CIVIL WAR PENSION APP. - FRANCIS A. BELL, 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. A11101 Application for Pension STATE OF FLORIDA,} County of Alachua} On this 9th day of August, 1897, personally appeared before me, a notary public in and for the said county and State, Francis A. Bell, aged 70 years, by occupation a farmer who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Francis A. Bell who was, on the ____ day of May, 1863, enrolled in Captain S. F. Rou Company F of 2d Florida Cavalry county of Alachua, State of Florida and that while serving as a private in Company F 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment, Finnigan's Brigade, and in the line of his duty at Olustee in the State of Florida, on or about the ____ day of Feby', 1864, I contracted measles on or about the time of the battle of Olustee (Ocean Pond) below Lake City, Fla. & after staying in camp 6 days was sent to the hospital at Quincy, Fla. relapsing after getting up - the measles settling on my lungs I came near dying, but after 6 months was able to return to duty but was left susceptible to relapse or pneumonia spells of which I've had 10 or 12 or more causing great suffering & loss of time & heavy expense in doctor's bills, medicine & c. The last hard spell in Mar. 1895 disabled me and one light attack of recent date, still more disabled me, - suffering, more or less, between spells, all the time and that by reason of said service and as a direct result of said injuries I am now unable to earn a livelihood; that I am a citizen of said county and State, and have been a bona fide citizen of the State of Florida continuously since January 1st, 1875; that neither I nor my wife owns property to the value of fifteen hundred dollars, and that I am not "otherwise enabled or in a position to earn a livelihood;" that I am not receiving a pension from the United States, or any other State; that I never deserted the Confederate service, and make this declaration for the purpose of being placed upon the invalid pension roll of the State of Florida, as provided by act of the Legislature, approved June 8, 1889, as amended June 2, 1893. Francis A. Bell, Applicant Hawthorne, Fla. Postoffice Sworn to and subscribed before me this 9th day of August A. D. 1897. J. D. Bell Notary Public We do solemnly swear that the above applicant Francis A. Bell served with us in 2nd Florida Cavalry Regt; that he contracted measles as stated above & that his statement above made in regard to his sickness is true in every particular being contracted at the time and place, and in the manner claimed, and that he is disabled as claimed, by reason of said injuries, and that he did not desert the Confederate service. John Fennell M. M. Tillman Sworn and subscribed to before me this 9th day of August A. D. 1897. J. D. Bell Notary Public We do solemnly swear that we are familiar with the value of all the property owned by above Francis A. Bell and his wife, and that the actual combined value thereof is less than $1,500, and that he is not physically or otherwise able to earn a livelihood. D. C. McIntosh J. J. Godwin Sworn and subscribed before me this 9th day of August A. D. 1897. J. D. Bell Notary Public We do solemnly swear that we have carefully examined F. A. Bell who is to us well known as the applicant for pension above described, and find that F. A. Bell is not physically able to earn a living. We have been acquainted with him for 10 years his lungs have been affected for that length of times he has not been able to do any work in the last two years he had pneumonia and has never recovered he has bronchitis with an abscess of lungs he is an extremely feeble man and ? of is country. B. F. Vanlandingham, M. D. Residence: Campville, Fla. A. H. Shi, M. D. Residence: Hawthorne, Fla. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 9th day of August A. D. 1897. J. D. Bell Notary Public ******************************************************************************************* Claim For Pension By F. A. Bell Of Alachua County Late of F Company, 2nd Fla. Cavly. Filed In Executive Department Aug 17/97 ******************************************************************************************* Campville, Fla. Nov. the 15th 1899 Gov. W. D. Bloxham Tallahassee, Fla. Hon. Sir: Excuse me this some three months ago, with assistance, I filled, and had filled, an application for pension and needing more assistance I sent it up to Sheriff L. K. Fernando at Gainesville to get signature of Clerk of Court. He sent me word he had it signed and sent it off did not state to whom. Please let me know if such was received as I have not herd [sic] anything from or received anything rejecting it. If not will you send me a blank as per the laws, as passed by the last legislature and a copy of the law as then amended. I write you not knowing positively the secretary of board pension ?. In complying with above you will much oblige your very needy ?. Respectfully yours, F. A. Bell Campville or Hawthorne, Fla. ******************************************************************************************* Soldier's Application for Pension STATE OF FLORDIA,} Alachua County,} On this first day of October, 1901, personally appeared before me, Clerk of the Circuit Court in and for said county and State, Francis A. Bell who being by me duly sworn, declares he is the identical person who enlisted on or about the 15th day of May, 1863, in Captain Samuel F. Rou's Company, county of Alachua, in the State of Florida, and that while in actual service in said company, 2nd Fla. Cavalry Regiment, of the State of Florida, and in line of duty