CIVIL WAR PENSION APP. - HENRY TOWNSEND SEE, UNION CO., FL

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Application No.  23863

Soldier's Pension Claim
Under General Pension Law of Florida as Amended by Acts of 1925.

(FORM A)

State of Florida,}
County of Gilchrist,}

On this 7 day of July, A. D. One Thousand Nine Hundred and thirty-one personally 
appeared before me, a notary public in and for the county and State aforesaid, Henry
Townsend See, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is about 82 
years of age, having been born June, 1849, in the county of Alachua, in the 
State of Florida.  That he is a bona fide citizen of the county of Union, State of 
Florida.  That he has resided in the State of Florida continuously since June, 1849.

That he is the identical person who enlisted at Old Newnansville, under the name of 
Henry Townsend See upon Declaration of the War, 1865 in Company Home Guard, 
Regiment Underwood's of the State of Florida in the service of the Home Guards and 
who was HONORABLY DISCHARGED at Olustee, in the State of Florida at the close of 
the war, 1865, on account of war closing.

(Here state any other military service performed by applicant.)

Drilled as a Home Guard for about three months.

That I served faithfully until HONORABLY DISCHARGED from the service of the State 
of Florida as a Home Guard in the year 1865, and did not desert the service of the 
State of Florida 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 near Olustee, Fla.

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.)

Suffer from kidney trouble and heart trouble.

That my postoffice address is Worthington Springs, County of Union, State of Florida.

His X mark:  Henry Townsend See

Attest:

(1) R. B. Sanders
(2) G. C. Dame

Sworn and subscribed before me this 7th day of June A. D. 1931; 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.

H. E. Hadley
Notary Public, State of Florida at Large

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Report of County Commissioners

We, the undersigned, County Commissioners in and for the County of Union, Florida, 
do hereby report that at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners held this 
day, the foregoing application of Henry Townsend See 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 5th day of October, A. D. 1931.

(1) S. M. Dukes, Chairman
(2) W. S. Croft
(3) B. E. Brown
(4) Hassie Hurst
(5) J. M. Conner
County Commissioners

By the County Commissioners.  Attest:

S. T. Dowling
Clerk Circuit Court

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State of Florida,}
Gilchrist County}

On this 7th day of July A. D. 1931 personally appeared before me the undersigned 
authority, Sim Osteen, who being duly sworn deposes and says that he knows and has 
known, Henry Townsend See, practically ever since he was a small child.  At the 
commencement of the Civil War he was at least twelve years old or older and he 
drilled in Underwood's Co. of Home Guards at Old Newnansville, Fla. with the rest 
of the Home Guards.  At the close of the war he was mustered out with the rest of 
the Home Guards and I know that he really put in services as a Home Guard.

His X mark:  Sim Osteen

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 7th day of July, A. D. 1931.

H. E. Hadley
Notary Public, State of Florida at Large

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State of Florida,}
Gilchrist County}

On this 8th day of July A. D. 1931 personally appeared before me the undersigned 
authority, J. W. Harper, who being duly sworn deposes and says that he has known 
Henry Townsend See for about seventy years, which time is since the Civil War broke 
out and that he was at least twelve years old at this time. And that Henry Townsend 
See enlisted in Underwood's Co. of Home Guards at Old Newnansville, Fla. at the 
commencement of the war and drilled with the Home Guards and was mustered out with 
the rest at the close of the war at Olustee, Fla.  He really put in service as a 
Home Guard.

J. W. Harper

Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 8th day of July A. D. 1931.

H. E. Hadley
Notary Public, State of Florida at Large

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January 13, 1933

Hon. J. M. Lee, Comptroller
Tallahassee, Florida

Dear Friend:

In re:  Mr. Henry Townsend See, Worthington Springs, Florida

On December 31, 1931, the Secretary of the Pension Board wrote Mr. Henry Townsend 
See, Worthington Springs, Fla., that his pension application had been denied on 
account of the fact that he was not old enough to have been in the military service 
of the Confederate Army.  Recently some of his friends who know him and who served 
in the Company with him came here to Bronson and talked to me about the matter and 
I named today as time and place for them to come to my office and I would take their 
affidavits as to the facts.  Therefore, I am enclosing you the affidavit of Mr. Sim 
Osteen, and the affidavit of Mr. J. W. Harper, who both served in this Company with 
Henry Townsend See, and who have stated and related the facts in detail.

If your rolls show that Henry Townsend See was a member of this Company, then these 
two affidavits certainly show that he was a member of the Company and performed the 
services, the same as these two affiants did, and they are both on the pension roll.
Whoever filled out the application for this soldier evidently did not question him 
closely enough in reference to his age.  You and the other members of the Pension 
Board are aware of the fact that many of these old soldiers are unable to give the 
year, month and day of their birth, but they can give you almost as a certainty how 
old they are in years.  

If Henry Townsend See was a member of this Company, as these proofs show, and did 
not desert the service, I cannot see why his application should be denied.  I am 
asking you to reopen his case and file these two affidavits therewith and again 
consider his application.  If you need further evidence as to his service, in this 
Company, I am satisfied it can be furnished to you.

