December 31, 1903, when my third great-grandfather was committed to the State Hospital for the Insane at Norristown, Pennsylvania by order of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia.

Department of the Interior May 4, 1898

This document is from the Civil War Pension file of my third great-grandfather.  It has an amazing amount of family tree information on it.

My third great-grandparents were married on December 31, 1854 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was the first marriage for both of them.

I would be happy with that information, but the names and dates of birth for all of their children are also listed.  Now that's like winning the family historian jackpot!

Widow's Pension of September 13, 1909

These Widow's Pension forms are from the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  It was filed by my third great-grandmother over five years after his death.  Both forms contain the same information, but one has a crossed out note on it.  Maybe that is why they rewrote the form.

At the time of this filing, she was living at 1201 East Chelton Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This address is different than the one she shared with my third great-grandfather.  I believe she went to live with one of her daughters after the death of her husband.

My third great-grandfather qualified for a Civil War Pension because he served in the Union Army for a short time at the end of the war.  He enlisted, at age 33, as a private in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on April 8, 1865 and was honorably discharged on July 31, 1865.

He first applied for his pension on September 2, 1890.  At the time of his death in 1904, he was receiving $12 a month.  My third great-grandmother had to file papers to continue getting the pension as his widow.

My third great-grandparents were married on December 31, 1854, the only marriage for both, and had been married for over 51 years at the time of my third great-grandfather's death.

The recognized attorney on this form is a W.V. Sickel, the same attorney that represented my third great-grandfather in many of his Civil War Pension legal filings.

Declaration for Widow's Pension on April 24, 1908

This Declaration for Widow's Pension is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  It was filed on April 24, 1908 by my third great-grandmother in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  At the time of the filing, she was 74 years old and living at 1201 East Chelton Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

In the years prior to his death, my third great-grandfather was receiving a Civil War Pension from the United States Government.  He qualified for the pension by serving in Company I in the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers of the Union Army for a short time at the end of the Civil War.  He was honorably discharged on July 31, 1865.

After my third great-grandfather's death on April 30, 1904, my third great-grandmother had to file to continue to receive his pension.  The two had been married for over 51 years.

This form contains great information for family history research.  First, my third great-grandmother's maiden name, Alexander.  And second, a wedding date and place - December 31, 1854 in Philadelphia.  It even lists the name of the reverend who married them, Reverend Francis.

My third great-grandmother used the same lawyer that her husband used numerous times in the legal filings of his Civil War Pension, a W.V. Sickel of Philadelphia.

The address of 1416 South 15th Street has been crossed out.  That is the home that my third great-grandparents shared.  In its place is 1201 East Chelton Avenue.  At some point after her husband's death, she moved in with one of her daughters.

The two witnesses for this form are two of her daughters, Lovey M. Henderson and Anna L. Odgers.

Surgeon's Certificate of June 2, 1891

This Surgeon's Certificate is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  This examination was completed on June 2, 1891 and was part of his original pension claim.  He qualified for the pension by serving as a Union private for a short time at the end of the Civil War.  He had enlisted in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

At the time of this exam, he was 60 years old and living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He stood five feet eight and one quarter inches tall and weighed 198 pounds.

As part of his pension, my third great-grandfather was claiming that he incurred a rupture of his right side (hernia) and disease of his eyes during his service in the Union Army.  He stated, "I received a rupture while hauling powder during 1865 just previous to my discharge.  I caught cold in my eyes while at Alexandria during same year."

He appeared to be a healthy man at this exam.  It was noted that he had an inguinal hernia of his right side, which allowed a hen's egg sized tumor to protrude.  He had worn a truss for 25 years, which would have given the hernia support and relieved some of the discomfort.

His eyes were congested, with his left having conjunctivitis.  He wore glasses and was able to read relatively well with his right eye, but not his left.

Military Service

This War Department document, filed on May 22, 1891, is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He enlisted as a private in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry at the end of the Civil War on April 8, 1865.  He was discharged at Fort Delaware, a Union prison camp during the war, on July 31, 1865.

Department of the Interior May 5, 1897

This form is found in the Civil War Pension file of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He had served at the end of the Civil War with Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He enrolled on April 8, 1865 and was discharged on July 31, 1865.  During that time he served as a private and a sergeant.

Declaration For An Original Invalid Pension May 12, 1893

This form is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  It was filed on May 12, 1893 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by his attorney, Samuel J. Brown, who had an office at 911 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.  

At the end of the Civil War, my third great-grandfather enlisted in the Union Army in April 1865 and was commanded by a Colonel Rush in Company I of the 215th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He was discharged from the army at Fort Delaware on August 15, 1865.

He stood five feet, eight inches tall.  He had a light complexion and brown hair and blue eyes.  He was 61 years old and was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia.

He was claiming that in the line of duty while at Fort Delaware on or around July 20, 1865 that he was helping some other men with some powder.  The cart was going very fast in circles.  One of the shafts of the cart struck him and ruptured him.  He was discharged the following month and had suffered with cataract of the eye, rheumatism, and the rupture (hernia).  He was also claiming that he had contracted his varicose veins at the same time he suffered his rupture.

The time my third great-grandfather spent in the Union Army during the Civil War is the only time he spent in the military.  He was stating that he was now wholly disabled and unable to work as a machinist, his normal occupation.

