CIVIL WAR PENSION APP. - WILLIAM F. WARD, DIXIE 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. ******************************************************************************* State Board of Pensions No. Special Governor Comptroller Treasurer Department Of Pensions, State of Florida, Tallahassee, Fla. June 5, 1923 The Adjutant General, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: W. F. Ward in applying for a pension under the laws of Florida. Claims to have been a member of Home Guards of Florida, Confederate States Army. Please furnish me with the record of this soldier. Yours very truly, Ernest Amos Comptroller ******************************************************************************* War Department The Adjutant General's Office Washington June 11, 1923 Respectfully returned to Ernest Amos, Comptroller State of Florida Tallahassee, Fla. The name W. F. Ward has not been found on the rolls on file in the War Department of any organization that served in the Confederate States Army from the State of Florida. It should be stated, however, that the file of Confederate records is far from complete, and failure to find the name of any person thereon is not conclusive evidence that such person did not serve in the Confederate Army. Benj. Alwood Acting The Adjutant General ******************************************************************************* Soldier's Pension Claim Under General Pension Law of Florida as Amended by Acts of 1921. (FORM A) State of Florida,} County of Dixie} On this 1st day of October, A. D. One Thousand Nine Hundred and twenty-three personally appeared before me, a County Judge in and for the county and State aforesaid, W. F. Ward, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is 77 years of age, having been born on the 1st day of January, 1845, in the county of ____, in the State of Tenn. That he is a bona fide citizen of the county of Dixie, State of Florida. That he has resided in the State of Florida continuously since the 19th day of January, 1864. That he is the identical person who enlisted at Jasper, Florida, under the name of W. F. Ward, on the ____ day of June, 1864, in Company J. J. Johnson's Home Guard of the State of Florida in the service of the Confederate States Army and who was HONORABLY DISCHARGED at Jasper, in the State of Florida, on the ____ day of April, 1865, on account of end of the war. (Here state fully any other military service performed by applicant.) I served eleven months, commencing in June 1864, and was honorable discharged the last of April, 1865. That I served faithfully until HONORABLY DISCHARGED from the service of the Confederate States Army 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 in Hamilton County, Florida, at Jasper, at the end of the war. That I have heretofore applied for a pension from the State of Florida and refer to Claim No. ____ for the proof contained therein. (Here state any disabilities, physical or mental) By Chapter 9230, Act 1923 The Legislature granted pension to applicant but applicant has never received it. That my postoffice address is Fletcher, County of Dixie, State of Florida. W. F. Ward Attest: (2) L. L. Barber (1) W. P. Chavous Sworn and subscribed before me this 1st day of October A. D. 1923; 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. W. P. Chavous Notary Public State of Florida at large ******************************************************************************* State of Florida, Hamilton County Before me the undersigned officer duly authorized to administer oaths, personally came Jack Sowell, who, being first duly sworn says: That he affiant is personally acquainted with W. F. Ward, who, is a resident of Dixie County, Florida, that affiant is 72 years of age, and affiant personally knows that the said W. F. Ward, did serve in Captain J. J. Johnson's Company as Home Guard in the Civil War, as affiant also served in the same Company of Captain J. J. Johnson's, with the said W. F. Ward, that the said W. F. Ward, served in the said Company from June A. D. 1864 until the end of the war in April A. D. 1865 and that the said W. F. Ward, was a faithfully [sic] soldier and never taken the oath of allegiance until after the close of the war. R. J. Sowell Sworn to and subscribed before me this September 10, 1923 A. J. Ward Justice of the Peace ******************************************************************************* State of Florida, Volusia County Before me the undersigned officer duly authorized to administer oaths, personally came Lewis Sowell, who, being first duly sworn says: That he affiant is personally acquainted with W. F. Ward, who, is a resident of Dixie County, Florida, that affiant is 73 years of age, and affiant personally knows that the said W. F. Ward, did serve in Captain J. J. Johnson's Company, as Home Guard in the Civil War, as affiant also served in the same Company of Captain J. J. Johnson's Company with the said W. F. Ward, that the said W. F. Ward, served in the said Company from June A. D. 1864 until the end of the war, and that the said W. F. Ward, was a faithful solider and never taken the oath of allegiance until after the close of the war. His X mark: Lewis Sowell Sworn to and subscribed before me this September 27, 1923. Chas. D. Beers Justice of the Peace ******************************************************************************* State of Florida, Dixie County Before me the undersigned authority duly authorized to administer oaths, personally came D. L. Ward, who, being first duly sworn, says: That he affiant is personally acquainted with W. F. Ward, who is a resident of Dixie County, Florida, that affiant is 71 years old, and affiant personally knows that the said W. F. Ward, did serve in Captain J. J. Johnson's Company as Home Guard in the Civil War, between the States, that the said W. F. Ward, served in the said Company from June A. D. 1864, until the end of the war in April A. D. 1865, and that the said W. F. Ward, was a faithful soldier and never taken the oath of allegiance until after the war. D. L. Ward Sworn to and subscribed before me this October 1st, 1923. L. L. Barber Clerk Circuit Court ******************************************************************************* Report of County Commissioners We, the undersigned, County Commissioners in and for the County of Dixie Florida, do hereby report that at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners held this day, the foregoing application of W. F. Ward for a pension under the Laws of Florida, was investigated by us, and we are satisfied that the representation made in the petition and affidavits are true, and that a pension should be granted to the applicant. Witness our hands this 1st day of October, A. D. 1923. (1) W. T. Green, Chairman (2) R. A. Billot (3) J. H. Butler (4) F. P. Chaires (5) W. P. Chavous County Commissioners By the County Commissioners. Attest: L. L. Barber Clerk Circuit Court ******************************************************************************* Nov. 3rd, 1923 Mr. W. F. Ward, Fletcher, Fla. Dear Sir: I presented your application for pension to the Board at a regular meeting held a few days ago and have been directed by them to advise that the matter has been passed over for further consideration. In the meantime they directed me to write you to endeavor to send additional proof of service. If you will recall you claim to have served in J. J. Johnson's Home Guard Company and you submit the affidavaits of three men, none of whom can be identified as members of that Company. Mr. Lewis Sowell states that he was a member of the Command. As Mr. Sowell is now only seventy-three years of age, his age at the close of the war was only fifteen and the other two men do not claim to have served in the same Command. As the Law in making proof of service requires the affidavits of two comrades, the Board would like very much for you to furnish the affidavits of persons who served in the same Command with you. The matter will be again presented to the Board for further consideration. Yours very truly, Secretary - State Board of Pension W/B ******************************************************************************* Application No. 22501 Claim For Pension By W. F. Ward Of Fletcher, Dixie County Late of J. J. Johnson's Co. of Home Guard Fla. Filed In Pension Department Oct. 5, 1923 Passed over for further consideration