Polk County, Missouri Mexican War Pensions - Mary Ann Menefee MEXICAN WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION - MARY ANN MENEFEE Mexican War widow's pension statement of Mary Ann Menefee State of Missouri County of Polk On this 18th day of June A.D. 1891, Personally appeared before me, a _____________ in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths, Mary Ann Menefee aged 58 years, a resident of Bolivar in the county of Polk and state of Missouri whose post office address is Bolivar Polk Co. Missouri and who being duly sworn, declares as follows: that That in reply to notice that my pension has been suspended on the grounds that I am not the legal widow of Richard Menefee, on whose account I am drawing a pension because of my having never been divorced from my former husband and giving me sixty days to reply for restoration. I will state that I was married to Henry Brink May 5 1858. He was a stage driver on the overland stage. We had been acquainted but a short time He was a stranger. In a few months after our marriage he left me. He told me was going off to buy a cow and never returned. He left me destitute with no money or provisions. I heard from him soon after he left that he was on the way to California. I never heard from him after that time until about September 1867. I had in the meantime remarried to Richard Menefee on the 28 day of April 1865. I supposed he was dead and all my acquaintances supposed he was dead. It was about or near seven years from the time I last heard from him before I remarried although it seemed to me many more years than that. No one supposed him alive and no one of my friends or kindred allowed a divorce necessary. All considered the time elapsed was sufficient evidence of his death. When Henry Brink returned in the fall of 1867 he came to my house to see me but did not claim me as his wife. All that he said was he said, "I am glad you have got somebody that will take care of you." He went off and married again. I did not believe that he was Henry Brink whom I married. He did not look to me like the same man I married in May 1858 and I still have my doubts of his being my former husband. A special examiner Wiley Britton came to my house on March 4 1891 last to examine into my case. I was all in confusion because of it and could not remember what to answer when he asked me questions. He was harsh and severe to me and got me excited and nervous and I could not remember anything. The questions related to matters occurring thirty three years ago. I cannot read but have a family record. He would not let me or any of my children refer to it or allow me to refresh my memory by asking any of my family as to dates or circumstances, so that it was impossible for me to give any intelligent reliable answers to his questions. What I said in that affidavit was the best I could in the midst of my confusion and nervous excitement. My pension is all I have to live upon and the thought that they were trying to take in from me almost distracted me and he would give me no later time or liberty but demanded the answers at once and believing that I must answer whether right or not did my best to state dates. I remembered after he left that I said I was married to Henry Brink in 1857. I immediately went to him to correct this mistake. He promised to come back and have it corrected but he never came back. I may have made others but do not now know whether I did or not. He asked me about the ages of the children. I told him as well as I could. He would not allow anyone to assist me. I am afficated with palsy and cannot do any correct thinking on the spur of the moment. I did not marry Richard Menefee until near seven years had elapsed of absence of my first husband and as I stated above presumed as all others did that he was dead. I married Richard Menefee in April 28 1865. I am drawing a pension for his service in the Mexican War. He was also a soldier in the union Army. He was Captain of Co A Regt W.S.R. Cav. of Polk Co. here in Mo. He enrolled June 6 1861 discharged Dec 6 1861 and was Captain of Co E 8th Regt Mo St Militia Cav. commissioned March 27 1862 and because of his wife's sickness she having the dropsy he resigned and came home to her. She died of the disease. I had six children. All my children are born of Richard Menefee. I have a claim for pension for the youngest Frederick Richard Menefee who was born June 22 1879. He and my other children are as follows. John W. Menefee born April 15 1866 Emma Dean Menefee " June 5 1867 Sidney H. " " Nov 5 1868 Thomas E. " " April 19 1870 Marcella R. " " January 14 1872 Frederick R. " " June 22 1879 I was a faithful wife to Richard Menefee up to his death. Lived with him and cared for him and his children from our marriage on April 1865 to his death March 22 1886, thus for twenty one years showed my devotion for him. He was a brave and good soldier. Went out among the first and his influence was great on this action did much towards starting a Union settlement and I do not think a technicality should contribute to allowing me his widow to suffer poverty and want the rest of my days. I am helpless and paralyzed and had I for a moment deemed a divorce necessary or proper could have processed one at any time after he had abandoned me one year but I lived in hopes of hearing from him until all deemed him dead and as the law also deemed him dead it did not seem necessary to secure a divorce and I do not now believe it is required in such cases after an absence of the length of time. I therefore request that the suspension be set aside and my pension continued as widow of Richard Menefee. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Henry Morris ====================================================================