Baldwin Co, GA Civil War Widow's Indigent Pension Application Contributed By: Diane Heap (tnheritage@yahoo.com) Widow’s Indigent Pension Georgia Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Brake of Baldwin County, widow of Benjamin F. Brake of Prudens Battery Regiment. 1901 Widow’s Indigent Pension Mrs. Sarah E. Brake, of Baldwin County, Georgia desiring to avail herself of the Pension allowed to Indigent Widows of Confederate Soldiers, under Act of General Assembly, passed November 1900, hereby submits her proofs,and after being duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows: 1. What is your name and where do you reside: Sarah E. Brake in Georgia in Baldwin County in Milledgeville. 2. How long and since when have you been a resident of this State: Have lived in Georgia all my life 71 years. 3. When and where were you born: Was born in Baldwin County Georgia on January 25, 1830. 4. When and where was your husband born – state his full name, and when were you and he married? Benj. F. Brake, my husband, was born in Hancock County Ga in the year 1818. We married Sept 3, 1845. 5. When and where, and in what Company and Regiment did your husband enlist or serve during the war between the States? He enlisted in Prudens Battery in Milledgeville Ga in 1863. 6. How long did your husband serve in said Company and Regiment? Two years. 7. When and where did your husband’s Company and Regiment surrender and was discharged? In Milledgeville Ga in May 1865. 8. Was your husband present at the time and place when his Company and Regiment surrendered? He was. 9. If not with his command at surrender, state clearly and specifically where he was, when he left command, for what cause, and by what authority? He was present. 10. When and where did your husband die? He died in Baldwin County on May 8, 1878. 11. Which of the following grounds do you base your application for pension, vis: First- age and poverty; Second – Infirmity and poverty, or Third – Blindness and poverty? On the first and second. 12. If upon the first ground, state how long you have been in such a condition that you cannot earn your support. If upon the second, give a full and complete history of the infirmity and its extent. If upon the third, state whether you are totally blind, and when and where you lost your sight? Have been unable to work for about 8 years. 13. What has been your occupation since your husband’s death? Housework as long as I could work. For the last 8 years have done nothing. 14. How much can you earn gross, by your own exertion or labor? Nothing. 15. What property, real or personal, or income do you have or possess and its gross value? Nothing, I own no property and possess no income. 16. What property, real or personal, did you possess at death of husband or he left you, and of the year 1899-1900, and what disposition if any, by sale or gift have you made of the same? I owned no property at the death of my husband nor did he leave me anything. I owned nothing in 1899 and 1900. 17. In what counties did you reside in 1899 and 1900 and what property did you return for taxation? In Baldwin County and returned no property for taxation. 18. How have you been supported since death of husband, and especially for 1899 and 1900? Have been supported since my husband’s death and during year 1899 and 1900 by my relatives. 19. How much did your support cost for each of those years, and how much did you contribute by your own labor or income? My support cost not less than $100 and I contributed nothing to it. 20. What was your employment during 1899 and 1900 – how much did you receive for each year? I had no employment and received nothing. 21. Have you a family? If so, who composes such family? Give their means of support. Have they any lands or other property? Yes, children, J.A., W.J., C.M. and R.L. Brake, Sallie Emma, Eula and Minnie Brake. None owns any lands or property and work for a living. 22. Have you ever made an application for pension before? No. 23. How many applications have you made for a Pension, and under what class? None. Sworn and subscribed before me this 1 day of March 1901, Edward R. Harris, ordinary of Baldwin County. Sarah E. Brake. H.M. Rose of Baldwin County Georgia having been presented as a witness in support of the application of Mrs. Sarah E. Brake for a Pension under the Act of November 1900, and after having been duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows: 1. What is your name and where do you reside? H.M. Rose, I reside in Milledgeville, Baldwin Co., Ga. 2. Are you acquainted with the applicant, Mrs. Sarah E. Brake? If so how long have you known her? I am and have known her all my life, about 60 years. 3. Where does she reside and how long and since when has she been a resident of this State? She lives in Baldwin County Ga and has been a resident of Georgia all her life. 4. When and where was she born? Baldwin County, Georgia in 1830. 5. Were you acquainted with her husband? I was. 6. Where did he reside in 1861? Baldwin County, GA. 7. When and to whom was he married. To Miss Sarah Calloway in 1845. 8. When and where was he born: In Hancock County in 1818. 9. How long have you known him? Have known him since 1860. 