A genealogist never stops finding new records, information, and context about our ancestor. Sometimes we are chasing (although we should not do this for efficiency’s sake) BSO’s (bright shiny objects) that seem to appear when we are searching for other research results. But other times, as a result of a well written, focused research question, we find the document that we were looking for. And many times that document is full of surprises. My favorite find (#52 Ancestor Challenge) has to do with my 2nd great grandfather John Lewis Miller, pictured above. His daughter was Jennie Miller who married Clark Whipkey King.[1] Their oldest daughter was Virginia King, my father’s mother, and my grandmother.[2] John was born on 21 March 1842 in Maryland. This fact came from a copy of a bible record my father obtained in the 1970’s.[3] But beyond that record and his death on 19 October 1921, little was researched about this man.[4] As it turns out, the pension file for his service in the Union Army in the Civil War told a story about this man and his life. A trip to the National Archives in 2016 found me hurrying to get the entire 96-page file copied before closing time. It was later that evening in a hotel room, that I realized what all was contained. John’s claim began on 16 September 1887 where he was filing out a “Declaration for Original Invalid Pension” and sending it to the government. John had enrolled on the 10 day of August 1863 in Co B of the 1st Regiment of the Maryland Cavalry. He served until 28 June 1865 when he was discharged in Harper’s Ferry.[5] He was injuring in November 1864 “while on drill by practice jumping our horses over a pole and ditch drilling them to jump. My horse nipped the ditch and I fell over his head and my privates caught on the pummel of the saddle. I receive a rupture and was taken to a hospital at Martinsburg then to Frederick MD, and from there to Annapolis, MD.”[6] His request was received on 27 December 1887 by the Bureau of Pensions. Fortunately they found the Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Ainsworth who determined that he had been admitted in June 1864 (not November), then moved to Fredericksburg on 27 June 1864, then to Annapolis on 4 July 1864, before being returned to duty on 4 April 1865.[7] Unfortunately, the muster records never show him as absent during the November time period that John listed which are the dates the Adjutant General’s Office checked.[8] The times in June were not researched until later in this story. So, additional testimony was requested, as well as documentation from John. This continued through 1893, with him receiving the general allowance allowed under his service, but not additional allowance due to the disability. John reapplied sending along affidavits from a E.M. Rager and S. S. Dowlan regarding his injuries.[9] On 26 July 1893, the commission stated that they could not find these two men on the rolls of the 1st Regiment.[1] Even though both stated that they had been employed by the government as teamsters to manage the horses and may not have been listed on the soldiers’ roles. A Surgeon’s Certificate dated 12 October 1898 was a result of a visit with John Lewis Miller. The rupture was causing problems which were outlined. The surgeon declared him disabled and stated that he should be receiving $30.00 per month as a result of the injuries.[2] However, included in the pension was a note from 1909 that his pension had been increased to $24.00, so no disability had been allowed.[3] John’s paperwork to the Bureau of Pensions continued. In 1917, he became 75 years of age, and asked for an increase.[4] One came in 1920 for $72.00 when the Bureau of Pensions checked the appropriate roles for June and July 1864, finding John assigned to the hospital.[5] John had one year of that payment, prior to his death in 1921.[6] But the largest surprise came on 12 May 1921 on yet another paper in the pension file, almost at the end of the 96 pages. John was having to answer more questions regarding himself and his family. His wife, known as Sarah, was listed as Sarah Yantz – (YES!!!) her maiden name. And he provided their marriage date as 25 August 1868 in Fayetteville, Franklin County, PA. But the largest surprise was that Jennie, his daughter was not their only child. John and Sarah also had Henry P. Miller who was born on 14 April 1877 and John who was born on 6 November 1879.[7] They both are listed in the 1880 census, but neither was found after that time.[8] That is because John had died at the age of 3 in 1882, and Henry died at the age of 8 in 1885. Sarah, John’s wife died in 1883. Knowledge of these deaths led to their graves, carved on either side of their mother’s gravestone. To learn more about the Pension files from the Civil War, be sure to look at the article on the NARA website titled “A Reasonable Degree of Promptitude” that appeared in the Prologue magazine in 2010.[9] They do a wonderful job explaining the process and the term “disability,” at the time of the Civil War.
3 Comments
1/17/2022 12:40:28 pm
The Civil War pension files are a wealth of information. Discovering the details of your 2x great grandfather's injury really adds to your family story. I do wish NARA would get them digitized and online for easier access. Thanks for sharing!
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January 2022
About this BlogThis blog has been designed to serve two purposes. The first is to leave the written histories of my ancestors.
The second purpose is to offer some of my own stories, so that my children and grandchildren can learn more about my direct family and my childhood. Categories |