CIVIL WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APP. - MARGARET L. (BORING) BECKHAM, WIDOW OF ALEXANDER C. BECKHAM, Alachua Co., FL File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Janet Steadham, (steaddanjan@earthlink.net) ******************************************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or publication by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************************************************* CONTRIBUTOR'S NOTE: I have no relationship to anyone mentioned in the below file. ******************************************************************************************* Application No. A01641 Widow's Pension Claim Under The Act Of 1913 (FORM A) STATE OF FLORIDA,} County of Alachua} On this 14 day of December, A. D. One Thousand Nine Hundred and nine, personally appeared before me, a Clerk Circuit Court in and for the County and State aforesaid Mrs. M. L. Beckham a resident of Waldo County of Alachua State of Florida, who being duly sworn according to law, makes the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the provisions of Chapter 5885, Laws of Florida, approved June 7, 1909. That she is the widow of Alexander C. Beckham, who was enlisted under the name of Alex C. Beckham, on the 22d day of Sept., 1862, in Company "D" 10th Regiment of the State of Florida and who was honorably discharged at I cannot say, 186_, on account of ____. (Here give complete statement of other service, if any.) That he also served in the Signal Corps. in the State of Florida and was discharged after the surrender of Gen'l. R. E. Lee. That she was lawfully married to the said Alex C. Beckham under the name of Margaret L. Boring in the County of Putnam, State of Florida on the 15 day of December, 1863, and that she was not divorced from him and that she has not remarried since his death, which occurred on the 26 day of August, 1904, in the County of Alachua State of Florida. That she is a resident of Alachua County, Florida, and has continuously resided in the State of Florida since the ____ day of January 1861. That she does not own property, including real estate, personal property, mortgages or other collateral securities, stocks or bonds in this or any other State to exceed in value the sum of Five Thousand Dollars. That the following is a true and correct statement of all property owned by me in this or any other State: Real estate, located at Waldo House and lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 600.00 Personal property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 50.00 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 650.00 That I have heretofore applied for a pension from the State of Florida and refer to Claim No. ____ for the proof contained therein. That her Postoffice address is Waldo County of Alachua, State of Florida. Margaret L. Beckham (Claimants must sign Christian name.) Attest: (1) S. H. Wienges (2) M. S. Cheves Sworn and subscribed before me this 14 day of December A. D. 1909; and I hereby certify that the above declaration, etc., were fully made known and explained to the applicant before swearing; and that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim. S. H. Wienges Clerk Circuit Court (FORM B, C) Blank (FORM D) Affidavit to be Made by Comrade STATE OF FLORIDA,} County of Hillsborough} Before me, ____ in and for the State and County aforesaid, personally came, George W. Sparkman of Tampa County of Hillsborough State of Florida who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical person who enlisted at ____ in the State of Florida on the 12th day of June in Company B 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the State of Florida, which organization was regularly mustered into the service of the Confederate States of America; that he knows of his own personal knowledge that Alex C. Beckham was enlisted in Company ____ Regiment of the State of Florida at ____ in the State of Florida on the ____ day of ____ 186_; that he served faithfully in the said organization until the ____ day of ____ 186_, when he was HONORABLY DISCHARGED on account of ____ at ____ in the State of ____, and did not desert the Confederate States service nor take the oath of allegiance to the United States before the close of the War. (Here state whether the soldier was transferred to another organization, or not, and if captured or imprisoned, state when and where.) Was transferred to the command of Col. A. H. McCormick at Jacksonville Florida in 1864. I know personally of the above stated service, because I served with him in Company Signal Corps service. I being detailed on that service. Signal Corp was commanded by Lieut. A. J. Stedman of Virginia, and was HONORABLY DISCHARGED at Waldo, in the State of Florida, on the ____ day of May 1865, by reason of surrender of Armies and I did not desert the Confederate States service nor take the oath of allegiance