JOHN BENSINGER / widow Pension File Abstract; Allegan County, Michigan GEORGIANNA "ANNA" SAUNDERS ROBINSON WILLIAMS BENSINGER TACKABARRY, Civil War **************************************************************** Copyright © 2002 by Janet Wilkinson Schwartz . This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************** JOHN BENSINGER / Private, Co C, 1st Indiana Heavy Artillery Enlisted Mar 21, 1864 at Perrysville, IN Discharged May 31, 1865 Description at enlistment: age 34 1/2 years, height 5' 7", complexion light, eyes blue, hair light, occupation farmer, birthplace PA. b. Mar 1, 1829 or Mar 1, 1830 at Schuylkill Co, PA d. Nov 9, 1918 at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI Married (1) abt. Mar 1848 at Medina Co, OH ELSIE ANN DAVIDSON/DAVISON b. date/place not given d. bet. 1878-1883 at Grandville, Ottawa Co, MI Children of John Bensinger and Elsie Ann Davidson [from questionnaires Jun 4, 1898 and Mar 12, 1915]: EMMA/EMILY b. Jul 22, 1853 at Medina Co, OH m.(1) George Julian m.(2) Fred Winters AMANDA/MANDY b. Mar 15, 1855 at place not given m.(1) George W. Howard Aug 5, 1872 at Danville, IL m.(2) Levi Julian [Levi previously married to unknown] WILLIAM b. Mar 15, 1859 near Harrisville, Medina Co, OH JOHN, JR. b. May 15, 1861 near Newport, IN ISAAC b. Jul 22, 1867 near Perrysville, IN SOLOMON & POLLY ANN b. Jun 18, 1864 near Perrysville, IN Polly m. Andrus Koon MELISSA/LIZZIE b. date/place not given d. bef. Feb 16, 1925 m. William Emert; William Emert later m. abt. 1898 Mary Sanders, sister of Anna Sanders Robinson Williams Bensinger Tackabarry; William Emert d. bet. Jun 2, 1919- Jan 2, 1925, had brother, Edward Emert. Married (2) Mar 30, 1880 at Allegan Co, MI by Robert W. Martin, J.P. Divorced Oct 16, 1885 at Newport, Vermillion Co, IN EMORET/EMORETTA MALLERY/MALLORY b. abt 1846 at CT [age and bp from marriage cert. in file] d. date not given at poss. Benton Harbor, MI No children of John Bensinger and Emoret Mallery. Emoret had children from a previous marriage. Married (3) Aug 25, 1886 at Newport, Vermillion Co, IN by George W. Vandenender GEORGIANA "ANNA" SANDERS ROBINSON WILLIAMS, daughter of James Sanders and Seine Vert/Cenia Birt/Cenia Gillian [ ]/Cena Gilla Ann [ ] b. Oct 14 or 15, 1847 at Noblesville, IN d. Dec 25, 1930 at Allegan Co, MI Georgiana "Anna" was married 4 times, no children; besides John Bensinger: Married (1) Nov 6, 1865 at Kansas Station, Edgar Co, IL by James F. Hogue, J.P. JOHN S. ROBINSON b. date not given at Liverpool, England d. abt Summer of 1870 at Grape Creek, Vermillion Co, IL Married (2) Sep 2, 1875 at Danville, IL by R.W. Hanford, Divorced Jun 16, 1886 at Newport, Vermillion Co, IN JAMES/JAY W. WILLIAMS b. date/place not given d. date/place not given Married (3) Aug 25, 1886 at Newport, Vermillion Co, IN by George Vandenender JOHN BENSINGER Married (4) Oct 11, 1921 at Ottawa Co, MI ALBERT E. TACKABARRY, son of J. Tackabarry and Abigail Carr b. abt. 1865 at Canada d. Oct 3, 1929 at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI Documents, affidavits, etc. in support of pension claims: Aug 30, 1880--CHARLES TUTTLE, resident of Olive Center, Ottawa Co, MI; stated that he served with JOHN BENSINGER in Co C, 1st IN Vols.; that the claimant contracted a cold which caused rheumatism in Mar, 1865 when their steamboat sunk in the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, LA. Feb 18,1907--JOHN BENSINGER, aged 76 years, resident of Manlius Twp, Allegan Co, MI, p.o. Fennville, MI; stated he was born Mar 1, 1830 at Schuylkill Co, PA; that his residences since leaving the service have been: lived at Perrysville, IN from close of war until about 1872, then moved to near Grandville, Kent Co, MI for 7 years, then moved to West Olive, Ottawa Co, MI for 3-4 years, then moved to Perrysville, IN, then to Allegan Co, MI until the present; witnesses CHARLES A. DICKINSON and CLIFFORD L. FOSDICK. May 18, 1912--JOHN BENSINGER, aged 82 years, resident of Valley, Allegan Co, MI, p.o. Fennville, MI; declaration for pension; stated he was born Mar 1, 1830 at Schuylkill Co, PA; that since leaving the service he has lived at Perrysville, Vermillion Co, IN for 7-8 years, then moved to Allegan Co, MI; witness W.W. WARNER. Jun 2, 1919--ANNA BENSINGER, aged 72 years, resident of Clyde, Allegan Co, MI; declaration for widow's pension; stated she was married to JOHN BENSINGER under the name ANNA WILLIAMS on Aug 25, 1886 at Newport, Vermillion Co, IN by George Vandenander; that soldier was married to ELSIE ANN who died at Grandville, Kent Co, MI, then married EMORETTA MALLORY and was divorced from her in 1886; that she "was married once before and only once [sic]. Her first husband was JAMES WILLIAMS whom she divorced in 1886 at Newport, IN."; witnesses WILLIAM EMERT, resident of Clyde, Allegan Co, MI and GEORGE W. BAKER, resident of Trowbridge, Allegan Co, MI. Jun 2, 1919--WILLIAM EMERT, aged 70 years, resident of Clyde, Allegan Co, MI; stated "I have known JOHN BENSINGER all my life since I was a child. First knew him at Medina Co Ohio. I married his daughter MELISSA. We all moved from there to Vermillion Co Ind. to Perrysville that Co. After the war in Fall of 1865 we all came together to Grand Rapids Mich. His first wife died at Grandville, Kent Co. They had gone north and lived a few years at Big Rapids Mich. His wife was in poor health and they came from Big Rapids to Holland Mich. and before his wife died he brought her up to my home at Grandville Kent Co. Mich. so she could be with their daughter MELISSA who was my wife. She died there at my home, in the spring of the year, I think in March. I can't state the year. JOHN BENSINGER soon after his wife died again married. His 2d wife was EMORETTE MALLORY. They lived together about a year I think and they separated. He went to Indiana, to Vermillion County. He got a bill of divorce from her there at Newport, Indiana. JOHN BENSINGER was never married but three times as above stated. I knew him intimately since I was a child and his daughter was my wife. The circumstances were such that if there had been any other marriage on his part I would have been apt to have known it. After his marriage to this claimant in 1886, they continued to live together in the marriage relation till his death. He died at Clyde this county November 9, 1918 at his own house. I lived 1 1/2 miles west of him. I was at his funeral, I saw his dead body. I did not know this claimant prior to her marriage to him. I married claimant's sister 23 years ago and knew them well and the facts as stated."; signed his mark X WILLIAM EMERT. Jul 5, 1919--EDWARD EMERT, aged 60 years, resident of Bower, Ottawa Co, MI; stated "I have known said JOHN BENSINGER all my life, since I was a child. I first knew him at Medina County Ohio. My brother WILLIAM married his daughter MELISSA and I have known said JOHN BENSINGER and his family relations all my life"; gave essentially the same statement as William Emert, above. Oct 6, 1919--ANNA BENSINGER, resident of Clyde, Allegan Co, MI; stated she could not provide copy of death record of ELSIE ANN BENSINGER; that she had sent affidavits of WILLIAM and EDWARD EMERT; that she was married only once prior to her marriage to JOHN BENSINGER and that was to JAMES WILLIAMS in Danville, IL and that she was divorced from him at Newport, IN about 2-3 years before her marriage to JOHN BENSINGER; witnesses W.W. WARNER and WILLIAM EMERT [his mark X]; signed ANNA BENSINGER [her mark X]. Oct 9, 1921--Request from J.H. Himes, special examiner, to clerk of Van Buren Co, MI at Paw Paw for search for death record for EMERETTA BENSINGER; "it is alleged that she died at Breedsville, about 1881"; clerk responded that there was no death record for that name. Oct 11, 1921--MARY J. SANDERS [she appears to mistaken about a number of things she says here], aged 47 years, residence 3 1/2 miles east of Fennville, Allegan Co, MI; deposition in the case of ANNA BENSINGER, No. 1143629, taken by special examiner, J.H. Himes; stated "I am the wife of PERRY SANDERS, a farmer. I have lived here three years. "My husband is a brother of ANNA BENSINGER. We are living on her place now and she is supposed to be living with us, but she left here about three weeks ago and is keeping house for some man not far from here. He is a farmer, but I don't know his name. "I have known ANNA BENSINGER ever since I can remember. When I first knew her she was a widow--the widow of JAMES WILLIAMS. I never knew him. She was then living at Perrysville, Ind., and my home was there too. While she was a widow she worked out. She next married JOHN BENSINGER. They were married at Newport, Ind., and lived at Perrysville just a few days after their marriage and then moved to what was called Hopperton, but now Polman [sic], Allegan Co., Mich. They then lived within six miles of Fennville ever since and they were on this place ten years. We came here just about three weeks before he died. JOHN BENSINGER died Nov. 9, 1918, in this house and I was present when he died. I remember the date and am sure it is correct. They lived together without separation or divorce from their marriage until his death. She has not remarried since his death. "According to family history, ANNA BENSINGER was married three times. Her maiden name was SANDERS. Her first husband was a ROBINSON. They separated and were divorced, but I do not know where. The next husband was JAMES WILLIAMS. They separated and were divorced in Newport, Ind. Her next husband was the soldier, JOHN BENSINGER. JOHN BENSINGER was married twice before he married ANNA WILLIAMS. All I know about his marriages is hearsay. The first wife was ELSIE ANN COOK. She died years and years ago before I ever knew them. My father is LEVI JULIAN, Otsego, Mich. He married MANDA BENSINGER, a daughter of ELSIE ANN. MANDA is my step mother. She would know when her mother ELSIE ANN BENSINGER died. JOHN BENSINGER's next wife was BELLE MALLORY. He called her BELLE. They separated at Perrysville, Ind., and were divorced at Danville, Illinois. He had no other wife that I ever heard of. BELLE may have had some other given name, but I do not know what it is. "ANNA BENSINGER had no child of her own. JOHN BENSINGER had children, EMMA, wife of FRED WINTERS, Soldiers Home, Grand Rapids, Mich. She is JOHN BENSINGER's oldest child. Then his daughter, MANDA, wife of my father, LEVI JULIAN, at Otsego, Mich., and a son SOLOMON BENSINGER, a shop worker, Grand Rapids, Mich. I do not know his street address. Then three boys, ISAAC BENSINGER, taxi driver, BILL BENSINGER, farmer, and JOHN BENSINGER, JR., all live in Polman, Mich. "I do not know anything about any brothers or sisters of JOHN BENSINGER, SR." Signed MARY SANDERS, deponent. November 30, 1921--Report of special examiner, R.S. McCall, to Commissioner of Pensions regarding ANNA BENSINGER; inquiry done to "determine whether the claimant is the legal widow of the soldier; date of soldier's death and whether she has remarried." "It appears that we cannot locate the claimant in this case, or at any rate not by correspondence, and I do not feel that we are justified in hiring a taxi and hunting her up. Special Examiner Himes took the case up October 11, 1921 and he went into her old neighborhood making careful search but failed to locate her. He left a note in the case for my guidance a part of which is as follows: "'She was reported to be living with PERRY SANDERS, her brother, 3 miles E. and 1/2 mile S. of Fennville. When I got to the home of PERRY SANDERS, MARY J. SANDERS told me claimant had gone to keep house for a farmer a half mile further out. I went to the place designated, but found it to be a greater distance than stated. The man proved to be named TACKABERRY. He was gone and no woman around. I then inquired of Mrs. Dr. ALICE COREY who lives within plain sight of TACKABERRY's shanty. Neither she nor her daughter had seen any woman at T.'s place. When I found that claimant was not at TACKABERRY's and probably had not been there, I drove to WM. EMERT's near Fennville. Mrs. EMERT is a sister of claimant. I was unable to get any trace of claimant at her sister's and gave it up. I wrote to claimant for her whereabouts and the reply will come to you.' "The notations on memorandum slip shows that this letter was written to claimant October 12, 1921 but there has been no reply nor has the letter been returned showing the letter was received. Since that time I have had correspondence with MARY J. SANDERS, the postmaster at Fennville and with the attorney, WARNER, without result. Mr. WARNER has not replied although I wrote him the 19th day of this month. "The fact is, this woman has either married TACKABERRY or is living with him in the marriage relation and is