SCHLEY COUNTY, GA - MILITARY PENSION William J. Sears Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Martha Rainey RAINEYM968@aol.com and Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm WIDOW'S PENSION CLAIM Under The Act Of 1909 State of Florida County of Osceola On this 16th day of July, A.D., One Thousand Nine Hundred and Nine, personally appeared before me a ......................in and for the County and Stae aforesaid, Mary F. Sears, a resident of ..................County of Osceola, 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 William J. Sears, who was entitled under the name of .............on the .....day of .............., 186...., in Company..................Regiment of the State of ........................and who was honorably discharged at......................., 186....., on account of................ That he also served .............................................................. .............................................................. ................................... That she was lawfully married to the said William J. Sears under the name of M.F. Green, in the county of Sumter, State of Georgia on the 10th day of July 1872, and that she was not divorced from him and that she has not remaried since his death, which occured on the ..........day of .............., in the couny of Osceola, State of Florida. That she is a resident of Osceola county, Florida, and has continuously resided in the State of Florida, and has continuosly resided in the State of Florida since the ........day of ............................ WIDOW'S PENSION Application to be Signed by Widow Form A I, Mrs. Mary F. Sears, do hereby make application to the State Board of Pensions for a pension to be granted to me under the act of 1907, Chapter 5600, of the Laws of Florida, on the following grounds: I am the widow of William J. Sears, deceased, who departed this life on the ............ day of ............ A.D. ......................in the county of Osceola, in the state of Florida. I was married to him on the 10th day of July A.D., 1872 in the county of Sumter, in the State of Georgia. I have not remarried since the death of my husband, William J. Sears. My husband, the said William J. Sears, enlisted and served in the military service of the Confederate State, Georgia Regiment during the war between the States of the United States, and he did not desert the Confederate States service. I have been a resident ofr the State of Florida for ten consecutive years prior to the date of this application, and I am not receiving a pension from any other state. Mary F. Sears (signed), applicant Kissimmee, Post Office. State of Georgia County of Schley Before me, E.B. Barrow, Clerk of the Superior Court in and for said County and State, personally came Mrs. Mary F. Sears, who, being duly sworn by me depses and says that she is the applicant named to the foregoing petition, and that the statements therein made are true. Sworn to and subscribed before at Ellaville, Georgia, this 10th day of August, A.D. 1907. E.B. Barrow (signed) Clerk of Superior Court Schley County, Ga. Questions to be Answered by Applicant Form B State of Georgia Schley County On this 10th day of August A.D., 1907, before me E.B.Barrow, Clerk of the Superior Court in and for said county and state, personally came Mary F. Sears, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes and says that the answers written herein to the following questions, numbered from 1 to 12, inclusive are true: 1. What is your name, and where and when were you born? Mary F. Sears, Lee Co., Ga., on the 6th day of February 1835. 2. Are you the widow of William J. Sears? Answer, Yes. 3. When are where were you married to William J. Sears? Answer, at Americus, Georgia on the 10th day of July 1872. 4. When and where did he die? Answer, At Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, on the 26th day of March 1900. 5. Have you remarried since the death of your husband? NO 6. When and in what company or organization did your husband enlist during the war between the states? On the 11th day of May 1861, Schley County Guards. 7. Dis he desert that service? NO 8. Of what Stae and County are you a resident? Osceola County, Florida. 9. How long have you resided in this state? twenty-five years. 10. From what date have you continuously resided in this State? 1811 or 1882. 11. Have you lived in any other State than Florida? In Georgia before moving here as above. 12. If you answer yes, give name of State or States and when you resided there. I have not resided in any other state since 1881 or 1882 as above. Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 10th day of August A.D. 1907. E.B. Barrow, Clerk of the Court. Mary F. Sears (signed) Applicant Questions for Witnesses Form C State of Georgia County of Schley Before me, E.B. Barrow, Clerk of the Superior Court, in and for said county and State, personally came T.J. Hixon and Wm. Allen who appeared as witnesses in support of the application of Mrs. Mary F. Sears, for an annuity under the laws of the state of Florida providing for annuities for widows of deceased Confederate soldiers and sailors of the State of Florida, and said witnesses, after being duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, each for himself deposes and and says: 1. What is your name and where do you reside? T. J. Hixon, Ellaville, Schley Co., Ga. & Wm Allen, same palce and State. 2. How long have you know the applicant? 55 years 3. Where does she reside and how long has she been a resident of that state? She resides in Florida and has resided there for the past 25 or 26 years. 4. Were you acquainted with her husband? Yes 5. Where and to whom was she married? She was married to William J. Sears at Americus, Ga. in 1872. 6. Is he dead? If so, when and where did he die? Yes, died on the 26th day of March, 1900. 7. Was he a soldier or sailor in the State of Confederate service during the war between the states? He was a soldier in the Confederate service during the war between the states. 8. When did he enlist, and in what organization? On 4th day of May 1861 with the Schley Guards and was soon elected Captain of said Company. 9. When was he discharged and for what cause? NO 10. Where and in what campaigns did he perform regular military duty? Tenn. & Fla. 11. Were either or both of you members of the same Company or Regiment with him? Yes, both of us went with him to war. 12. Did he desert the Confederate or State service? NO 13. Were either of you with the command when it surrendered? NO, both in the hospital and W.J. Sears was then in the hospital service. 14. Was William J. Sears, the husband of the applicant, present when the command was surrendered? NO 15. If not, where was he? He had been transferred to Hospital service before command surrendered. 16. When did he leave his command? He was transferred in 1865 as army surgeon. 17. Have you any personal or financial interest in the granting of this annuity to the applicant? NO Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of August A.D. 1907. E.B. Barrow, Clerk Superior Court T.J. Hixon (signed) William Allen (signed) Form D State of Georgia Schley County I, E.B. Barrow, Clerk of the Superior Court in and for said County and State, do hereby certify that the witnesses named in the foregoing affadavit are reliable and trustworthy persons, and their statements are entitled to ful faith and credit. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the Superior Court, this 10th day of August A.D. 1907. E.B. Barrow, Clerk Superior Court. Form E We, the undersigned members of the Board of County Commissioners in and for Osceola County, Florida, do hereby certify that at a meeting of said Board of County Commissioners, held on the 2nd day of September A.D. 1907, the foregoing application for an annuity in behalf of Mrs. Mary F. Sears was presented to the said Board and the same was thereupon duly investigated. We do further certify that in our opinion the said application is just, and should be granted. Walter Bass Sr., Chairman (signed) J.H. Walker (signed) W.R. Godwin (signed) J.R. Bronson (signed) J.G. Stratton (signed) County Commissioners By the County Commissioners--Attest: E.L. Lesley (signed) Clerk Circuit Court by Arthur E. Donegan, D.C. State of Florida County of Osceola Before me personally came A.E. Donegan, who first being duly sworn says that he is familiar with the signature of Mrs. Mary F. Sears and that the signature to the application of pension as above is her signature. Futher that she has to his personal knowledge resided in the county of Osceola for more than fifteen years and that she still resides inthe county of Osceola and that she is the widow of the late Dr. W.J. Sears. Arthur E. Donegan (signed) Sworn and subscribed before me this 16th dayof August, 1907. W.R. Johnston (signed) County Judge. State of Florida County of Osceola Before me personally came C.A. Carson, who first being duly sworn says that he is familiar with the signature of Mrs. Mary F. Sears and that the signature to the above application for pension is her signature. Further that she has resided in the county of Osceola and Stae of Florida for more than 20 years to his personal knowledge and that she still resides in said county and state but is at present on a visit to relatives in Georgia. Further that she is the widow of the late Dr. W.J. Sears. Sworn to and subscribed before me this ___ day of August, 1907. C.A. Carson (signed)