Invalid Pension Form December 28, 1891

This Invalid Pension form is from my third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  At the time of the filing of this form, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He qualified for a Civil War pension because he served as a private in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He did a short term of service at the end of the Civil War, from April 8, 1865 to July 31, 1865.

As of September 2, 1890, he was receiving $6 per month from the United States government.  That increased to $8 on December 4, 1891.  He was claiming disability from a right hernia and impaired vision.

His attorney was W.V. Sickel, whose office was at 729 Walnut Street, also in the city of Philadelphia.  Mr. Sickel's attorney fee was $10 to file this form.  Ironically, this was more than what my third-great grandfather was getting as his monthly pension.  Those $10 would equal about $284 today.

Increase Invalid Pension December 18, 1899

This Increase Invalid Pension form is from the Civil War Pension file of my paternal third great-grandfather and was submitted on December 18, 1899.  He was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and he was 66 years old.

His lawyer at the time of the filing of this form was James B. O'Neill, who had an office in Philadelphia.  The cost to file this form was $25, which would be about $777 today.

My third great-grandfather had enlisted in the United States Union Army at the end of the Civil War.  He served as a private in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He served from April 8, 1865 to July 31, 1865.  This short time he served during the Civil War qualified him for a pension from the government.

At the time of this filing, he had already been approved for $8 a month for an incomplete inguinal hernia and impaired vision.  He was asking for an increase in this monthly amount due to rheumatism, varicose veins, and senility.  There is also a mention of a heart problem, which was attributed to possibly being related to his rheumatism.

This request for the increase in my third great-grandfather's monthly pension was rejected in February of 1900.

Increase Invalid Pension

This Increase Invalid Pension Form is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  At the time of the filing of this form in 1902, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He was receiving a Civil War Pension of $12 a month from the United States Government for his total inability to earn a support by manual labor.

He was eligible for the pension because of his service as a private in Company I of the 215th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at the end of the Civil War.  He enlisted on April 8, 1865 and was discharged on July 31, 1865.

My third great-grandfather's attorney was James B. O'Neill, who had an office on West 6th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  There was a $2 fee to file this form, which would be about $60 dollars today.

He had already been approved for an incomplete right inguinal hernia and impaired vision.  He was asking for an increase in his pension due to the new ailments of a left inguinal hernia, total loss of sight in his right eye, rheumatism, and senility.

Instead of signing his name, my third great-grandfather signed with his mark.  I know from other forms in his Civil War Pension File that this was due to his failing eyesight and shaking of his hands.

This form was filed two years before his death, when he was 68 years old.

History of Claim

This History of Claim Form is from my third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File and is filled with a lot of useful information.  His first and only service during the Civil War was with Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry from 8 April 1865 to 31 July 1865, just shy of a total of four month of service.

He started with a pension of $6 a month on 2 September 1890 and was increased to $8 a month on 4 December 1891, due to a right hernia and impaired vision. Those eight dollars today would be worth about $225.55.  Also, an increase of pension was accepted on 7 February 1900.

He also asked for an increase in his pension on 30 June 1897 citing rheumatism, varicose veins and senility.  And there was a pending claim under general law that was filed 16 May 1893.

General Affidavit of 25 November 1901

This General Affidavit is a part of my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  It was filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so that he could get an increase in his pension.

The Affidavit States:

Affiant states that he is the identical person who is applying for increase pension by ctf * 700375 and in answer to the Commissioner of Pensions letter wherein he is required to state under oath as to when, where and under what circumstances he incurred left inguinal hernia

Affiant states that he received the left inguinal hernia in the spring of 1865.

Affiant states that he incurred left inguinal hernia at Fort Delaware

Affiant states that he incurred the left inguinal hernia under the following circumstances, while hauling powder at Fort Delaware, the cart was upset, and the shaft struck him in the groin causing left inguinal hernia

Affiant states that the above is a true statement of when where and how he incurred left inguinal hernia and that it was in no way due to vicious habits on his own part or on the part of any other person.

At the time of this filing, my third great-grandfather was 72 years old and living at 1415 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lost And Found

As I was growing up, I heard stories about these mysterious Civil War papers that belonged to one of my paternal ancestors.  For someone who was obsessed with learning about the Civil War, it was very tantalizing.  My paternal aunt had them, but I had never seen them.  After she died, it was thought that they were lost forever.  But, after her husband died, I found them.  They were stored with some other papers that belonged to her.  What a find!  At first I was a little disappointed because they were copies of the actual papers, but once I started reading them, I was amazed at all of the information that they contained.

The papers belonged to my paternal third great-grandfather.  One announced his appointment to sergeant and the other was his discharge paper.  Where do I start?  I want to go line by line, fact by fact, and dig into every detail.  He was in Company I of the 215th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers and was promoted to Sergeant 12 days after the end of the Civil War.  He was discharged at Fort Delaware just over three months after that.  He was born in Omar, Ireland.  He was 30 years old when he was discharged from the army.  He stood five feet, seven inches tall.  He had a light complexion, blue eyes, and black hair.  He was a welder by trade.

And then the questions.  What role did he play in the Civil War?  How many battles did he fight, if any?  What did he do to get promoted to Sergeant?  Why was he discharged at Fort Delaware, an island that housed Confederate prisoners?  Why did he come to the United States from Ireland?  Where did he work as a welder?

It looks like I have a lot of digging to do.