keeping in hiding. Mrs. SANDERS and the postmaster both say that she and TACKABERRY have got married but where the marriage took place I do not know. Inquiry of the county clerk of Allegan county does not reveal anything in the way of marriage. "I have decided to return the case without going further at this time. It may be an improper thing to do but unless the Bureau should decide that the examination should be carried forward in order to determine possible criminal features, which is not likely as the claimant is 74 years old, I do not believe we are justified in consuming time and paying livery bills to hunt a claimant up." Signed R.S. McCall, Special Examiner. Dec 11, 1924--Memorandum from reviewer, W.McK. COBB, subject BENSINGER claim; "This claim was referred to ascertain whether the claimant was the legal widow of the deceased soldier...While some testimony has been taken, this is really the initial examination, as it was impossible to locate the claimant, give her the required notice and obtain her statement. It was in an endeavor to do this that the testimony in report 1 was taken. Her address has but recently been ascertained. "Further examination is approved at Fennville, Allegan Co., Michigan, for purpose of giving the claimant the required notice and obtaining her initial statement. "It will be noted that in the letter hereto attached from PERRY SANDERS, brother of the claimant, it is stated that she has remarried and is now a Mrs. TACKABERRY. If this is true, evidence--record if possible--showing fact and date and place of this marriage should be secured, in order to properly terminate any pension that may be allowed. If she has not remarried but has sustained such relations with TACKABERRY or anyone else as to constitute a violation of the provisions of the Act of August 7, 1882, evidence in accordance with general instructions in such cases should be obtained."; signed W.McK. Cobb, reviewer. Jan 2, 1925--Request of special examiner, R.S. McCall to postmaster, Fennville, MI for address of WILLIAM EMERT; reply states that he is deceased, that widow lives with son on R4, 2 1/2 miles west and 1 mile north of Fennville. Feb 16, 1925--ANNA TACKABARRY; deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I do not know my age. Our house burnt when I was a small child. All I can say is that the year the Civil War closed I was 18 years old on the 14 or 15 day of October. Some people have said I am a hundred years old. I cannot read nor write and never could do so. I live with my husband, ALBERT TACKABARRY, we live southeast of Fennville on a farm. I own a farm of 20 acres. My post office address is RR3, Fennville, Michigan. "My full name is ANNA TACKABARRY now, I don't have any middle name. I am claiming pension as the widow (for a time) of JOHN BENSINGER who served in some Heavy Artillery in Indiana. I do not know the regiment. My papers pertaining to such matters are at Allegan in the hands of my attorney, W.W. WARNER (dead- RSM). That was the only time my husband was ever in the army, at least that was the only time I ever heard him speak of. His full name was JOHN BENSINGER and he never had any other name that I ever knew of. JOHN BENSINGER died in this house but the date I cannot tell. Yes, I believe it was Nov. 9, he died and it was in 1918. He died of old age. He was a great deal older than me. He was drawing $24 a month pension when he died, I believe. It had just been increased and he got 'an awful lot of money' the last time he drew. "Notice of this special examination of my pension claim has been served on me this date and my rights fully explained to me. I understand them. If it is not necessary I don't want to be present at the taking of testimony and the special examination can go on without me. I do not require further notice, either. I have got rheumatism too badly to move about over the country. "I had an attorney in this matter, one Wm. W. WARNER of Allegan, Michigan. If he is dead I never heard about it. He's got some of my 'papers' that I want and I was going to see him. I never paid the old fellow anything in the way of fee and there was nothing agreed upon. "I never had a child; I was not in the World War myself and I had no relative in that war that I know about. "I went to Allegan to have my declaration for pension made out by WARNER and WILLIAM EMERT (now dead) went along. He was my brother-in-law. I made my mark to that declaration and was sworn to it in the presence of witnesses. That man GEO. W. BAKER who signed as a witness belonged there at Allegan. "Q. That declaration was filed July 7, 1919 and then you disappeared. Where did you go? A. Oh, I just worked 'here and yonder' awhile. For seven weeks I was at WILLIAM EMERT's house and very ill. Later on I got married to ALBERT TACKABARRY and he and I lived in this neighborhood. I went to Holland to marry him and came back the next morning and we lived about a mile from where we are now. There is no good reason why we could not have been found. "Q. How long did you know TACKABARRY before you and he were married? A. I got acquainted with him in the spring and I married him in October following but I would not have remarried if I had not been driven into it by circumstances. I was mistreated by the family I was living with but I will not mention names. No, I did not live with TACKABARRY until I got married to him, up to the time of my marriage to TACKABARRY after BENSINGER died, I lived right here in this house with PERRY SANDERS and his wife MARY SANDERS and I went from the house of WILLIAM EMERT to get married. I started from his house before daylight. No, we started from his house in the evening and we stayed all night in Holland and were married the next day. TACKABARRY is a laborer and he is a well-behaved man towards me. ALBERT TACKABARRY was a soldier in the War with Spain and once drew a pension but does not anymore. I do not know what regiment he was in. "The name of my father was JAMES SANDERS and the name of my mother was CENIA GILLIAN SANDERS. I was born at Noblesville, Ind. but I was not the oldest child. My father was never in any army. "There were seven of us children but there are only five alive now as follows: MARGARET CONARD (her name is not AMANDA) she is dead; SUSAN JOHNSON, widow of RICHARD JOHNSON, dead; Q. I want the names of those who are alive. A. Well, I did not understand. The following named of our family are alive: AMANDA CONARD, Newport, Indiana, a pensioner; RUTHA NIMERICK [also given as NIMRICK], lives same place; MARTHA ANN LIEBRICK, lives with her son JOE SKINNER, out west of Fennville on the Paddy place; Myself, and my brother, PERRY SANDERS, here, that is all. [Note: The name of the sister, Amanda, is given several times as Conard, but later in the file, this sister gives a deposition under the name Conrad. From the Civil War Pension Index, it appears that the correct name is Conrad. It is not clear if the name of the sister, Margaret, should be Conard or Conrad.] Q. How many times have you been married in all? A. I have been married four times. Q. Where did you spend your girlhood days and up to the time you were 14 years old? A. At Marshall, Clark County, Illinois; and then my sister, MARGARET CONARD [sic], moved to Newport, Indiana and sometimes I would go there an stay with her. They ran the County House. Then I got acquainted with a family named YOST, AUGUST YOST and his wife, I believe, they had a son named AUGUST YOST. They lived at Effingham, Illinois, and I worked for them nearly ten years. They ran a boarding house. That was before I ever married any man. I mean I worked for the YOSTS off and on ten years, not real steady. Q. What was the name of your first husband? A. JOHN ROBINSON. Q. Where did you marry him? A. At Kansas Station, Edgar County, Illinois. I was close to 18 years old I believe. I cannot tell the date of the marriage. We were actually married by a preacher but I cannot think of the name of the preacher who married us. I did not live with him very long. He and I lived at Brazil, Clay County, Ind. and he was a coal miner. We went to Marshall, Clark County, Illinois on a visit and he wanted me to go home, my parents lived there, and he went out on Grape Creek that county to clean out a well, on the place of a man named KEIGER. They had a water mill, ground corn, etc. That was a deep well and they offered $10 or $20 for a man to clean it out. My husband, ROBINSON, being a coal miner, thought he could do that, but he was killed by the damp in the well. Q. How do you know he was killed there? A. Because they sent me word about it but they told me not to come to the funeral because he was all 'busted', he fell back when they were drawing him from the well and that bursted him and killed him, he was cruelly mangled. His body was buried in the KEIGER graveyard. He and I had no trouble. He was never in the army. I told Warner about this man, told him all about it just as I am telling it now. If Warner never mentioned it that is something I cannot explain. I do not know anything about ROBINSON's people, he came from Liverpool, England. I do not know whether there is any record of his death. Grape Creek was a coal mine and there was a store down below there run by a man named BOONE. It was kind-o southeast of Danville. "After that I stayed to home awhile and then worked out 'here and yonder' until I married JAMES WILLIAMS. WILLIAMS was no soldier. I met WILLIAMS at the house of my sister, MARTHA ANN SKINNER (now LIEBRICK) at Perrysville, Indiana, and knew WILLIAMS nearly a year before I married him. He was a laborer. I married him in Danville, Illinois. I cannot tell the name of the man who married us but we were married in the Court House by a Justice of the Peace, then we went to the hotel for dinner and after that went to the home of his folks at Hopedale, Illinois. He stayed on a farm out there quite awhile. Worked for first one farmer and then another. He was on JASPER MOUNT's place last near Hopedale. WILLIAMS and I separated, and I got a divorce from him and JOHN BENSINGER paid for the divorce. I got that divorce at Newport, Indiana. I had a lawyer, a man named Rhodes, I worked for him and his family lots of times. He got the divorce from WILLIAMS for me and then I soon married BENSINGER. "JOHN BENSINGER was my third husband. I married him at Newport, Vermillion County, in my mother's house. I suppose there is a public record of my marriage there. Anyway, I had a marriage certificate and placed it in the hands of my attorney, Warner, when I first started this pension claim. It was a great big written paper, a nice certificate with black border around it. It was made out to me and BENSINGER there at the court house and I always held it until I gave it to Warner. I hereby authorize Mr. Warner's representative or the person having charge of his papers to deliver to the special examiner that marriage certificate and BENSINGER's discharge certificate. He had them both, Warner did. "I lived with JOHN BENSINGER until he died, was living with him when he died and there was never any separation nor divorce between us. The longest ever I was away was when my mother was sick and that was three weeks and three days. "After his death I married ALBERT TACKABARRY, the name is spelled TACKABERRY in the marriage certificate but the correct spelling is TACKABARRY. We were both free to marry. He had been married before but his prior wife was dead. His wife died in an insane asylum. Mr. TACKABARRY was a soldier in the War with Spain in the 37 Michigan Infantry, the company I do not know, and served in Cuba and was a pensioner but lost his pension in some manner unknown to me. I do not know what service he was in. "I exhibit here my marriage certificate showing that TACKABARRY and I were married October 11, 1921 at Holland, Ottawa County, Mich., said certificate being in a large frame. (Marriage certificate show the facts as stated-RSM). I am still living with Mr. TACKABARRY. Q. Have you stated all the facts in regard to your prior marriages? A. Yes, I hve told the whole truth. I have only been married four times. Q. Now, in regard to JOHN BENSINGER the soldier, how many times had he been married before he married you? A. He was married twice, not more. That is all I ever heard of. His first wife was ELSIE ANN but what her last name was I don't know. If soldier stated her name was DAVISON in a letter to the pension bureau that must be right, all I know about her is what he said. By this woman he had a number of children of whom I can name the following: EMMA WINTERS, lives at Grand Rapids, Michigan, wife of FRED; LIZZIE, dead, WILLIAM EMERT's first wife; AMANDA JULIAN, with WILLIAM [sic] JULIAN, Covington, Illinois; POLLY ANN, wife of