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.

General Affidavit of 29 May 1891

This General Affidavit, dated 29 May 1891, is one of the forms found in my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension file.  He would have signed it under oath in the presence of a notary public.

The affidavit states:

"I am the above mentioned claimant and in answer to the Department call would state that I have not been in the Military or Naval service since July 31 - 1865."

This was filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his hometown, when he was 60 years old - just over 13 years before his death.  At this time, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street.  His lawyer at the time of this affidavit filing was W. V. Sickel.

No. 806945

This Civil War Application was filed on 25 April 1908 by my third great-grandmother, who had been a widow for nearly four years.  She was now living at 1201 East Chelten Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It appears she had moved about 11 miles away from where she and my third great-grandfather had lived, 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This document states the facts that my third great-grandfather was in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Infantry and he died at Norristown, Pennsylvania on 30 April 1904.  It also lists that there were two other previous claim numbers.

The note on here seems to state that the attorney representing my third great-grandmother, a Mr. W. V. Sickel, was contacted to find out if she agreed to abandon her former June Act Claim.  That would have been the Act of June 27, 1890.  It was an act that was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison.  At that time, she was entitled to $8 a month.  The Act of April 19, 1908 was also an act that increased the pension of widows and minor children of soldiers of the Civil War and other wars.  It looks like my third great-grandmother was filing for an increase in the monthly amount she received from the United States Government, being a widow of a Civil War veteran.

No. 806945

This Civil War Pension Application was filed on 21 May 1904 by my third great-grandmother, three weeks after my third great-grandfather died.  My third great-grandmother was 71 years old at the time.  It was filed by her attorney, W. V. Sickel from Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

This lists my third great-grandmother's address as 1416 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This is the same home she and my third great-grandfather lived in at the time the 1900 census took place.  She is identified as the widow of James Odgers, who served in Company I of the 215th Pennsylvania Infantry.  This lists his death as occurring in Norristown, Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles away from his home.

On the right of this form there are some notes that were made over the next couple of years regarding legal transcripts that pertained to the Civil War pension my third great-grandmother would receive after the death of my third great-grandfather.

No. 700.375

This Civil War Pension application was filed 16 May 1893 by my paternal third great-grandfather.  He was 59 years old.  At the time of this filing, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The same home he was living in during the 1900 Census - the last census taken before his death in 1904.

This application lists him as being a sargent in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Infantry.  The 215 Regiment was organized in the city of Philadelphia in April 1865, at the end of the Civil War.  It also states that he is alleging that a ruptured cataract of his eye, rheumatism, and varicose veins were caused by his time serving in the Union Army, and that is why he deserved a pension from the United States Government.

I am very curious as to how these ailments can be linked to his time served during the Civil War.  As far as I know, these ailments tend to happen as one gets older and not necessarily from trauma.

This application was filed by my third great-grandfather's attorney, Samuel J. Brown.  I find it interesting that the attorney's name was crossed out and a continence is mentioned.  Does this mean that this decision was delayed because another attorney had to be found to represent my third great-grandfather?  And, if so, why?

Act of June 27, 1890

On June 27, 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed into law The Dependent and Disability Pension Act.  According to this act, my paternal third great-grandmother, as a widow, was entitled to $8 a month ($220.86 today), because my third great-grandfather had served at least 90 days in the Union Army during the Civil War and was honorably discharged from service.

My third great-grandfather served in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  The 215 Regiment was organized at Philadelphia in April 1865, the end of the Civil War.  They did their duty in Delaware and at Fort Delaware.  My three-times great-grandfather was discharged on 31 July 1865.  I am looking forward to learning more about his time at Fort Delaware, a place I have visited a few times.

Civil War Pension

My paternal third great-grandfather was one of the fortunate soldiers that survived his time in the Civil War, and he applied for a pension from the U.S. government for his service.  In general, a veteran filed an application due to loss of limb or eye, or disability from wounds or disease that occurred during his time of service.  The laws changed over time, and eventually a veteran could receive a pension based on old age, if he was lucky enough to live that long.

Even though this paper has very little written on it, it is filled with a lot of information, enough to start digging into the lives of my three times great-grandparents.  It looks like my third great-grandfather qualified for pension support from the United States Government and my third great-grandmother was filing for an increase in the monthly rate, citing an Act of April 19, 1908.  Each amendment after the original 1862 legislation extended the benefits by more liberal terms.  On 22 September 1909 she qualified to receive $12 a month, $331.30 today.  At the time of this filing, she was 74 years old and my three-times great-grandfather had been dead for over five years.

This form states that my third great-grandfather was a private during the Civil War and served in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. According to papers I have, he was promoted to sergeant, and in doing a little online research I found more evidence that this was true.  The promotion occurred eight days before the end of the war.  This paper leaves me with some questions. Like, why was his promotion not recognized on this document?  Was it because for most of his time in the Union Army, he was a private?  Why exactly was he promoted to sergeant eight days before the end of the war?  I guess this is going to require a little more research.