Pension Files, Civil War, Adair County KY: Jeremiah POLSTON (13th KY Cavalry) Submitted By: Edith Bastin Submission Date: 21-Nov-2001 Source: Copied, summarized & transcribed from the National Archives Military Records, National Archives Pension Files, and the "Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky- Civil War - Union Soldiers, Volume I by Glenda & Edith Bastin *********************************************** Jeremiah POLSTON Volume 1, page 361 Company F, 13th KY Volunteer Cavalry Enrolled: 28-Sep-1863 for one-year term Mustered In: 23-Dec-1863 at Columbia KY Mustered Out: 10-Jan-1865 at Camp Nelson KY Pension File # 677476 Rank: Farrier (Blacksmith) *********************************************** The bulk of the Pension file contains pension application requests and affidavits made on behalf of Solomon Polston, the father of Jeremiah POLSTON. Jeremiah's father was petitioning to receive a military pension based on his deceased son's service in the Union Army. He was claiming to be a "dependent father" who had relied upon his son as his means of support. Jeremiah POLSTON: BORN: about 1845 or 1846 (His father states that Jeremiah was about 17 or 18 years old when he enlisted in the Union Army in 1863). PARENTS' NAMES: Father = Solomon POLSTON; Mother's name not given. MARITAL STATUS: Jeremiah was never married and had no children. DIED: Feb-1866. CAUSE OF DEATH: Gunshot Wounds. Jeremiah POLSTON's father states that his son was murdered by Dani or Davi (handwriting not clear) SMITH. In the pension application submitted by Solomon POLSTON on 21-May-1898 in Fentress County TN, Solomon POLSTON stated that his " . . son was murdered after the War closed on ... day of Feby 1866 by one man Dani (Davi?) SMITH who had a grudge against him Jeremiah POLSTON and Killed him through in Coldblood at or near Albany (KY). . . peace was not made in this part of the county for years after the War closed and an Ex-Union Soldier was not safe here. . . " Solomon POLSTON's application for a pension based on his claim as a "dependent father" was rejected on the following grounds: " . .death of soldier was not due to his military service . . Claimant states in his declaration that soldier was murdered in Feby 1866." Rejection did not stop Solomon from trying again. In September of 1898, Solomon stated that he " . . is 79 years old.... and feeble and forgot to note on the earlier application that his son was hit in the head with a rock by a man by the name of SUMMERS(?) while they were in the service before (and that) . . after Jerry came home he was still suffering from the wound and never did recover from it to his death which occurred in 1866. . I think a short time after the war closed, he was hit on the head with a rock. . some time I think in 1864, in the fall. He came home and stayed a good while at home and went back to the service and got his discharge and returned home. He was suffering all the time with his head especially when he caught cold his brain was affected... when he returned home in 1864 or 1865 he was all crippled up in his health and his mind partially gone and was not himself anymore. I heard that he was in Service of the U.S. when he was hit on the head with rock and that he was never any more fit for any kind of work except ride around and light work . . ". The witnesses on this application were James POLSTON of Albany KY, Levi POLSTON of Monme (? spelling) TN, Greenberry POLSTON of Albany KY, & Samuel MALONE of Jamestown TN. Solomon POLSTON made numerous applications for a "dependent father" pension: (1)He first filed an application in 1886 at Albany KY; (2,3)In 1898, he filed 2 applications from Jamestown, Fentress County TN where he was living at the time. (4)The following year, he re-submitted his request on 12-Oct-1899, again from Fentress County TN. On this application, he makes a couple of interesting comments. He states that his son died of gunshot wounds at " . . my house . . ", which was near Albany KY. Solomon also states that he married Jeremiah's mother (whom he never mentions by name) " . . in KY on or about September 1843 or 1844 . . ". At least, he remembered when she died: 06-Apr-1878. (5)On 14-Sep-1901, James POLSTON (46 years old) and W. L. CRAIG (45 years old), residents of Savage, Clinton County KY, gave affidavits on behalf of Solomon POLSTON, Sr. In their statements they stated that Jerrymiah POLSTON was the son of Solomon POLSTON, Sr., that they were well-acquainted with both men, that they knew that " . . Jerrymiah was killed . . " because they " . . seen him after he was killed and Scen him buried . . " They also stated that Jerrymiah was living with his father when he was killed. (6,7)Solomon POLSTON tried twice more to obtain the pension in 1905. He stated that he was now 87 years old. Interestingly enough, he gives the wrong Company and wrong discharge date. In these documents, he states that Jeremiah had been in Company G (or C, ? spelling) of the 32nd KY Regular Infantry, and that he was discharged on 12-Aug-1863 in Danville KY. SIBLINGS OF JEREMIAH - When an application is made for a pension for a military veteran's dependents, the application forms require the names and birthdates of that individual's dependents who are under the age of 16 years at the time of the veteran's death. Since Solomon was claiming to be dependent on Jeremiah but was obviously over the age of 16 years old, he listed the siblings of Jeremiah who were in his household. Only those siblings under the age of 16 were listed. The records do not state if there were other siblings who were older than 16. Jeremiah's siblings were listed as follows: Solomon POLSTON (son) - born 1853 Lean POLSTON (daughter) - born 1855 Lewis POLSTON (son) - born 1857 James POLSTON (son) - born 1857 George Alfred POLSTON (son) - born 1859 Sarah Jane POLSTON (daughter) - born 1862 Tom Harrison POLSTON (son) - born 1864 Surnames: CRAIG, MALONE, POLSTON, SMITH, SUMMERS *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. Commercial entities must ask for and receive permission from submittor before downloading. ***********************************************************************