ANDRUS KOON (or COON), Pullman, Michigan SOLOMON BENSINGER, Grand Rapids, Michigan; WILLIAM BENSINGER, Pullman, Michigan; JOHN BENSINGER, Pullman, Michigan; ISAAC BENSINGER, Pullman, Michigan; LIZZIE above named should be MELISSA. These were ELSIE ANN's children. He never had any children by any other woman. I never heard of it if he did. ELSIE ANN died but I do not know where; I do not know the date of her death. Some of her children I have named might be able to tell all about her death. "JOHN BENSINGER's next wife was EMORETTE MALLORY, married her in Hamilton Township, this county, and they separated. She went off and left him. She went back to Holland, Michigan. From Holland she went back to Hamilton, Michigan, and later she married a man named 'Tinkey Tinner', a nick-name, and they moved to Benton Harbor where she died. I do not know what name she died under because that name 'Tinkey Tinner' is a nick-name. But BENSINGER got a divorce from this woman at Newport, Indiana, got his divorce from EMORETTA before I got mine from WILLIAMS. "I was BENSINGER's third wife and I have stated all about our marriage herein. I claim pension from the date I filed my claim up to the date I married ALBERT TACKABARRY, October 11, 1921. I also claim the pension money that was due the soldier when he died. A check came after he died but we had to send it back. "I know nothing about any brothers or sister that JOHN BENSINGER may have. I never saw any of them. He had a half-brother, ABE BENSINGER, but do not know what became of him. I saw him once when I was a little girl. That was near Marshall, Clark Co., Illinois."; witnesses GLENN REPP and A. TACKABARRY; signed by her mark X ANNA TACKABARRY, formerly BENSINGER. Feb 16, 1925--PERRY SANDERS, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am 67 years old, am a day laborer my post office address is RR3, Fennville, Michigan. I was never in the army or navy of the United States. "This claimant, ANNA TACKABARRY, is my full sister and therefore her maiden name is SANDERS. The name of our father was JAMES SANDERS and our mother's name CEENA GILLIAN SANDERS. There were seven of us children and there are still five living counting this said claimant and myself. The names and addresses of the other three children are as follows: MARTHA LIEBRICK, lives with her son, JOSEPH SKINNER, north and west of Fennville; AMANDA CONARD, lives in Newport, Indiana, at last accounts; RUTHA NIMERICK, lives in Danville, Illinois, at last accounts; AMANDA's husband was named HENRY CONARD but he is dead, was a Civil War soldier and AMANDA draws a pension. Service I don't know. RUTH's husband, JACOB NIMERICK, is also dead, not a soldier. This claimant grew up to womanhood at Marshall, Clark County, Illinois to the best of my recollection. My parents lived there. Q. How many times has this claimant been married? A. She has been married four times. She was first married to a man named JAMES [sic] ROBINSON; where she married ROBINSON I cannot tell for a positive fact. Yes, sir, I saw ROBINSON. She and ROBINSON lived together around Marshall, Illinois. No children, claimant never had any children. ROBINSON died, or got killed in a well, the damps in a well killed him somewheres in around Marshall, Illinois. No, sir, I did not attend his funeral. No, sir, I don't think he and this claimant were living together when he got killed. I was only a small chap when this occurred and cannot give the date, I was probably between 17 and 18 years old when he got killed. Now, as to how I know ROBINSON got killed there, that is what the claimant said. Claimant's next husband was JAMES WILLIAMS, no soldier as I know of. I could not tell where she married him, WILLIAMS, I knew the man but I never knew him before he married my sister, the claimant. They lived awhile with me and my mother at Marshall, Illinois, and then she and WILLIAMS went to live with my sister, Mrs. CONARD, near Hickory Grove, Edgar County, Illinois. They went away from there and I never knew what did become of WILLIAMS, I last saw him at the home of Mrs. CONARD. I do not know whether this claimant and WILLIAMS were ever divorced. Claimant's next husband was JOHN BENSINGER, soldier, and she married him at Newport, Vermillion County, Indiana. She and BENSINGER lived in around Perrysville, Indiana, and he sold out there and they came to Michigan. They first settled down around Pullman and later they came up in here and he died in this house. They lived together continuously without separation until he died and were living together when he died. Claimant has a marriage certificate showing her marriage to BENSINGER but she says it is in the hands of her attorney, Warner. Claimant's next husband was ALBERT TACKABARRY, her present man with whom she is living. I was not present when they were married but they have a marriage certificate which shows they were actually married by a ceremony October 11, 1921. Q. How long did this claimant know TACKABARRY before they were married? A. I could not tell you a thing about it. Q. Where did she get acquainted with TACKABARRY? A. Over about EMERT's someplace, house of WILLIAM EMERT. Q. How long were they acquainted before they were married? A. Not very long to the best of my knowledge. Q. Were they living in the same house before their marriage by ceremony? A. I could not tell you anything about that at all. Q. Why not? Didn't you live in the same neighborhood with them? A. Well, I did not understand the question. The claimant and TACKABARRY did not live together before they were married. She was staying with us, with my wife and me, here in this house, and she met TACKABARRY over at WILLIAM EMERT's and they later got married. That is all I can say about that. TACKABARRY had a little place in the neighborhood and he was living over there by himself. After they were married she and TACKABARRY lived together in his home awhile but two years ago this last fall they came here where they live now. "I cannot tell you anything about JOHN BENSINGER's prior marriages but I know he had children by a prior wife. All the marriages I know anything about in his case was his marriage to my sister, this claimant. WILLIAM EMERT married a daughter of his named MELISSA but they are both dead. There was a daughter named EMMA who married a man named GEORGE JULIAN and he is dead but she lives in Grand Rapids, the address I cannot give. I have heard of a girl of his named AMANDA, oh yes, she married LEVI JULIAN, and they are with one of JULIAN'S sons at Eugene, Indiana; WILLLIAM BENSINGER lives at Pullman, south of here; JOHN BENSINGER is in by Pullman, too; ISAAC BENSINGER is another son, he runs a hotel at Pullman; SOLOMON BENSINGER was in Grand Rapids at last accounts. POLLIE ANN married a man named COON and the last we knew they were in around Pullman."; signed Perry Sanders. Feb 16, 1925--ALBERT E. TACKABARRY, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am about 60 years old, occupation a laborer, my post office address is RR3, Fennville, Michigan. I have lived in Allegan County two years and before coming here I lived at Holland, Mich. "This claimant, ANNA TACKABARRY, is my wife, we were married in Holland, Michigan, on October 11, 1921 and we have a marriage certificate showing the fact of our marriage. I was a widower when I married this claimant, I had been married once before and that wife, MARTHA SCOTT (TACKABARRY) was dead when I married the claimant. She died in the Kalamazoo State Hospital. "At the time I married this claimant she was living at the home of WILLIAM EMERT in this neighborhood and I was living a mile straight south of here on my own place. My wife would be with the EMERT family awhile and with the PERRY SANDERS family awhile. Q. Were you and this claimant living in the same house together before you were married by ceremony at Holland? A. No, sir, we never did that. Yes, sir, this claimant was living in this neighborhood all the time up to the time I married her. I met her at the house of WILLIAM EMERT where I was working for a time. We never lived together prior to the date of our marriage, claimant and I did not. We are still living together. "I was a soldier in the War with Spain and drew a pension for a time but my other woman and the neighbors beat me out of it in some manner and I lost it and never tried to have it renewed. I got a pension on ruptures. I served in the 37th Michigan and I was in Cuba and the Phillipines both. I passed through Manila. I was in the service a year and a half. My discharge certificate is somewhere around here. I cannot remember what company I was in. "I know nothing about the prior marital history of the claimant except what she has told me, and she never told me before today that she had been married before she married BENSINGER. "The foregoing statement has been read to me and is correct. The correct spelling of my name is TACKABARRY. Q. Before closing please state how, in what manner, your prior wife and the neighbors 'beat' you out of your pension, as you state. A. They proved that I was dead; that is all I can say."; signed Albert Tackabarry. Feb 17, 1925--CLARA L. SIAS, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Manlius Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am 36 years old, am the wife of HOLLY A. SIAS, farmer and stationary engineer, post office address RR3, Fennville, Michigan. I have lived here in this neighborhood seven years in March next, rather April, next, that we have lived here. "I am acquainted with this claimant, ANNA TACKABARRY, former widow of JOHN BENSINGER, but I was never well acquainted with BENSINGER, knew him by sight only, did not know his given name was JOHN but my husband was well acquainted with him. "The claimant and BENSINGER lived together until he died, and I suppose they always lived together after their marriage. I am positive they were living together when he died on his place which is about two miles from my home. "After the death of the said BENSINGER this claimant lived there on the place with the PERRY SANDERS family a part of the time but where else she lived up to the time she married TACKABARRY I do not know, I was not so very well acquainted over in that neighborhood. But I am the school director here and when taking the school census I saw Mrs. BENSINGER there at the SANDERS home. "No, I have never heard that this claimant ever lived with or assumed the marriage relation with any man after BENSINGER died until she married TACKABARRY. No, I never have heard it stated that she lived in the same house with TACKABARRY before she and TACKABARRY were married. So far as I know this claimant bears a good reputation in this community, I have never heard anything to the contrary. "I understood that the very day a special examiner came into the neighborhood to investigate her claim for pension she, the claimant, had gone to Holland to marry TACKABARRY. I am not related to this claimant, and not interested in this pension claim, have heard the foregoing statement read and it is correct."; signed Clara L. Sias. Feb 17, 1925--IRVIN YOUNGBLOOD, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am 55 years old, occupation farmer and cooper, my post office address is RR3, Fennville, Michigan. I have lived in this neighborhood about 27 years. "I am acquainted with this claimant, ANNA BENSINGER TACKABARRY, and I knew her late husband, JOHN BENSINGER, the soldier, they lived here close to me here, and BENSINGER died over there in that house where the claimant and TACKABARRY are now living. I cannot give the date of his death. I attended his funeral. "This claimant and the soldier, JOHN BENSINGER, lived together until he died and she was there when he died. There was never any separation between them that I ever knew or heard about. I knew them for years before he died and I have known the claimant ever since that time. "Q. After the death of the soldier which occurred November 9, 1918, where did this claimant reside, at whose house up to the time she married TACKABARRY on October 11, 1921? A. One place she lived I think was with her sister, Mrs. WILLIAM EMERT, now LIEBRICK. I saw her at her place a good deal. And I think she lived in with the PERRY SANDERS family some of the time in her, claimant's, own home. I was there and saw them living together. I do not know anywhere else she lived in the period between the death of BENSINGER and her marriage to TACKABARRY. Q. Do you know whether this claimant was keeping house for ALBERT TACKABARRY and living in the house with him before they were married? A. I have no knowledge that she ever did so, never heard that she did that. So far as I know this claimant is a woman of good character and reputation. I know nothing to