Tuesday, March 12, 2019

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.


Monday, March 11, 2019

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?

Bills of Repairs September 24,1904

 This cover sheet is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  The bills were submitted by a pension atto...