Your Friend,

John R. Willis, Atty.

JRW_K
encl.

State of Florida,
Levy County

Before me, the undersigned authority, personally appeared J. W. Harper, who, being 
first duly sworn, on his oath says that he is between 83 and 84 years of age; that 
he now lives and resides in Gilchrist County, Florida, formerly a part of Alachua 
County, Florida; that he now gets a Confederate Soldier's pension from the State of
Florida, because he was a member of Captain Underwood's Company; that affiant 
enlisted in Captain Underwood's Company at old Newnansville, then in Alachua County,
Florida; that he served in said Company approximately 13 months before the close of 
the War.  That affiant was discharged from the service at Olustee, Florida, and 
mustered out of the service at the close of the war at Olustee.

Affiant further says that in that Company, as a member thereof, was one Henry 
Townsend See, now of Worthington Springs, Florida.  Affiant further says that Henry 
Townsend See was a member of and in Captain Underwood's Company when affiant joined 
said Company; that he was not acquainted with Henry Townsend See prior to the time 
that affiant went into Captain Underwood's Company, but affiant got acquainted with 
Henry Townsend See in said Company and was well acquainted with him, and affiant 
has been acquainted with him ever since.

Affiant further says that to the best of his recollection Henry Townsend See was 
discharged from the services at Olustee, Florida, at the close of the war when 
affiant was discharged; that Henry Townsend See was a private in said Company.   

Affiant further says that he does not know Henry Townsend See's age; that he was a 
young man like the other members of said Company were, in other words, affiant 
classed the members of said Company as boys, but Henry Townsend See looked and 
affiant believed him to be about the age of affiant.

Affiant further says that he is no relation to Henry Townsend See, and has no 
interest in the result of this pension application.

His X mark:  J. W. Harper

Witnesses to signature:  Nadine L. Kirkland
                         John R. Willis

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 13 day of January A. D. 1933.

L. W. Drummond
Notary Public

State of Florida, 
Levy County

Before me, the undersigned authority, duly authorized to administer oaths and take 
acknowledgements, personally came Sim Osteen, who, being first duly sworn, on his 
oath says that he is a citizen and resident of Gilchrist County, Florida; that 
affiant is between 84 and 85 years of age and is on the Pension Roll of the State 
of Florida and is drawing a Confederate Soldier's pension.  That affiant was a 
member of Captain Underwood's Company and joined said company and enlisted at Old 
Newnansville, in Alachua County, Florida; affiant further says that he remained in 
said Company until the close of the War and was discharged from said Company at 
Olustee, Florida.

Affiant further says that he is well acquainted with J. W. Harper, who was a member 
of said Company, and who has this day made an affidavit; that affiant also is 
acquainted with Henry Townsend See, who now lives at Worthington Springs, Florida, 
and that Henry Townsend See was a member of Captain Underwood's Company when affiant
joined said Company, and that Henry Townsend See remained a member of said Company 
and was discharged at Olustee, Florida, at the close of the War, at the same time 
that affiant was discharged, and J. W. Harper was discharged.

Affiant further says that he has known Henry Townsend See ever since the close of 
the Civil War; that affiant does not know the birthday of Henry Townsend See, but 
affiant says that Henry Townsend See when he was a member of Captain Underwood's 
Company appeared to affiant to be as old as affiant was, and as old as J. W. Harper,
and most of the other members of said Company.  In fact most of the members of 
Captain Underwood's Company were young men or boys under 21 years of age, and that 
they called affiant and the other members of said Company "Home Guards."

Affiant further says that his no relation to Henry Townsend See and has no interest 
in the result of this application.

His X mark:  Sim Osteen

Witnesses to signature:  Nadine L. Kirkland
                         John R. Willis

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 13 day of January, A. D. 1933.

L. W. Drummond
Notary Public

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Claim For Pension
By
Henry Townsend See
Of Worthington Springs, Union County
Late of Underwood's Company
H. G. of Fla.
Filed In Pension Department 
Oct. 9, 1931
Denied by Pension Board
Dec 21, 1931
Denied by Pension Board
Jul 27, 1933

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July 28th, 1933

Mr. Henry Townsend See
Worthington Springs, Fla.

Dear Mr. See:

I regret very much indeed to advise you that your claim for pension has been 
considered by the Pension Board and denied because of unsatisfactory proof of 
service.

Yours very truly,

Secretary, Pension Board

/B

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Feb. 27th, 1936

Mr. Henry Townsend See
Worthing [sic] Springs, Fla.

Dear Mr. See:

With reference to your application for pension, I wish to advise that the matter 
was presented to the Pension Board at a meeting yesterday for their attention and 
after due consideration it was denied.

With kind regards, I am,

Yours very truly

Secretary
Pension Board

/B

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Oct. 24th, 1936

Mr. Henry Townsend See
Worthington Springs, Fla.

Dear Mr. See:

I regret to advise that your claim for pension was denied at a Pension Board meeting
held on October 21st after careful consideration.

Yours very truly

Secretary
State Pension Board

/B