the contrary. I never knew her to live with nor assume the marriage relation with any man after BENSINGER died until she married TACKABARRY. "I do not know anything about the claimant's prior marriages, nor about those of BENSINGER."; signed Irvin Youngblood. Feb 17, 1925--MARTHA A. LEIBRICK, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Saugatuck Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I don't know my age, our family records were destroyed by fire, I am probably about 78 years old. I was nearly grown when the Civil War began. My maiden name was SANDERS and this claimant, ANNA TACKABARRY, is my sister, younger than me, there were three children between her and me. "This claimant was raised in Vermillion County, Indiana, and we moved from there to Marshall, Edgar County, Illinois. This claimant has been married four times to the best of my knowledge. But I tell you I have never been with her very much, not for years, so I cannot tell much about her or the other members of the family. If my prior husband, WILLIAM EMERT, was here he could tell all about the claimant and BENSINGER, her soldier husband. "The claimant's first husband was a man named JOHN ROBINSON, married him at Perrysville, Indiana, I think, but don't know because I was not there among them. They did not separate, he got killed in a well from the 'damps'. That was at KIGER's Mill on the Big Vermillion, in Vermillion County, Illinois. It was closer to Danville that he lost his life. "The claimant's second husband was a man named JAMES WILLIAMS whom she married in Terre Haute, Indiana as nearly as I know, am not certain about it. But she left him because of his drunkeness and oneriness. She got a divorce from him at Newport, Indiana. I know she was divorced from WILLIAMS, I saw the decree. "The claimant's third husband was JOHN BENSINGER, the soldier, married him in Perrysville, Indiana, and she lived with him continuously until he died. And she was a good woman to those wretched men she lived with and she was good to JOHN BENSINGER, she took care of soldier in his last days just like taking care of a baby, had to clean him and wash him, and all that and if she ever gets any pension she deserves it. "Claimant's fourth husband was ALBERT TACKABARRY, her present husband. She did not marry any other man before she married this fellow. She was married to TACKABARRY in Holland, I was not present but I saw the license. "Q. It appears that she had been keeping house for TACKABARRY or some man before she and TACKABARRY were married. What do you know about that? "A. Three nights and two days before she and TACKABARRY were married she was staying at his house in his little shack on his place. That shack is now torn down and the lumber taken over on the claimant's place where she and TACKABARRY now reside. The claimant went to TACKABARRY's place from my house. Of course we all fought her plan to marry this TACKABARRY but she did marry him, and she left my place at night, in the evening, and went over to TACKABARRY's place and they intended to get married the next day but there was a storm for several days so that she was at TACKABARRY's place three nights and two days before they went to Holland to get married. This shack of TACKABARRY's had two rooms and there was a bed in each room. I have been in the shack. Indeed, my sister did not keep house for TACKABARRY before she and he were married, the claimant was staying at my place up to the time she married TACKABARRY, but her home was where she is staying now. No, sir, the claimant never lived with TACKABARRY before they were actually married but she did stay in his shanty three nights and two days with him just before they were married. "I have heard read here what MARY J. SANDERS stated before the special examiner about this claimant having left her, Mrs. SANDERS's house about three weeks before she made her deposition and was keeping house for some man whose name she did not know. That is not true, it will not stand. The claimant had been staying at my house because my husband, WILLIAM EMERT, was sick, and she had not been keeping house three weeks for any man. I have told the facts about this matter, so far as I can remember. No, sir, this claimant did not keep house or live with any other man after BENSINGER died and she never lived with nor kept house for TACKABARRY until after she married him. She was there with TACKABARRY three nights and two days before they were married but that was because of a storm, they could not get away. "JOHN BENSINGER was married twice before he married my sister, the claimant. His first wife was named ELSIE ANN who was the mother of all these children of BENSINGER's. His first wife died at the home of WILLIAM EMERT, my prior husband, but I was not his wife then. BENSINGER and his wife had been living up about Big Rapids but they moved down about Grand Rapids but the first wife died in Grandville, at the home of WILLIAM EMERT. I know only what my husband told me, he was BENSINGER's son-in-law, having married the daughter, MELISSA. "The second wife of JOHN BENSINGER, I cannot tell her name, but I saw her twice, met her at Perrysville, Indiana. They had separated over or because of a dispute over some land situated here in Michigan. I understand there was a divorce between them, I know that, and that was brought out when he, BENSINGER, married my sister. I have heard BENSINGER say there was a divorce but which one got it I don't know. But I was under the impression the woman got it. I do not remember whether this woman's name was EMORETTA MALLORY or some such name, I believe that is correct, however. She lived in Michigan with BENSINGER for a time down about Paw Paw, but they went back to Indiana and separated there and she came back to her children here. They had no children of their own but both had children by a prior marriage. "Soldier's third wife was this claimant and I have covered that heretofore."; witnesses JOS. SKINNER and TRESSA SKINNER; signed by her mark X MARTHA A. LEIBRICK. Feb 17, 1925--JOHN BENSINGER, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Pullman, Allegan Co, MI: "I am 63 years old, I will be 64 years old May 15th next, my residence and post office address is Pullman, Michigan. I have lived around Allegan county 32 or 33 years. "I am the son of JOHN BENSINGER, the soldier in this case, and his first wife, ELSIE ANN DAVIDSON, but I am not the eldest of the children in our family. My father and mother came from Medina County, Ohio, and they lived together until she died. I cannot tell the exact date of her death but she died when I was about 17 years old. At the time of her death my mother was visiting at the home of her daughter, MELISSA EMERT, in Grandville, Kent County, but the family resided in Ottawa County near a place called East Olive. Mother was sick when she went there and died while there, we all attended her funeral, I was there myself, and her body was buried in the Grandville cemetery. I think she died in the fall or summer season, it was not in the winter time or I do not think so. "After mother's death my father remained single until he married EMORETTE MALLORY. He married her in Hamilton township this county but he and that woman did not get along together and so they separated and father and the family went back to Vermillion county, Indiana. Later on the MALLORY woman said she would do better if she could be permitted to join my father in Indiana and he allowed her to join him there. However, she had not been there more than a week, perhaps, when there was trouble again and she returned to Michigan and my father obtained a divorce from her at Newport, Indiana, the county seat and I knew about the divorce at the time. It cost him $25. Then he met this ANNA BENSINGER there in Vermillion County, Indiana, and they were married. ANNA was then going by the name of WILLIAMS but her maiden name was SANDERS. My father and this ANNA lived together in Vermillion County for awhile and then they moved to Michigan where they resided until he died. My father, the soldier, died out east of Fennville on a farm that he owned there. He and this claimant lived together continuously from the time of their marriage until his death. "My father was never married but the three times, or not that I have ever heard was he otherwise married, to my mother, to the MALLORY woman and to this claimant. "I do not know how many times this claimant has been married but I never heard of but three marriages on her part. This claimant was married to a man named WILLIAMS but I never saw him. I do not know how she got rid of him. Then the claimant married my father and after his death she married one ALBERT TACKABARRY who is her present husband. I knew TACKABARRY years ago in Ottawa county long before my father died. I have not seen him, however, for 40 years. No, I have never known nor heard that this claimant, ANNA SANDERS-WILLIAMS- BENSINGER-TACKABARRY, was ever married to a man named JOHN ROBINSON. "I have no knowledge that this claimant ever lived with any man in the marriage or other relation after the death of my father until she and TACKABARRY were married. She has always borne a good reputation and I have never known anything against her character, all I can say is that she was a hard woman to get along with. "I have not seen this claimant, however, since my father died, but have heard of her occasionally and that she had remarried to ALBERT TACKABARRY."; signed John Bensinger. Feb 19, 1925--Memo to Superintendent of Grandville Cemetery, Grandville, MI from Special Examiner, R.S. McCall; asked if there was a burial record for ELSIE ANN BENSINGER who died about 1876; reply on the same page stated there was no record of the burial in any existing records of Wyoming Cemetery, sometimes referred to as Grandville Cemetery. Feb 19, 1925--Special Examiner, R.S. McCall; stated that on this day he searched the general index of deaths for Kent Co, MI covering the period from 1867 to 1891 and did not find the name of ELSIE ANN BENSINGER. Feb 26, 1925--ALBERT E. TACKABARRY, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am the same ALBERT E. TACKABARRY who testified in this pension claim recently. Q. When you and this claimant started away to get married where did you start from, whose house? A. BILL EMERT's house. Q. How did you get to Holland from this neighborhood? A. Went down with a horse and buggy. Q. Whose horse and buggy? A. Mine. Q. Now, we have proof that you and Mrs. BENSINGER started from your shack over here and that she had been over there with you some time before you and she were married. What have you to say? A. Why, I do not know of her being her at my shack before we were married. She was there once with BILL EMERT and they came with a horse and buggy and went right away again. Q. Now, this Mrs. LEIBRICK, who was then Mrs. EMERT, and Mrs. PERRY SANDERS say this claimant was there staying with you before you and claimant were married. You are going to deny that, are you? A. Well, they tell what is not so. We did not start from my shack nor did we start from BILL EMERT's place. I met claimant out on the road and people did not know we were going to get married until it was over with. I had a shack 16 by 24, one room, and one bed, that was all and I stayed there alone. I say this claimant never lived with me before we were married. After we were married we went there to my shack and lived together. Later that shack was torn down and the lumber is piled up out here now where we live. "I served in the 37 Michigan Infantry and drew a pension of $8 a month, drew $24 every three months. I was married then, the name of my wife was MARTHA BUSTARD and while she was my wife she went to work to get a pension and proved that I was dead, or must have done so, anyhow my pension stopped, and I never tried to have it renewed. I thought that if the Government stopped my pension they could have it. I drew some back pay I had coming and drew pension regularly four times. "That wife died before I married this woman, she died in Kalamazoo State Hospital under the name of MARTHA TACKABARRY."; signed Albert E. Tackabarry. Feb 26, 1925--MARY J. SANDERS, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Valley Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am 50 years old, am the wife of PERRY SANDERS, a farmer, and my post office address is RR3, Fennville, Michigan. I have lived in this neighborhood seven years, lived in Grand Rapids before coming here. We lived in Grand Rapids seven years, but outside of that I have lived in this neighborhood ever since I was 15 years old. "I am acquainted with the claimant, ANNA BENSINGER, now TACKABARRY, and about two or three years ago I made a statement in