Civil War Pension Application of Lucas Gaspard, Avoyelles Parish, LA Submitted by: Cathy (Lemoine) Sturgell Date: 2/25/2005 Source: Civil War Pension Application ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ *********************************************************************** NOTE: This is a transcription of Lucas Gaspard's Application for a Civil War Pension. Lucas was married to my g-g-grandmother, Angelina Mayeux Guillory Gaspard. Her first marriage was to Leon Fernand Guillory, my g-g-grandfather. http://www.geocities.com/chatty1.geo/ After Lucas Gaspard's death, Angelina filed a Widow's Application for his pension. Source: Louisiana Soldier's Application for Pension, # 2197 for Lucas Gaspard. ********************************************************************** Avoyelles No. 451 SOLDIER'S APPLICATION FOR PENSION The Board reserves the right to call for additional testimony. Mansura Lucas Gaspard Filed: Mar 31 1898 (?) Co. B Boone's Battery Allowed: Quarterly Allowance: 12.00 Pension Allowed from: Rejected: (Signature unreadable) President (Signature unreadable) Secretary Board of Pension Commissioners 10275W *********************************************************************** SOLDIER"S APPLICATION FOR PENSION I, Lucas Gaspard, a native of Louisiana and now a citizen of Louisiana, resident at Mansura in the Parish of Avoyelles in said State of Louisiana, and who was a soldier from the State of Louisiana in the Confederate States army in the war between the United States and the Confederate States, do hereby apply for aid under Act 125 of the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana 1898; and I do solemnly swear that I served the Confederate States honorably from the date of my enlistment until the close of the civil war, as shown by my answers below, and that I remained true to the Confederate cause until the surrender, and that I am now in indigent circumstances, and unable to earn a livelihood by my own labor or skill, and that I am not salaried or otherwise provided for by the State of Louisiana or by any other State or government, and am entitled to receive the benefits of said Act No. 125 of 1898, as further shown by my answers to the questions below, which I swear to be true and correct: 1. In what town, county, State, country and year were you born? Answer: at Mansura, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, in the year 1839 2. When and where did you enlist, and in what command? Answer: I enlisted at Mansura, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, under the command of Col. Johnson. 3. Give the names of the regimental and company officers under whom you enlisted, and under whom you were serving the date of your parole. Answer: I enlisted under Col. Johnson, Capt. Eloi Joffrion, after the battle of New Orleans, Johnson's Battalion (illegible) disbanded. I joined Boone's battery in 1862, Co "B" under Captain Boone's what was succeeded after his death by Capt. Bennett, Genl Taylor, under whom I served to by discharge. 4. Were you wounded? If so, in what battles, and if not, state under what circumstances during the war you received injury or injuries. Answer: No 5. What was the precise nature of your wound or wounds, if any? Answer: None 6. If you have lost a limb or an eye, state when, where and how. Answer: None 7. Were you discharged from the army by reason of wound, wounds, or from the effects of service? Answer: (Illegible) effects of service. 8. If discharged or paroled from the army, where were you and what did you do until the close of the war? Answer: I was discharged at the close of the war at Alexandria, La, from which place I returned home at Mansura, where I have resided since. 9. What was the name of the surgeon who attended you when discharged? Answer: The Company Surgeon was Dr. Ernest Lemoine. 10. Where were you at the surrender? Answer: At Alexandria, La. 11. If a prisioner, in what camp, and when were you released, and to where sent? Answer: No. 12. Did you take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government at any time during the war? Answer: No 13. If so, when, where and under what circumstances? Answer: -------------------- 14. How long have you been a resident of the State of Louisiana next preceeding the date of this application? Where have you resided during that period? Answer: I was born in Mansura Avoyelles Parish, La, where I resided all of my life. 15. Are you married or have you been married? Answer: I am. 16. If so, what is the size of your family? Answer: Myself, wife and eleven children, two by a first marriage where(?) are over the age of majority. Second marriage seven, 3 of whom are minors and two minors last marriage. 17. What are the respective ages of your wife and children? Answer: My present wife is 44 years and my minor children are respectively 19, 14, 7, 6 years and a baby 7 months old. 18. How many children have you, and how many of each sex? Answer: I have 5 minors - 4 boys and one girl. 19. Are you engaged in any business? If so, what do you earn? Answer: No. 20. Have you any estate in your own right, real or personal, and what is its value? Answer: I hold as natural tutor of my children 8 acres of land. I have none of my own. 21. Has your wife any estate in her own right, real of personal, and what is its value? Answer: None. 22. How have your derived support for yourself, and family if you have one, for the last five years, and what prevents you from earning a living now? Answer: By manual labor, which is greatly diminished yearly from effects of age and illness. 23. Do you use any intoxicants to any extent? Answer: No. 24. Have you an attorney to look after this application? Answer: None. 25. Give his name, address and the compensation agreed between you. Answer: ----------------- 26. Give names of two or more of your comrades with their postoffice addresses. Answer: A. H. Normand, Severe H. Laborde, Jean Bte. Laborde the first two residing at Mansura and the third at Norma P.O. Avoyelles, La. 27. Give your postoffice address and that of the two witnesses. Answer: Severe H. Laborde Mansura and J. Alphonse Morrow Marksville, La. Witness my hand this 29th day of March, 1899. (Signature of) Luca Gaspard Applicant Witnesses: (Signatures of) S. H. Laborde J. A. Morrow APPLICANT MUST GO BEFORE CLERK OF COURT State of Louisiana Avoyelles Parish Personally appeared before me, Alcide M. Bordelon Clerk of the District Court of said Parish, the above named Lucas Gaspard, the applicant, with whom I am personally acquainted, and having the application read and fully explained to him as well as the statements and answers therein made, made oath that the statements and answers are true. Witness my hand and seal of office, this 29th day of March, 1899 (Signature of) A. M. Bordelon Clerk State of Louisiana Avoyelles Parish Personally appeared before me, Alcide M. Bordelon Clerk of the District Court of said Parish, the above named Severe H. Laborde and J. Alphonse Morrow, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing application, with whom I am personally acquainted, and know to be citizens of veracity and standing in this community, and who make oath that they are personally acquainted with the foregoing applicant, and that the facts set forth and statements made in his application are correct and true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and that they have no interest in this claim, and that said applicant's habits are good and free from dishonor. Witness my hand and seal of office, this 29th day of March, 1899. (Signature of) A. M. Bordelon Clerk *********************************************************************** (Letter attached from Dr. W. F. Couvillion, Avoyelles Ph.) Norma, La March 25th 1899 To: The Board of Pension Commissioners Baton Rouge, La. This is to certify that after a careful examination, I have found Mr. Lucas Gaspard in the following physical condition: Age 60 years - Height 6 ft 1/2 inch, weight 190# Complexion good. Heart normal. Blood vessels show slight aegueration(?) Liver normal except for having a slight tendency to make vial(?) congestion. Stomach and Intestines (illegible) normal - Digestion good. Sight very near normal for a man of his age. Hearing - very deficient. Tympanic membrane destoyed in left ear. Right ear normal except for slight deafness due to thickening of Tympanic membrane. Kidneys normal. Has a very large ulcer of a chronic (illegible) on left leg which is of 33 years existence. I have personally seen said ulcer for 3 years - Have (illegible) it several times but it has invariably recurred. At times he can with difficulty do farm work which is his occupation. The inflamation at this examination is very great due to his having ploughed this spring. Resp. submitted Walter F. Couvillion M. D.