to the United States before the close of the war. George W. Sparkman Late of Company B 2nd Fla. Cavalry Sworn and subscribed before me this 12th day of June, 1914, and I here by certify that the above declaration was fully made known to the affiant before swearing, and that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the pension claim sought to be established by this declaration. W. P. Culbreath Clerk By W. A. Dickenson, DC ******************************************************************************************* Report of County Commissioners We, the undersigned, County Commissioners in and for the County of ____, Florida, do hereby report that at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners held this day, the foregoing application of ____ for a pension under the Laws of Florida, was investigated by us; that we are satisfied that the applicant does not own property to exceed the value of $5,000, and that the representations made in the petition and affidavits are true and that a pension should be granted to the applicant. Witness our hands this 8 day of July, A. D. 1914. (1) C. C. Pedrick, Chairman (2) R. R. Dohr (3) J. E. Williams (4) C. J. Grace (5) Samuel Shaw County Commissioners By the County Commissioners. Attest: S. H. Wienges Clerk Circuit Court ******************************************************************************************* Department of Pensions No. J.T.W.*Waldo State of Florida Tallahassee, Fla. May 15, 1908 Gen. F. C. Ainsworth, Military Secretary, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: A. C. Beckham who is an Applicant for Pension under the Florida Pension Law, claims to have been a Member of Company 2nd Florida Cavalry. Please give us the Record of this Soldier. Yours very truly, A. C. Croom Comptroller ******************************************************************************************* War Department The Adjutant General's Office Washington May 18, 1908 Respectfully returned to Comptroller, State of Florida, Tallahassee The records show that one Alexander C. Beckham, musician, Captain Owens' Mounted Company, C.S.A., was enlisted September 12, ____, and was discharged November 12, 1861, on surgeon's certificate of disability. The above named organization was consolidated subsequent to November 12, 1861, with several other independent companies to from the 2d Florida Cavalry, C.S.A. F. C. Ainsworth The Adjutant General ******************************************************************************************* Seaboard Air Line Railway S. Davies Warfield, R. Lancaster Williams & E. C. Duncan, Receives 1531 Silver St. Jacksonville, Fla. Sept. 21st 1909 Gen'l. F. H. Ainsworth Washington, D. C. My Dear Sir: My mother Mrs. M. L. Beckham has lost father records that is she is unable to find what company he was a member of in the Civil War he was a courier and she can get many companions who was with him but none can say what regiment he belong to he enlisted in Florida. I will thank you if you can give us a little light on this as mother wishes a pension. Father name was Alex C. Beckham usualy [sic] signed A. C. Beckham. Thanking you in advance I am Yours truly, J. J. Beckham ******************************************************************************************* War Department The Adjutant General's Office Washington Sept. 24, 1909 Respectfully returned to Mr. J. J. Beckham, 1531 Silver Street, Jacksonville, Florida The records show that A. C. Beckham, private, Company D, 10th Florida Infantry, Confederate States Army, enlisted September 22, 1862, at Camp Leon. The muster rolls covering the period from April, 1863 to and including February 28, 1865 (last on file), show him absent, with remark "Detached service (Florida Signal Corps) in Florida." No later record of him has been found. F. C. Ainsworth The Adjutant General ******************************************************************************************* Nov 2nd 1909 My Dear Joe: Yours of no date to hand in reply to Pension claim of your father in favor of your mother with my affidavit and the secretary certificate of record from Washington. I think will be sufficient. The law requires two witnesses and it may be possible that we can find another witness, but if we can't we can try what we have. I think T. B. Tillis or some of the Waldo folks could certify to your father serving on the Cignal [sic] Corps. If you need my certificate have your application made and send it to me for my signature. As Ever Uncle Geo. ******************************************************************************************* Application No. 19913 Pensioner No. 1641 Claim For Pension By Margaret L. Beckham Of Waldo Postoffice Alachua County Widow Of Alexander C. Beckham Of Fla. Regiment Filed In Pension Department July 13, 1914 Approved August 11, 1914 With pay from July 13, 1914 At the rate of $150 per annum. M. C. McIntosh Secretary of Board