the matter of her pension claim before some man who came to my house. I do not remember his name. "Q. Did you know the day that man was here, Special Examiner Himes, that this claimant and ALBERT TACKABARRY had gone to Holland to get married? A. No, sir, I did not. Q. You knew ALBERT TACKABARRY at that time, did you not? A. Yes, sir. I had known him not more than a couple of months. He lived alone on the place of his aunt, some woman whose name I did not know. She did not live here in this neighborhood. Q. What sort of a shack did TACKABARRY have on that place? A. It was two one-sided shacks put together. There was one room a person could live in and you could keep junk in the other room. He had one bed there. I was never in the place until after this claimant and TACKABARRY were married. Q. How long was this claimant, ANNA BENSINGER (now TACKABARRY) living there with TACKABARRY before they went to Holland to get married? A. Three days. Q. That is not what you told Special Examiner Himes and swore to. You said she had been keeping house for TACKABARRY about three weeks. Now which statement is correct? A. I told the other special examiner that I heard that she had been keeping house for TACKABARRY about three weeks and I supposed he put it down that way. Q. Why did you tell the other special examiner you did not know who that man was she was keeping house for? A. Well, I was not much acquainted with him; I knew him when I saw him. Q. You knew his name was TACKABARRY did you not? A. Yes, sir, I knew his name was TACKABARRY. Q. Now, you say the claimant was only with TACKABARRY three nights before their marriage? A. Yes, sir, that is what Mr. TACKABARRY told me. Q. When? Was that within the last three days? A. It was long during the summer he told me that, last summer. Q. How did the claimant happen to be over there for three days? A. Why, she was staying over at my sister-in-law's, Mrs. EMERT's, and she went from her house to stay with TACKABARRY. He told me she was there only three nights. I don't know why she went there when she did. I lived then where the claimant and TACKABARRY now reside and that is about a mile from TACKABARRY's place. Q. Who told you that claimant had been keeping house for TACKABARRY about three weeks, as you say, an stated to the other special examiner? A. I don't remember. Q. Well, was the statement correct that claimant had been living with TACKABARRY as his wife before they were married by ceremony? A. Not that I know except three days he said she was there. He did not say they were living that three days as man and wife, he said she was there with him. Yes, sir, I remember that there was a storm going on about the time she and TACKABARRY went to get married and that was the reason she stayed there that three days, she could not get away. When they started to get married they left TACKABARRY's place with a horse and buggy and drove all the way to Holland and they got married the next day. They drove TACKABARRY's rig. "Yes, I understood that the claimant had a prior husband names JAMES ROBINSON but I never saw him. I have always understood that she and ROBINSON separated. She, claimant, says ROBINSON got killed in a well while cleaning it. "This claimant lived with JOHN BENSINGER until he died and was with him when he died and she has never remarried to any man except ALBERT TACKABARRY since BENSINGER died. "I have no financial interest in this pension claim, have heard the foregoing statement read and it is correct. "Q. You stated you have no financial interest in this claim; didn't you write a letter to the Pension Bureau and say you thought you ought to be paid something for taking care of the claimant? A. Well, I kind o' thought we ought to have something out of it. She was with us better than three years just after Mr. BENSINGER died."; signed Mary J. Sanders. Feb 26, 1925--ANNA TACKABARRY, deposition in special examination taken by R.S. McCALL of Bureau of Pensions, at Clyde Twp, Allegan Co, MI: "I am the claimant in this pension. Q. The witnesses in your claim say you and ROBINSON had separated. Is that correct? A. No, I had gone to Marshall, Clark County, Illinois to the house of my mother (now deceased) and my husband ROBINSON was on Grape Creek on the KIGER place to clean out a well. We had lived there at Grape Creek. While I was at home, my mother's home, ROBINSON was killed in a well on the KIGER place and after his death it was reported that he and I had separated. My folks would get angry with me once in awhile and throw it up to me that we had separated. Q. How do you know ROBINSON died there? A. Why, Mr. Kiger wrote me that he was dead and sent me some money. There were two of those Kigers, TILLMAN KIGER and JOHN KIGER. Mr. KIGER sent me somewhere about 20 or 25 dollars. There was a newspaper account of his death and I kept it a long time but it got burned in a fire. I cannot give the date. This occurred near Danville, Illinois. Q. Mrs. TACKABARRY, the evidence in you claim shows you had been staying at the house of ALBERT E. TACKABARRY before you and he were married. Is that true? A. No, it is not true. Q. Your sister, Mrs. LIEBRICK (then Mrs. EMERT), says it is true; that you had been there with TACKABARRY three nights before you were married to him and Mrs. SANDERS testified she heard it stated that you had been with TACKABARRY about three weeks before you and he were married. Now, why would they say that if it is not true and correct as to the facts? A. They were mad at me because I would not stay and be a foot washer for everybody and divide my pension up with them. My relatives said they were going to have part of my pension. I was misused like a dog. Some of them threatened to kick my guts out if I did not give them part of my pension. I can name them if I have to do so. Q. Then you deny now, as you denied when you made your prior statement before me, that you never lived with TACKABARRY before you and he were married? A. Yes, I deny it, I never lived with TACKABARRY until I was married to him by the ceremony at Holland. My folks may have surmised that I was living with him. Q. Now, Mrs. SANDERS and Mrs. LEIBRICK say you went to his house, to TACKABARRY's house, and that you could not get away on account of a great storm. Is that correct? A. No, it is not correct. We started away from EMERT's house to be married and the EMERTs thought we went right over to his shack, to TACKABARRY's shack, but instead we went right to Holland and we stayed at the home of Mrs. NERICAN there who runs the Home Laundry and the next day we were married, drove back to TACKABARRY's shack and lived there. It stormed on us going and coming. Q. Have you any complaint to make as to the conduct, manner or fairness of this special examination of your pension claim? If so, please state specifically what it is. A. I have no complaint to make. The foregoing statement has been read to me and is correct."; witnesses A.E. TACKABARRY and GLENN REPP; signed by her mark X ANNA TACKABARRY. Feb 28, 1925--Report of Special Examiner R.S. McCall to Commissioner of Pensions [action of this Special Examiner is truly outrageous, as he selectively uses "evidence" to smear the claimant, in his questioning of affiants and in his report], subject ANNA BENSINGER TACKABARRY, W.O. 1143629; "Soldier: JOHN BENSINGER, Co. C, 1 Ind. H.A. Enrolled March 21, 1864; Discharged May 31, 1865. Soldier deserted that date but was afterwards given an honorable discharge. "Reference: To determine whether claimant is the legal widow of the soldier. "Notice: Official notice was served on claimant at her shack and her rights fully explained to her and she waived them. The evidence was not read over to her, not being adverse and further notice is not required. "Manner of Testifying: Claimant is an ignorant woman and loud in manner and speech. She cannot read nor write. I think she told the truth when she felt it was to her advantage to do so but I was not very favorably impressed with her, generally speaking. The same is true of TACKABARRY, her husband, and most of the witnesses. CLARA L. SIAS, IRVIN YOUNGBLOOD and JOHN BENSINGER I believe to be truthful. "Reputation: The reputation of this claimant is said to be good. There is nothing against her character in the neighborhood so far as I could learn. There is some little evidence that she was in the shack with TACKABARRY a short time before they were actually married but she and TACKABARRY deny this. While investigating the claim I of course kept in mind the "Watch Hired Man" phase of the case but was not successful in making anything out of it. Anyway, the marriage by ceremony later on would tend to show that their relationship before marriage was of the common law variety. Two women testify claimant and TACKABARRY were in his shack three nights just before they went away to get married. He admits he had only one bed in the place. So they must have slept together. "As to witnesses I think they are properly rated in the index. It may be proper to state that claimant and all witnesses reside in the poorest part of Allegan county, in 'the Sticks' as they call it, sandy soil and scrub oak timber, shacks for homes and dirt and disorder everywhere. I never saw such homes. "Former Affiants: WILLIAM EMERT is dead and I did not find it necessary to see EDWARD EMERT. "Certificates of Search: Death records of Kent County, Michigan, for death of soldier's prior wife, ELSIE ANN DAVIDSON. There is no record of her death but it is shown in evidence herein, the fact not the date but before soldier remarried. I had the marriage records of Ottawa county searched (fee .50) to show date of claimant's marriage to TACKABARRY and the certified copy is herein. "MARITAL HISTORY, SOLDIER: (1) ELSIE ANN DAVIDSON, in 1848, Medina Co., Ohio. She died about 1878 at Grandville, Kent Co., Michigan. (2) EMORETTE MALLORY, married her March 30, 1880, and it is alleged they were divorced at Newport, Indiana, date not shown. (This is a matter to be looked up on further examination). (3) ANNA WILLIAMS, August 25, 1886, at Newport, Indiana, but we have no record of this marriage as yet and this will have to be looked up on the marriage records of Vermillion County, Indiana "MARITAL HISTORY, CLAIMANT: (1) JOHN ROBINSON, married this man at Kansas Station, Edgar County, Illinois, when she was 18 years old which would be about 1868. (Claimant does not know her age but says she was 14 or 15 years of age when the Civil War closed, therefore she was born about 1850. I think she is about that old. This man is alleged to have been killed in a well at Grape Creek, Marshall County, Illinois not very long after their marriage. (This will have to be looked up on the death records of said county. Cover time from about 1868 to 1880). (2) JAMES WILLIAMS; married this man in Danville, Ills., and she says she divorced him at Newport, Ind. (This is a matter to be looked up, covering the years 1884 to 1886. It must have been one of those years the divorce was obtained). (3) JOHN BENSINGER, soldier. Lived with him until he died. (Look up marriage record at Newport, Ind. year 1886 about. See No. 3 under Soldier above.) (4) ALBERT E. TACKABARRY, married him October 11, 1921 and there is a record of that marriage in this report. She and TACKABARRY are living together in the most primitive way on her farm. These people went and got married the very day Special Examiner Himes went into the neighborhood to see claimant and my best opinion is they heard he was there, got scared and hurried off to be married. I believe MARY J. SANDERS lied to Mr. Himes when she said she did not know who the man was the claimant was keeping house for. Of course she knew all about TACKABARRY. This witness says now that claimant was with TACKABARRY only three days before marriage. To Mr. Himes she said it was about three weeks. After TACKABARRY and the claimant got married we could get no word in regard to them. Letters written claimant are still in her possession unopened, so she says. "Remarks: This man TACKABARRY says he was in the 37 Michigan Infantry, War with Spain, and that he once drew a pension; that his wife applied for a pension as his widow proving he was dead; said he was getting $8 a month. I don't know whether he is telling the truth or not, he is what they call 'nutty'. I wrote to the Adjutant General of Michigan 10 days ago to get a record of his service but have received no reply. I recommend that this matter be looked up on the records of the Bureau and if there is any truth in his statement and the statute has not run against it that steps be taken looking to criminal action against parties involved in this undertaking. Search of the Bureau records should be made for the service of ALBERT