Before I Forget

          In 1913 Elethea Ann (Barton) Miller (1855-1934), widow of Thomas D. Miller (1842-1886), made application for her husband's military pension. Though Mr. Miller had fought for the Confederacy while serving in a Mississippi cavalry unit, his wife was entitled to his pension from the state she was then living. 

          Elethea Miller made her home in Duckett, Howard County, Arkansas according to the pension record. In 1932 she supplemented her pension request, indicating a current address of Mena, Arkansas. 

          FamilySearch has scanned many Confederate pension records. If you've registered with FamilySearch you can find Elethea's application at the link cited below, beginning with Image No. 598 of 1392. 

          FamilySearch is free, and it is an AWESOME database. Do it! Or you can bear with my copies attached here:

Source:  "Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929," database with images, FamilySearch : 2 December 2019), Milam, J, A - Mitchell, J, W > image 598 of 1392; Citing Arkansas State Auditor, History Commission, Little Rock.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939J-TGDP-H?cc=1837922&wc=M617-GP8%3A164379601 


BTW, Thomas Miller's middle name was given on his son's birth certificate. I've seen it spelled phonetically, but will use this spelling until I find a better source. 

My paternal great-grand aunt, daughter of Ben Abshier and Carmelite Boulet, was born in Chambers County, Texas in 1847. My Wiser cousins may know her as an older sister to our Sylvina Abshier Wiser.  

Known as "Bettie," Elizabeth married Daniel Ainsworth July 3, 1865. 

Dan had only recently returned home from the Civil War when the couple married. In 1862 the 25 year old Dan had enlisted in the Confederate States Army in Liberty County, Texas. He served four years as a private with Company F, 2d Battalion Waul's Legion, Texas Infantry. He reportedly saw several battles. 

He was injured from a bomb sometime between May and July of 1863 during the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Read about it in his 1899 application for military pension:

[Six pages in the above gallery]

Bettie Ainsworth was approved for a pension. See what amount she received each year until her death in 1912. That is an annual payment--not monthly. 

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/pensions/amounts.html


By the way, it was 158 years ago tomorrow that Daniel Ainsworth entlisted in the Texas Infantry. I wonder what stories he might have told about the War. 

My Mother's Great-Granddad served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was 20 years old when he signed on in May of 1864. I don't find that he saw battle, but do find that Corporal McCormick's unit had "garrison duty" at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for a few months before being mustered out in Saint Louis, Missouri.(1)  Other records indicate he was 6'2", dark hair, black eyes, and dark complected. This height was passed to many of his grandchildren.

He married, had seven kids on his farm in Illinois. When he was 62 he joined other family who were homesteading in New Mexico Territory. Today I found mention of him in a rural newspaper.(2)  William McCormick and other "old soldiers" had been awarded military pensions. William, now living near the town of Hagerman, got a whopping $12 a month. I've no clue what that sum would be in today's dollars, do you?

A couple of columns over from this article was a cute Mark Twain story. You know, Samuel Clemons was so very popular long ago. Oklahoma's Will Rogers later matched Twain in the public eye. WE NEED A NEW HUMORIST of their quality. 

William died in 1921 at age 75. He didn't live as long as his 90 year old dad. A kind soul shared William's parents' tombstone photo which appears to have been taken after sunset. But what the heck is that gargoyle on top? I've tried to brighten these photos, but failed. Click to see all three in the gallery:

Before I return to reading 100 year old newspapers, here's a brief bit of data on William's ancestors. Thanks for stopping by!

SOURCE: 

1.   http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UIL0138RI  

2.     The Spanish American, Feb. 1, 1908, Image 12, newspaper from Roy, Mora County, New Mexico. URL as of July 10, 2014: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92061524/1908-02-01/ed-1/seq-12/#