as such soldier, at ____, State of ____ on or about the ____ day of ____, 186_, and was honorably discharged at the expiration of my service on the 17th day of May 1865 in Baker county, State Florida, I certify that while a soldier of the southern Confederacy in active service in line of duty at or about the time of the battle of Ocean Pond near Olustee Baker County Fla. about 10th to 20th Feb. 1864 I contracted measles from which I relapsed and continued to relapse at various times, until eventually became unable to earn a living for myself by manual labor. It has bee a cause of considerable expense in medicine and doctor bills and from which I continue to suffer sometime intensely and that as the direct result of said injuries, thus received in line of duty during the war, I am now unable to gain a livelihood by manual labor; that I have continuously since January 1st, 1885, been a citizen of Florida; that neither I, nor my wife, nor both combined, own real and personal property to the value of $800 in this or any other State, and have not purposely disposed of our property for the purpose of availing ourselves of the provisions of the pension laws of Florida; that I am not otherwise enabled, or in a position to earn, and have no income from any source sufficient for a livelihood by manual labor, and that I never deserted the Confederate service, and that I receive a pension from no other source. Francis A. Bell P. O. Address Rex, Florida Sworn and subscribed before me this 1st day of October, 1901. H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court Alachua County I do solemnly swear that I was born on the 30 day of December in 1826 Lancaster county, State of South Carolina, and that I am now past the age of sixty five (65) years; that I was bona fide citizen of this State on January, A. D. 1885, and have continuously resided in this State since that date; that I do not own property, real or person, or real and personal, to the value of eight hundred dollars ($800), and that I am by reason of age incapable of providing a living by manual labor for myself. Francis A. Bell P. O. Address: Rex, Florida Sworn and subscribed before me this 1st day of October, 1901. H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court Alachua County We do solemnly swear that we personally knew ____ the above applicant for pension during the Civil War of 1861 to 1865, that we served with him in ____ Company ____ Regiment, and know of our own knowledge that he never deserted the Confederate Army. J. B. Dell Late of 2 Lieut. Co. F Reg. 2 Fla. Cav. Sworn and subscribed before me this 3rd day of October 1901. H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court We do solemnly swear that we are familiar with the value of all the property owned by Francis A. Bell and his wife, directly or indirectly, in this or any other State, and that the actual combined value thereof does not exceed $800; that they have not disposed of any property for the purpose of availing themselves of the provisions of the pension laws of Florida, and that he is not physically or otherwise able, or in a position to earn a livelihood, by manual labor. L. M. Bell P. O. Address: Gainesville, Fla. W. D. Dickinson P. O. Address: Gainesville, Fla. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 1st day of October, 1901. H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court We, the undersigned physicians, residents of the State and county aforesaid, do solemnly swear that we have carefully examined Francis A. Bell, who is personally known to us to be the person above applying for a pension under the laws of Florida, and find that from age and weakened constitution as a result of disease and exposure in the Confederate service he is incapable of providing a living for himself. J. H. Hodges, M. D. Residence: Gainesville, Fla. R. A. Lancaster, M. D. Residence: Gainesville Sworn and subscribed before me this 1st day of October, 1901. H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court I certify that the above affidavits are genuine; that all of the affiants are persons of respectability and good reputation, and their statements are worthy of belief; that the attesting officers are duly authorized to attest said affidavits, and that their signatures thereto are genuine. H. C. Denton Clerk of Circuit Court We, the undersigned County Commissioners of Alachua county, Florida, do hereby certify that we have carefully investigated the above application for pension made by Francis A. Bell and are satisfied that the conditions and alleged facts therein stated are true and correct, and that he is legally and justly entitled to the pension provided by the act, approved May 3, 1901. T. F. Thomas, Chairman T. C. Bryant P. G. Ramsey J. G. Dampier County Commissioners By the County Commissioners, Attest: H. C. Denton Clerk Circuit Court ******************************************************************************************* Rex, Fla. Sep. Honorable Board of Pensions, Tallahassee, Fla. Gentlemen: Under the late act of the Legislature provision was made for the entirely disabled soldiers. I, a pensioner make application for this. By affliction and age - being in my eighty-first year - and so near, but no quite blind, but so nearly so, as to be watched and guided about and even if I were physically able could not see to make a support for myself. The accompanying affidavit will, I hope, be entirely satisfactory. I have no income nor revenue, but what comes from the state. Yours respectfully, F. A. Bell Per A. B. J. ******************************************************************************************* Rex, Fla. Sept. 