E. TACKABARRY, Co. [ ], 37 Mich. Vol. Inf., War with Spain. "Recommendation: Further examination as to legal widowhood is recommended at Newport, Vermillion County, Indiana, for search of marriage and divorce records as indicated above under numbered paragraphs, and search of marriage records of Edgar County, Illinois for marriage of claimant to JOHN ROBINSON (Mrs. SANDERS says his name was JIM ROBINSON but that was wrong) covering the years 1865 to 1875; and death of said JOHN ROBINSON in Marshall County, Illinois shortly afterwards. While the case is at Newport, Indiana, the following named witnesses may be seen if necessary: (1) AMANDA CONARD (pensioner), claimant's sister; (2) RUTHA NIMERICK, same place, claimant's sister."; signed R.S. McCALL. Apr 15, 1925--Certificate of search of records by Chas. A. Hughes, Inspector, Bureau of Pensions; Marriage records of Edgar Co, IL for years 1853-1890: "JOHN S. ROBINSON to GEORGA M.A. SANDERS, November 6, 1865" as shown in Book B, page 61. Court records Edgar Co, IL for years 1865-1886: No divorce record for JOHN ROBINSON and GEORGA or ANNA ROBINSON. Marriage records of Vermillion Co, IL: "JOHN BENSINGER and ANNA WILLIAMS were married August 25th 1886" recorded in Book 6, page 127. Court records Vermillion County, IL: On October 16, 1885, the soldier BENSINGER divorced his wife EMERETT BENSINGER, recorded in Book 17, page 54 and ANNA WILLIAMS divorced her husband WILLIAMS on June 16, 1886, recorded in Book 17, page 367. Apr 16, 1925--RUTH NIMRICK, deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the Bureau of Pensions, at deponent's home, Vermillion County, IL; "I am 71 years old, P.O. address RFD 5, Danville, Vermillion County, Illinois. My occupation is farming. I am the widow of JACOB NIMRICK, deceased. "My maiden name was RUTH SANDERS, and I am a sister to the claimant, ANNA SANDERS-TACKABARRY, but I have not seen her for many years--I do not think that I have seen her for the past 25 years. She visited me here in the neighborhood some 25 years ago, and at that time she was the wife of JOHN BENSINGER, a soldier, and he was a pensioner. They were living in Michigan, but where I don't know, but rather think near the village of Fennville. I heard of the death of BENSINGER, and I have understood that she has remarried, but don't remember the name of the man to whom she was married, altho have heard the name. "Q. What was the full and complete name of your sister ANNA? A. GEORGE ANNA SANDERS, or GEORGEANNA SANDERS, but she never liked the name and was commonly called ANNA SANDERS. ANNA was born in Clarke County, Illinois as I remember. I rather think that my parents, JAMES B. SANDERS and CENIA BIRT SANDERS were married in Indianapolis, and then they went to Clarke County, Illinois, and I was born there, and I rather think that the claimant ANNA was born there too. She grew up in Clarke County, near Marshall, Ill. "ANNA's first husband was JOHN ROBINSON, to whom she was married in Paris, Illinois, as I remember--I think that she was working in that City, and he was a coal miner and they were married there, and they lived in Paris, and in Kansas Station, and later in Brazil, Ind., and then I remember of the claimant coming home--coming to father's home near Marshall, and I understood that ROBINSON was dead--that he got killed in a well from the damps. I heard of his death at the time, but my father was sick and none of us were able to go to the funeral. I don't remember that claimant was at home prior to the death of ROBINSON, as I don't remember that they were separated--heard nothing of the kind. It may have been that ROBINSON was in Grape Creek, and was not living with my sister just at the date of his death, but as to that I don't remember, but remember hearing of the death of ROBINSON, and then remember of the claimant being at our home, and she was next married to a man named WILLIAMS--think it was JAMES WILLIAMS, but they separated, and I reckon that they were divorced--when or where they were divorced I don't know, but I suppose so, altho I heard that he died, but when or where I don't know--don't remember how I heard so. I knew that they separated, and suppose that they were divorced, and then also heard of his death, but don't know the facts in the case. Think that he had formerly lived in Tazwell County, but where, I don't know. Don't know where she married WILLIAMS, but I think she got acquainted with him in Kansas Station, Edgar County, Ind. Her third man was BENSINGER, and they were married some place in Illinois, but where I don't know, but he was then living near here, and they may have married in Newport, Indiana, yes. I don't know where, but heard of their marriage, and knew that they went to Michigan and heard of his death, and then of her remarriage, as I have already stated. I have never heard that she has been married to anyone else. I have never known of her living with any man in the relation of a wife, to whom she was not married. "I heard of the death of ROBINSON at the time, and understood that he died at Grape Creek from having gone into a well and was killed by the damps--poisonous gases in the well. He was an Englishman and was not afraid to undertake anything, and I never questioned his death, and that was long before she married WILLIAMS. Know nothing as to BENSINGER's marital history. Not financially interested. Heard the above read and it is correct. BENSINGER was much older than the claimant when they were married, and we did not want her to marry him, but I did not know anything against him."; signed Ruth Nimrick. Apr 16, 1925--LEVI A. WILSON, deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the Bureau of Pensions, at Grape Creek, Vermillion County, IL; "I am 75 years old, P.O. address RFD 6, Danville, Illinois. I am living at Grape Creek, and retired on account of poor health. "Have lived here since the close of the Civil War, and remember of the death of a man named JOHN ROBINSON, who died in a well on the property of Mrs. ANSON NICHOLSON, in Grape Creek, and not far from where I was then living. Mrs. NICHOLSON was a widow and the well on her property was a deep well and was needing cleaning out, and she got this man JOHN ROBINSON to go into the well to clean it out, and he was overcome by the damps, and was brought up to the surface by men who pulled his body up with long poles to which hooks had been attached. "I well remember the incident and of his dead body--saw his body when brought to the surface, but I did not attend his funeral. I remember that there was a crowd of people at the home of the widow NICHOLSON when his body was brought out of the well, and as I now remember the party who went for the Coroner at the date of his death, rode my horse, but don't remember the name of the man who went for the Coroner. I remember that DAN WILSON, deceased, gave me 50 cents for the use of my horse, and I was thinking that it was for to bring the Coroner but it is a long time ago, and I may not have this exactly right, but that's the way I remember the matter--don't remember the details, but I do personally remember of the fact of his death, and that he died in the well on the property of the widow NICHOLSON, and that the damps was the cause of his death--that he died in the well and was brought up a corpse, and I think that his body was buried in the Nicholson Graveyard, but am not absolutely positive where he was buried. I have not thought of him for years, but well remember the fact of his death, as I saw him at once when his body was brought out of the well. "Q. What was the date of death of JOHN ROBINSON? A. I don't know the date, but it was after the close of the Civil War, as we came here to Grape Creek at the close of the Civil War, and he died some time after we came here, but no way of getting at the date. I don't think that it was many years after the close of the war. "I only knew him as JOHN ROBINSON, and did not know any of his people. I never heard that he was a married man, and did not know where he had formerly lived--he must have been living about here some two or three years, and he was a mattress maker--made mattresses out of corn husks, and he and JOE MANUAL worked together and bached together, but he is dead. I well remember going to his shack where he was making mattresses and he sang a song of the "Little Brown Jug" and he loved the contents of the jug, too. I heard nothing about his family, if he had one. I remember being at the well when his body was brought up, but I don't remember that his body was dropped or mangled, but he was brought up naked as I remember--body pulled up with a long pole with a hook at the end--poles spliced together to make one long enough to reach him, and it was a deep well. There were great crowds of people at the well when he was brought up, and I remember many, but they are dead. Miss TRESSIE KYGER is now living on the property where the well is located in which JOHN ROBINSON lost his life. Everybody then living here knew of the fact of his death--the community was shocked and excited over it. He did not die at Kygers Mills, but the Mills were only about one mile from the house where he lost his life, as I am telling you. ROBINSON went into the well of the widow, NICHOLSON, widow of ANSON NICHOLSON, but she is dead. The KYGERs are all dead, DAN, TILLMAN, HENRY and JOHN are all dead. They ran a Water Mill in about one mile of where ROBINSON lost his life. WILLIAM BOONE kept a store in the neighborhood, but he is dead--died only a few months ago. I am not related to the claimant, never heard of her, or that JOHN ROBINSON was married."; witnesses CLARA PRIDRENARE [?] and EVELYN WILSON; signed by his mark X LEVI A. WILSON. Apr 16, 1925--TERRISSA KYGER, deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the Bureau of Pensions, at Grape Creek, Vermillion County, IL; "I am past 70 years of age, P.O. address and residence Grape Creek, Illinois. Occupation, keeping house and unmarried. I am the daughter of HENRY KYGER, and I have lived in the neighborhood all my life, and I remember that many years ago a man named JOHN ROBINSON was working about here, and I saw him occasionally and also remember that he went into a well where this house stands, but at that time the property was owned by ANSON NICHOLSON, and the man JOHN ROBINSON was overcome by the damps, and died here, altho I did not see his dead body, but I heard of it at the time and I was then living at Kygers Mills, something like one mile from here. "While I don't remember the date of the death of JOHN ROBINSON, I think it was after the close of the Civil War, but I have no way of fixing the date. I was a grown woman, and was living at the home of my father. I was not specially acquainted with JOHN ROBINSON, but knew that he was working about here, and went into the well to clean it out, and lost his life by the damps, and that's all I know of the matter. While I rather think that his body was buried in the neighborhood, I don't remember where. Don't remember who buried his body, and I did not know any of his people--just knew him as JOHN ROBINSON, and did not know he was a married man, and never heard that he had a wife. "I don't know where he had lived prior to coming here, and don't remember how long he was about in the neighborhood. I understood that he died from the poison damps in the well, that he didn't live but a short time after going into the well, and was brought up dead. While I did not see his dead body, and did not attend his burial, I well remember of the fact, and it was talked about in the neighborhood, and was well know by all at that time, but most all are dead that knew of his death, but the fact of his death was well known by all."; signed by Terrissa Kyger. Apr 16, 1925--AMERICA M. BLAKENEY, deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the of Bureau of Pensions, at deponent's home, Vermillion County, IL; "I am 83 years old, P.O. address RFD 1, Grape Creek, Ill. Occupation, keeping house, and a widow--husband was HUGH BLAKENEY. I have lived in the immediate neighborhood all my life, and I remember hearing of the death of a man called JOHN ROBINSON many years ago--no way of getting at the date. I did not see his dead body, and was not at the burial, but I heard of the fact of his death at the time, as it was talked of at the time. The fact of his death was well known by the whole community at that time. "I have seen this man JOHN ROBINSON, but I had no special acquaintance with him. I did not know any of his people, and don't know where he had formerly lived. He was not a married man while here to my knowledge or at least I did not know that he had a wife, and had not heard that he had been married. He and JOE MANUAL bached