10. When and where did Benjamin F. Brake enlist in the war between the States and in what Company and Regiment did he enlist and how do you know this? He enlisted in Milledgeville, Ga in 1863 in Prudens Battery. I was with him and enlisted in same command. 11. Were you a member of the same Company and Regiment? I was. 12. How long did he perform regular military duty? About two years, until end of war. 13. When and where was his Company and Regiment surrendered and discharged from service? Surrendered in May 1868 in Milledgeville, Ga. 14. Were you with the command when it surrendered? I was. 15. Was Benj. F. Brake the husband of applicant present? He was. 16. If not present, where was he? He was present. 17. When and where did he leave his Command? How do you know this? I know this for I was in the same command and saw him and was present. 18. When and where did Benj F. Brake die? In Baldwin County in 1878. 19. Where did he reside at his death and how long had he been a resident of Georgia at his death? In Baldwin County and had lived here all his life. 20. Do you of your own knowledge know that applicant is the lawful widow of Benj. F. Brake? I do. 21. Has she remained unmarried since her soldier husband’s death and is now his widow? She has and is now his widow. 22. What property, effects or income has the applicant, if any, and how do you know this of your own knowledge. She has no property of no kind and is destitute. I know her intimately and know she has nothing. 23. What property, effects or income did applicant possess in 1899 and 1900 and what disposition did she make of it. Nothing whatever. 24. Has applicant conveyed any property in last two years or given any away. If so what was it and to whom? She has conveyed nothing. 25. What is applicant’s physical condition and her chances and ability to earn a support? She is old and feeble and suffers from rheumatism. 26. Is applicant able to earn a support at labor of any sort? If not, why? She is not for the reason that she is feeble, old and unable to work. 27. How was she supported for 1899 and 1900? By children and friends. 28. How much did applicant contribute to her support for the last two years? Nothing whatever. 29. Give a full and complete statement of applicant’s physical condition? Old, feeble and suffers from rheumatism. 30. What interest have you in the recovery of this pension by the applicant? None whatever. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 13 day of March 1901. Edward R. Hires?, Ordinary, Baldwin County. H.M. Rose, witness. Affidavits of Physicians State of Georgia, Baldwin County. Personally before me comes W.R. Robison MD and Roger Smith MD both known to me to be reputable physicians of said county, who, being severally sworn, say on oath that they have examined carefully Mrs. Sarah E. Brake applicant for a Pension under Act of 1900 and after such personal examination say that her physical condition is that she is now seventy one years of age and from natural infirmaties and chronic rheumatism she is not able to make a support. Sworn and subscribed on 14 March 1901. W. R. Robison MD and R G. Smith MD. Ordinary’s Certificate State of Georgia, Baldwin County. I, Edward R. Hines? Harris? Ordinary in and for said county, hereby certify that the applicant, Mrs. Sarah E. Brake resides in said county, and has been a bona fide resident of this State since 25 January 1830 and that the witnesses, Mr. H.M. Rose, W.R. Robison and R.G. Smith are of trustworthy character, and that their statements are entitled to full faith and credit. I further certify that the tax digest of Baldwin county shows that applicant returned for taxation in her own name in 1899 no dollars worth of property and in 1900 no dollars worth of property. Edward R. Hines? Ordinary, Baldwin County. 1905 Pension Application # 553 State of Georgia, County of Baldwin. Personally comes Mrs. Sarah E. Brake who being sworn says on oath, that she is a bona fide resident of said County of Baldwin State of Georgia and that she has resided in said State continuously ever since “all my life”. That she is the widow of Benjamin F. Brake who was a soldier in Company Prudens Battery, that he enlisted in said regiment on or about the month of (blank) 1863 and served in the Army up to the close of the war 1865. That he died on (blank) day of (blank) 1879 of age, infirmity and poverty. Deponent swears that she was the wife of said deceased soldier during his service in the Army as a soldier and that she has never married since his death aforesaid, and that she became his wife in the year 1858. I have been allowed an Indigent pension as a resident of Baldwin County, under Act 1900 for the year 1905 and now apply for the pension provided by law for the year ending December 31, 1906. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 8 day of January 1906, M.C. Stanbridge, Ordinary. Mrs. Sarah E. Brake, Post Office: Milledgeville. A similar form was filled out for 1906 and 1907 with the following additions or changes: In 1907 she stated that he served until 26 April 1865 and died in 1886. ******************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. 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