21 - 07 Florida State Board of Pensions, Tallahassee, Fla. Gentlemen: I have this day made examination of Mr. Francis A. Bell of this place. I find him almost totally blind requiring the aid of a relative to guide him even about the ?. This condition has existed for the past two years. He is now 81 years of age and is also a sufferer from chronic bronchitis. I consider him totally disabled. Very Respectfully, W. C. Ch?, M. D. Hawthorne, Fla. Sworn to subscribed before me this 24th day of September A. D. 1907. Thomas J. Hammond Notary Public ******************************************************************************************* Soldier's Pension Claim Under The Act Of 1909 (FORM A) STATE OF FLORIDA} County of Lake} On this 31 day of July, A. D. One Thousand Nine Hundred and nine personally appeared before me, a notary public in and for the county and State aforesaid, Francis A. Bell who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is 82 years of age, having been born on the 30 day of Dec., 1826, in the county of Lancaster, in the State of SC. That he is a bona fide citizen of the county of Lake, State of Florida. That he has resided in the State of Florida continuously since the 1st day of Mar., 1860. That he is the identical person who enlisted at Camp Finnegan, under the name of F. A. Bell, on the ____ day of May 1863, in Company Rou's Co. 2 Fla. Cavalry of the State of Fla. in the service of the Confederacy and who was HONORABLY DISCHARGED at Gainesville, in the State of Fla., on the ____ day of May, 1865, on account of the close of the war. That I served faithfully until HONORABLY DISCHARGED from the service of the Confederacy in the year 1865, and did not desert the service of the Confederate States nor take the oath of allegiance to the United States until after the surrender of the Confederate Armies. (Here state whereabouts at close of Civil War.) That I was with my command at Camp Darby near Badwin, Fla. That I do not own property, including real estate, personal property, stocks, bonds, mortgages or other collateral securities of any kind in this or any other State, nor does my wife own with me jointly or separately, property to exceed in value the sum of five thousand dollars. That the following is a true and correct statement of all the property owned by me or by my wife, jointly and separately in this or any other State: none That I have heretofore been granted a pension from the State of Florida under pension certificate No. 919, at the rate of $150.00 per annum. That my postoffice address is Umatilla, County of Lake, State of Florida. His X mark: Francis A. Bell Attest: (1) W. T. Shelton (2) F. C. Smith Sworn and subscribed before me, this 31 day of July, 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. F. C. Smith Notary Public (FORM B) STATE OF FLORIDA,} County of Lake} We, the undersigned citizens of Lake County, State of Florida, do hereby certify that we personally know Francis A. Bell, who is an applicant for a pension under the laws of Florida, and that from our own personal knowledge, and from the best information available, we believe that the applicant does not own property (including the property of his wife) to exceed in value the sum of $5,000, and that the statements made by him relative to the value of his property are true and correct. R. P. Guerrant, M. D. W. T. Shelton Sworn and subscribed before me, this 31 day of July, 1909. F. C. Smith Notary Public (FORM C) Physician's Affidavit STATE OF FLORIDA,} County of Lake} Before me personally came W. T. Shelton & R. P. Guerrant, who being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he is a physician; that he is a resident of the State and County aforesaid; that he personally knows Francis A. Bell the applicant named in the foregoing application for a pension. This deponent further says that he has carefully examined the said applicant's physical condition and finds: (Here state nature, character and extent of wounds, disease or disability. Please avoid technical terms.) We find Francis A. Bell totally blind, and debilitated from age and the effects of rheumatism right shoulder emaciated from disease and his condition feeble blindness This deponent further says that the said Francis A. Bell is permanently ____ disabled by reason of such blindness from earning a livelihood for himself by manual labor. W. T. Shelton, M. D. R. P. Guerrant, M. D. Sworn and subscribed before me, this 31st day of July, A. D. 1909. F. C. Smith, N. P. ******************************************************************************************* Report of County Commissioners We, the undersigned, County Commissioners in and for the County of Lake, Florida, do hereby report that at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners held this day, the foregoing application of Francis A. Bell for a pension under the Laws of Florida, was investigated by us; that we are satisfied that the applicant does not own property (including the property of his wife) 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 6 day of Sept., A. D. 1909. (1) W. H. Latimer, Chairman (2) J. C. ? (3) A. L. Russell (4) J. F. McClendon (5) Geo. Woods County Commissioners By the County Commissioners. Attest: H. H. Duncan Clerk Circuit Court ******************************************************************************************* Former Claim No. 919 Application No. 17490 Pensioner No. 2863 Claim For Pension By Francis A. Bell Of Umatilla Postoffice Lake County Filed In Pension Department Sep 15 1909 Approved Sep 23 1909 With pay from Jul 1 1909 At the rate of $150.00 per annum.