together, but MANUAL is dead--well, I understood that he and MANUAL bached together. "I understood that he was staying at the home of the widow of ANSON NICHOLSON, and there was a deep well that needed to be cleaned out, and he went into the well to clean out the well, and died of the damps. This is all I know of the matter, but it was well known at the time and was talked about. No sir, I don't remember the date he was killed--no way of getting at the date. I now remember that my youngest child was a baby--less than one year old. I went to see ANSON NICHOLSON, who was sick, and died soon after I went to see him, and it was only a few weeks after the death of ANSON NICHOLSON until JOHN ROBINSON went into the well and met his death. The baby I am telling you about was called HAWS BLAKENEY. He is commonly called 'Dr.' BLAKENEY, and signs his name D.H. BLAKENEY. He was born May 8, 1870, and as I remember, my son was less than one year old when JOHN ROBINSON lost his life.". Apr 17, 1925--AMANDA JULIEN, deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the of Bureau of Pensions, at Perrysville, Vermillion County, IL; "I am 71 years old. P.O. address and residence Perrysville, Indiana, but I intend to go to Michigan in a short time. I am the wife of LEVI JULIEN, and we are living with my children. My father was JOHN BENSINGER, and my mother was ELSIE ANN, and while I don't know definately, I rather think that mother's maiden name was Cook. No sir, I don't remember that she was a DAVISON--she was not a widow when father married her. I don't know, but I think that my parents were married in Penn., and I lived in that State until I was 9 years old. Whether in Ohio, I don't know. We went to Michigan when I was 9 years old, and my parents remained there, and mother died in that State but I don't know the date of mother's death, as I had married and left there prior to mother's death. No sir, I can't remember the date of her death, but she died after my marriage to my first husband, GEORGE W. HOWARD, but don't remember date of my marriage-- I married HOWARD in Danville, and at the age of 16 years. I had been married about 11 years when mother died, and I was living in Illinois and did not go to her funeral, but heard of her death, and remember that she died at Grandville, Mich., and was buried there--don't think there is a marker at her grave. I have always understood that father had not been married prior to his marriage to mother. "Father was next married to a woman named MALLERY, and he married her in Michigan, but I don't know the date. I remember that mother had been dead several years prior to the date father married the MALLERY woman, but as I tell you, I don't know either date. I am certain that mother was dead prior to father's marriage to the MALLERY woman. Father and the MALLERY woman separated, and I have always understood that they were divorced, but I don't know when or where--I feel sure however, that they were divorced. After mother died he came to this State and lived several years, but whether he divorced the MALLERY woman in Indiana, I don't know. I remember that father was next married to a woman named ANNA, maiden name SANDERS, but she was a widow when father married her. She was the widow of a man named WILLIAMS, and I understood that ANNA and WILLIAMS had parted, but whether they were divorced, I don't know--I did not know her then. I did not understand that they were married until after they went to Michigan and I suppose that they were married in Michigan, but don't know when or where, but I knew that they lived together and that ANNA was living with father when he died, and he died in Michigan, but I don't remember the date, and I was not present at his funeral or death, altho I was living in Michigan at the time. I have no knowledge that father was ever married but three times, first to my mother, ELISIE ANN, and then to the MALLERY woman, and then to ANNA SANDERS. Father and ANNA SANDERS-BENSINGER were not separated or divorced. I have not seen ANNA since father died, but I have heard that she remarried, and while I heard the name of the man she married, I don't remember it. Now that you mention the name of TACKABARRY, I remember that to be the name of the man that ANNA married after the death of father. I know nothing as to the prior marital history of ANNA, and don't know how many times she had been previously married. "I never knew ANNA by any other name--don't know that it was GEORGIANNA. I don't remember the place in Pennsylvania where I was born, but understand that I was born in that State, and I think my parents were married in that State, but don't know where. I don't remember living in Ohio--as I remember we moved from Penn., to Mich., when I was only 9 years old."; witnesses HOLLY DUNIVAN and HARRY DUNIVAN; signed by her mark X AMANDA JULIEN. Apr 16, 1925--Certificate of search of records by Chas. A. Hughes, Inspector, Bureau of Pensions; Search of marriage records of Vermillion Co, IL for years 1865-1880: "JAY W. WILLIAMS and ANNIE SANDERS, September 2, 1875" recorded in Book D, page 10. "Inasmuch as the testimony tends to show that claimant and her former husband JOHN ROBINSON were not living together at date of his death, and that it is shown that claimant married WILLIAMS under her maiden name, I thought that possibly claimant may have been divorced, hence this search. "I have this day made a careful search of the Court Records of Vermillion County, Illinois, for the period, 1865 to 1876, inclusive, but failed to find any record of any action in any cause wherein the name of the claimant or that of JOHN ROBINSON appear, or anything to show that either party applied for, or was granted a decree of divorce".; signed Chas. A. Hughes. Apr 17, 1925--AMANDA CONRAD [sic] deposition in special examination taken by CHAS. A. HUGHES, an inspector of the of Bureau of Pensions, at Summitt Grove, Vermillion County, IL; "I am unable to state my age, P.O. address and residence Clinton, Indiana, but at this time I am visiting at Summitt Grove. I have no occupation, and am a pensioner as the widow of the late soldier HENRY CONRAD, of Company A, of some Indiana Infantry." [from the CW pension index, it is Co A, 70 IL Inf and Co F, 137 IN Inf] "My maiden name was AMANDA SANDERS and my parents were JAMES and CENA GILLA ANN SANDERS, but both deceased. I have one brother, PERRY SANDERS, and I have three sisters, RUTH NIMRICK, MARTHA LIEBRICK, and ANNA BENSINGER- TACKABARRY. "I am older that sister ANNA, but I don't remember where she was 'borned at'- -don't know where my parents were married. "ANNA SANDERS, my sister, was first married to JOHN ROBINSON, but I don't remember when or where, as she 'worked out' and I can't remember where she was employed at that time. No sir, I don't remember when her marriage to JOHN ROBINSON took place, but she was a young girl, and had not been previously married as I know personally. She and JOHN ROBINSON lived together a long time, and were not separated or divorced. He died at Grape Creek, Illinois. He was cleaning out a well and died in the well from the damps. No sir, ANNA was not living with ROBINSON at the date of his death, as he was away at work cleaning out wells, and met his death. Oh no sir, they were not separated, but he was an Englishman and would get mad at her and go away and stay awhile and then come back, and there was no separation. I think she was at Newport, Ind. when she heard of his death at Grape Creek in the well, by the damps. I heard of his death at the time--a man named JIM TROSPER, deceased, came to our house and told of his death, and I understood that sister ANNA had been notified of his death at the time. They went around and notified her and all the folks of his death, and there was no question of his death. We couldn't go to his funeral as we had no way of getting there, but she had word of his death at once when it happened. I am sure that he was killed in a well at Grape Creek, Illinois, by the damps. Sister ANNA was married next to JIM WILLIAMS. Well, I don't know where nor the date, but it was after the death of ROBINSON. She and WILLIAMS only lived together a short time, and she divorced him at Newport, Ind., and I gave the money to get her the divorce--why! he would have killed us, and we had to stop the pump to keep him from putting 'pizen' in it. Then after she got rid of WILLIAMS she married BENSINGER the soldier, and BENSINGER was the only good man she ever had. She and BENSINGER lived together until his death. He died in Michigan, but I was not living there at that time, but I heard of his death. Then I have heard that sister ANNA married after the death of BENSINGER, and to a man by name of TACKABARRY, and he has written us--sister ANNA can't write. "I have never known or heard of sister ANNA having been married to any other man, and I am satisfied that she has never been married but the four times mentioned above, and have never known of her living with any man to whom she was not married. She divorced WILLIAMS and married BENSINGER at Newport, Indiana, but I was not at their wedding. "I heard that WILLIAMS died in the Illinois Penitentiary, but don't remember the date. Only knew of his death from hearsay. "BENSINGER had been married prior to his marriage to sister ANNA, but his former wife was dead. I only knew of him being married once prior to his marriage to sister ANNA. Think his form wife was named--well, I don't remember her name. No sir, I don't know that BENSINGER divorced any wife at Newport, and the only wife I knew of BENSINGER died in Michigan. The date I don't know, but it was prior to his marriage to sister ANNA. Well, I don't know whether the wife of BENSINGER who in Michigan was named ELSA ANN or not for I tell you, I don't remember the name of his wife. I don't know of any of BENSINGER's children living in Indiana, as all were in Michigan, when I knew them. I saw BENSINGER often, lived right by him and sister 8 years. They were not separated or divorced."; witnesses CHAS NOVELLA and VESTA MILLER; signed by her mark X AMANDA CONRAD. Apr 17, 1925--CHAS. A. HUGHES, Inspector, certified copies of the divorce complaint and granting of decree: Vermillion County, IN Circuit Court, JOHN BENSINGER vs. EMIRETT BENSINGER, No. 2372, divorce decree filed Sep 4, 1883; "The Plaintiff JOHN BENSINGER complains of the Defendant EMRETT BENSINGER and says that he is a bona fide resident of the State of Indiana and has been for more than two years last past, and is now and has been for more than six months last past a resident of Highland Township, Vermillion County, Indiana, that his occupation is that of a farmer, that he has been a resident of State for three years last past. That on the 15th day of March 1880 he was lawfully married to the said Defendant and demeaned himself toward her as a good and lawful husband should, that said Defendant disregardful of her married vows without and cause on the part of this Plaintiff she did on the 15th day of June 1882 leave his home and go to the State of Michigan and has ever since refused to live with Plaintiff, and to take charge of his household, and at this time Plaintiff does not know her wherabouts, that all the time they lived together as husband and wife, she the Defendant constantly treated Plaintiff cruelly and by every means in her power tried to make his home and him miserable, and that when she deserted this Plaintiff she did so without any cause on his part whatever. He further says that he always furnished the Defendant as good a living as his means would warrant him in doing."; signed by his mark X JOHN BENSINGER. Divorce, No. 2703, was granted Oct 16, 1885 by Judge Joshua Jump, Vermillion Circuit Court. Apr 17, 1925--CHAS. A. HUGHES, Inspector, certified copies of the divorce complaint and granting of decree: Vermillion County, Indiana, Circuit Court, GEORGANNA M. WILLIAMS vs. JAMES WILLIAMS, No. 2824, divorce decree filed Apr 19, 1886; "The Plaintiff in the above entitled cause complains of the Defendant and say that they were married in the year 1877 and lived together as husband and wife until the year 1884, when some time in March of the aforesaid year she was compelled to leave the said Defendant by reason of his cruel and inhuman treatment, his habitual drunkeness and his failure to provide this Plaintiff with the necessaries of life. She further says that during their married life she always treated the Defendant as a good and dutiful wife should treat her husband. She further says that she is now and has been for more that two years lst past a resident of Vermillion County Indiana, that for more than ten years last past she has been a resident of Highland Township, Vermillion County Indiana and that