Civil War Pension File: Washington C. Askins: Breckinridge County, Kentucky Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Penny Starr, pstarr20@mchsi.com ****************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use them 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 and file permanently for free access. Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************************************** Washington Columbus Askins: Disability Pension Claim, National Archives Pension File Number 990731 - Summary "History of Claimant's Disability" State of Kentucky, County of Breckinridge ss: In the matter of the original invalid pension claim No. 749-117, of W. C. Askin on this 4th day of March A. D. 1890, personally appeared before me, a Notary Public in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths, Washington C. Askin aged 47 years, a resident of Trisler in the County of Ohio and State of Kentucky well know to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declares in relation to aforesaid case as follows: My Post Office address is Trisler Ohio Co KY. Since my discharge from said service on the 8th of October 1862, I have resided in Breckinridge County, Ky until sometime in the fall of 1863 I went to Missouri State. In 1872 I returned to Breckinridge County Ky were I have residence ever since and that my occupation has been that of a Farmer. I further state that the disability for which a pension is claimed arises from Typhoid fever affects which was contracted at Calhoun Ky while in the U.S. Service. In line of duty, he contracted Typhoid fever, which has effected his lungs very much and has had a continuous cough ever since. Said fever also effected my eyes which effection has increasd to almost entire loss of sight of left eye and injury to right. From my said discharge to present time, I have received the following medical treatment for said disease: Dr. Cooper of Rockvale Ky treated me from my return from army in 1862 until 1863 when I went west. While there I received treatment as shown in my inability affidavit accompanying this. Since my return to Ky in 1872 I have had treatment all the way to the present time, from Drs W. M. Cooper of Rockvle, J. W. Meador of Trisler, Ohio Co Ky, D. M. Matthews and R. J. Dempster both of Rockvale Ky. The treatment like my disability has been almost continuous so that I cannot give dates of treatment. And during all of the said time my physical condition and ability to perform manual labor has been as follows: I have been able to perform some light manual labor. Some periods in each year when weather is pleasant and fair I can stir about, but in cold or damp or excessive hot I am confined to indoors. I am being treated all the time for the disabilities for which Pension is claimed. Washington C. Askins State of Kentucky, County of Breckinridge ss: Sworn to and subscribed before me this day by the above-named affiant, and I certify that I read said affidavit to said affiant, including the words erased, and the words added and and acquainted him with its contents before he executed the same. I further certify that I am in nowise interested in said case, nor am I concerned in its prosecution: and that said affiant is personally known to me and that a credible person. G. W. Carwile Notary Public, B. C. I, O K May 2/88 clerk of the County Court in and for aforesaid County and State, do certify that to Nov 22/96 (subscript CM), Esq. Who has signed his name to the foregoing declaration and affidavit was at the time of so doing _____in and for said County and State, duly commissioned and sworn; that all his official acts are entitled to full faith and credit, and that his signature thereunto is genuine. Witness my hand and seal of office, this ___ day of _______, 188 . Additional Notes: National Archive Veteran Records show W. C. Askins enlisted in Captain Shacklett's Company, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry (Union) on September 23, 1861, in Owensboro, Henderson County, Kentucky. (The December 31, 1861 Company Muster Roll shows an enlistment date of September 15, 1861, in Company K, 3rd Regiment Kentucky Cavalry in Hardinsburg, KY for a period of three years.) He was 26 years old. Further company muster rolls show he was in the hospital in Calhoun, Kentucky in January and February 1862, on furlough from April-June 1862, "absent sick" in July and August, and deserted on October 8, 1862, in Crab Orchard, Kentucky. A Company Muster-out Roll dated December 26, 1864, in Savannah, Georgia is included in his file. The final document is a Notation card with the following text: " War Department, Record and Pension Division, Washington. December 2, 1889. The charge of desertion of October 8, 1862, against this man is removed and he is discharged to date October 8, 1862, under the provisions of Section 1 of the act of Congress, approved March 2, 1889. Discharge certificate furnished by War Department, December 3, 1889. Military pension files from 1890-1923 show that Washington C. Askin was taken ill with typhoid or camp fever in January 1862 in Calhoun, Kentucky. An affidavit by Courtney Askin dated September 29, 1891 says that in March 1862 Courtney went to Calhoun, Kentucky to get W.C. who was under treatment of the Regimental Surgeon for camp or typhoid fever. Once home in Breckinridge County, W.C. continued to suffer from a bad cough and pain in his eyes and head. He continued to experience pain and poor health until he took himself west (to Missouri) in 1863. He married and many of his children were born in Missouri. He returned to Breckinridge County in 1872 and settled down to farm. Included in the pension file are affidavits from John F. Dewees, James T. White, James W. Seaton and Courtney Askin. According to his pension file, WC was 5' 10", fair complexion, light hair and blue eyes. In 1920 at age 78, W.C. is describes himself as "almost blind and amost def", catarh of head and lungs, spinal efections and kidney trouble."