her occupation is that of a housewife, she further declares that the Defendant's whereabouts are unknown to her, and she verily believes is not a resident of the State of Indiana"; Divorce granted Jun 16, 1886, Joshua Jump, Judge Vermillion Circuit Court. Apr 22, 1925--Report of Bureau of Pensions Inspector, CHAS. A. HUGHES, Federal Bldg. Indianapolis, IN in the case of ANNA TACKABERRY, former widow of JOHN BENSINGER, W.O. No. 1143629; "With this report are returned all papers in the above entitled claim for pension, referred to the Chief of the Special Examination Division for a special examination to determine: 'Whether the claimant, now the wife of ALBERT TACKABARRY, is the legal widow of the late soldier, JOHN BENSINGER; the date of soldier's death, and whether claimant has remarried since soldier's death' Per Letter of the Chief of the Board of Review, under date of May 4, 1921. "The claim to this territory for further examination in Vermillion County Indiana, as to legal widowhood; whether the claimant was ceremonially married to the soldier, and whether either were competent to contract a legal marriage, dissolution of the former marriages of both the claimant and soldier; date and fact of death of claimant's first husband, JOHN ROBINSON, and general merits of the claim, per letter of the Reviewer, under date of March 11, 1925... "As the claim required further examination in the Counties of Edgar and Vermillion, State of Illinois, and said territory being contiguous, I have completed the special examination in said counties. "I found claimant's sister AMANDA CONRAD in Summit Grove, Indiana, altho her home is in Clinton, and I found claimant's sister RUTH NIMRICK about 6 miles S.E. of Danville, and secured the depostion of each. And I found AMANDA JULIEN, daughter of the soldier, JOHN BENSINGER, living in Perrysville, Indiana, and secured her deposition, and have made each of said depositions a part of this report. They are all reputable. "It is further shown by competent testimony that claimant's first husband died of poison gases in a well at Grape Creek, Vermillion County, Illinois about the year 1870--the summer of 1870, altho have been unable to get the exact date of his death--the fact is shown beyond any question-one witness, Mr. LEVI A. WILSON, saw his body removed from the well, and others living near, knew of the fact from a general understanding of it at the time. I have failed to find any record evidence of his death, as there are no death records dating that far back, and the Coroner's records only date back to 1887, but I think that the evidence herewith is sufficient to show beyond question that JOHN ROBINSON died the summer of 1870. I saw HAWS, commonly called "DOCK" BLAKENEY, mentioned by his mother, and he says that he was born May 1870, and his mother says that ROBINSON met his death when her baby was small, and she thinks the summer following his birth in May 1870. "Evidence of all other questions is shown by records--certified copies of marriage and divorce records are made a part of this report, and the records verify claimant's statement to the letter. "Records show that the claimant married JOHN ROBINSON in Edgar County, Illinois, November 6, 1865. Testimony shows he died in 1870. Records further show that claimant married JAY W. WILLIAMS in Vermillion County, Illinois, September 2, 1875. Records show that the claimant divorced this said husband, in Vermillion County, Indiana, June 16, 1886. Records show that claimant married the soldier, JOHN BENSINGER, in Vermillion County, Indiana, August 25, 1886. Records show that the soldier, JOHN BENSINGER, divorced his wife, EMERETT BENSINGER in Vermillion County, Indiana, October 16, 1885. Certificates of the Court Clerks covering all of above events will be found as parts of this report. Testimony showing death of BENSINGER's wife ELSA ANN, together with the death of the soldier is already in the case--see reports 1, 2. Records show name of claimant when she married ROBINSON, as GEORGA M.A. SANDERS, and her name in her Divorce from WILLIAMS, is as GEORGIANA M. Claimant's sister RUTH NIMRICK tells me that claimant was called GEORGIANNA or GEORGEANN, but she did not like the name and called herself ANN or ANNA--I notice one place it is spelled ANNIE. Claimant's husband WILLIAMS gave his name as JAY W. in his marriage license, but was divorced from claimant as JAMES WILLIAMS. Claimant's Marital History shown as follows:- GEORGA M.A. SANDERS and JOHN S. ROBINSON, Married November 6, 1865, Edgar County, Ill. JOHN S. ROBINSON, Died the summer of 1870, Grape Creek, Ill. ---------- ANNIE SANDERS, and JAY W. WILLIAMS, Married September 2, 1875, Vermillion Co. Ill. Above named parties, Divorced June 16, 1886, Vermillion Co. Ind. ---------- ANNA WILLIAMS, and JOHN BENSINGER, Married August 25, 1886, Vermillion Co. Ind. JOHN BENSINGER, Died November 9, 1918, Allegan County Mich. ---------- ANNA BENSINGER, and ALBERT TACKABARRY, Married October 11, 1921, Holland Ottawa Co, Mich. ---------- I don't understand why claimant married WILLIAMS under her maiden name of SANDERS, as I have been unable to find that she and ROBINSON were divorced. Soldier's Marital History shown as follows:- JOHN BENSINGER, and ELSA ANN DAVISON, or COOK, married in Ohio or Penn., date not shown ELSA ANN BENSINGER died in Ottawa County Mich., prior to 1886. ---------- JOHN BENSINGER, and EMORET MALLERY, Married March 30, 1880, in Hamilton, Michigan. Above parties were divorced October 16, 1886 [sic], Vermillion Co. Ind. ---------- JOHN BENSINGER, and ANNA WILLIAMS, Married August 25, 1885, Vermillion Co. Ind. and lived together until his death, November 9, 1918. Nearly all the above dates shown by Record evidence. AMANDA JULIEN, daughter of BENSINGER and his wife ELSA ANN, tells me that her mother died in Michigan eleven years after her--AMANDA's marriage to GEORGE W. HOWARD, and that she--AMANDA--was married to HOWARD in Danville, Ill. I looked up the record of AMANDA's marriage to HOWARD, and it is shown that she married him August 5, 1872, recorded in Book B, page 83. Counting eleven years from 1872, would make the year 1883, and which is more than likely the correct date of ELSA ANN BENSINGER's death. The reputation of LEVI A. WILSON, TERRISSA KYGAR [sic], and AMANDA M. BLAKENEY is good. All were rather timid, and were afraid that they would say something that would not be correct, and I think that all of these people have stated the facts just as they knew it to be. It appears that ROBINSON did not die in a well on the property of the KYGERs, but on the property of the widow of ANSON NICHOLSON, deceased, and the property ow occupied by deponent TERRISSA KYGER. I could have looked into the well where ROBINSON lost his life, had I gone to the rear of the home of TERRISSA KYGER, but I was hurried for time, and didn't see that my looking into the well would change the status of the case. The KYGERs who owned the Mill, commonly called KYGER's Mill, are all dead. They were DANIEL, TILLMAN, HENRY and JOHN. The Mill was standing then about one mile from the place where ROBINSON lost his life, and along those days the entire community was often spoken of as "Kyger's Mill". The Mill collapsed about 1900, just about the time DANIEL KYGER died. I saw his widow, now SARAH HARKELROD, a pensioner, Danville, Ill., but she tells me that she did not marry KYGER until 1872, and did not remember ROBINSON, or of his death, but she is old and memory is very poor. I learned that a sister of DAN KYGER, Mrs. SARAH UNDERWOOD, is living at Georgetown, Ill., but she never lived at Grape Creek, and if she knew of the death of ROBINSON, it would only be hearsay, and I did not see her. I was also told that HARRISON PARISH, now living in Allerton, Ill., was living in Grape Creek when ROBINSON lost his life, and would probably remember of the fact, but in view of the testimony already secured, I did not think it necessary to see him. I found several other who said that they had heard the matter of ROBINSON's death talked of--the Coroner, Mr. COLE, aged not over 40, says that he heard, when at Grape Creek, of the death of ROBINSON. WILLIAM BOONE, who kept a general store in the immediate vicinity of Grape Creek died only a few months ago, and his widow was not married to him until in more recent years, and was not at Grape Creek until years after ROBINSON met his death, as is fully shown herein, ie, the fact of the death of ROBINSON is well shown. The well where he lost his life was on the NICHOLSON property, but all that family are dead--ANSON NICHOLSON died only a short time prior to the death of ROBINSON, and his widow passed away years ago. I heard rumors that ANSON NICHOLSON met his death by foul play and that his wife and ROBINSON were under suspicion of having been instrumental in causing his death, but this is only gossip, and immaterial in this case. Will recommend that the papers be referred to the Chief of the Board of Review for his Consideration. Signed, CHAS. A. HUGHES, Inspector. Jul 2, 1930--FIDUS E. FISH, Attorney at Law and Justice of the Peace, Allegan, Michigan; letter to Commissioner of Pensions which accompanies two affidavits regarding a renewed pension claim of ANNA TACKABARRY; "Claimant is very poor and if full compliance has to be made I am afraid I will have to advance the funds. If the case lacks only what you signify such proofs can be got I believe, but if her once having drawn a pension on account of Mr. Bensinger, and relinquished it by her marriage to TACKABERY, will defeat her claim, I had better be advised of that ruling before advancing money on the claim. If she had a pension once most of the proof asked for is to be found in the files of your department, and perhaps you can use them in this case"; signed FIDUS E. FISH. Jul 2, 1930--ANNA TACKABARRY; affidavit taken at Allegan, MI; stated that her "residence is in the township of Clyde, Allegan county, and have lived here for 20 years, and my post office address is Fennville, Michigan, R.F.D. 3, box 32"; requested that pension bureau use the paperwork from previous claims for this widow's claim. Jul 2, 1930--MARY SANDERS; affidavit taken at Allegan, MI; stated that her "residence is in the township of Clyde Allegan county, and I have lived there for 30 years, and my post office address is Fennville, Michigan, R.F.D. 3, box 115. "Deponent lived in the township of Casco in Allegan county when 15 years old, and has lived in that township for about ten years and then moved into Clyde where she now resides, and that she formerly lived in Perrysville, Ind. and when 8 years old, it was then that ANNA B. TACKEBERY was married to JOHN BENSINGER, but deponent was not present at the wedding. "That about a week after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. JOHN BENSINGER moved to Allegan county stopping at Lee, Allegan Co. and in about a year they moved into Casco in Allegan county, and then moved into Valley township in Allegan county, and lived there some ten years and then moved into Clyde where they lived till he, JOHN BENSINGER died Nov. 9, 1918. "About seven years after they moved from Perrysville Ind. to Allegan county deponent also moved to Allegan count where she has continually resided ever since, except for seven years. The claimant is sister to my husband. Deponent lived near to claimant and her husband all the time after she came to this county, and visited in their family frequently, and for about four years lived in the home with Mr. and Mrs. BENSINGER as a member of their family, and after deponent's marriage continued to live in Clyde in said Allegan county where she now resided, and that deponent knows that from the time of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. BENSINGER that they continued to live as husband and wife living together and never separated, nor were they divorced. Deponent is 56 years of age. "There was a break in deponent's residence in Allegan county for in 1912 she moved to Grand Rapids and lived there seven years, but returned and visited the family of Mr. and Mrs. BENSINGER during those seven years, two or more times a year. "In 1921 Oct 11 claimant married ALBERT A. TACKABERY in Holland Michigan, and came back the next day to her farm in Clyde and with her husband continued to live in Clyde till his death Oct. 3, 1929. "Deponent was not present at the marriage but was at Mr. TACKABERY's funeral and burial, and knows they lived together as husband and wife all the time and were not divorced, not separated as husband and wife, from the time of their marriage till his death. Deponent lived two miles from their place in Clyde, and saw them frequently."; signed MARY SANDERS. "Notations in [brackets] are mine. JWS"