PENSION: William C. VOORHEIS; Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., NY contributed by Joyce Grant . ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.org *********************************************************************** Williams pension file was 204 pages long. This is my extraction. I would like you to make this available to anyone interested. Would also like to exchange information with anyone else researching this line. ------------------------- WILLIAM C. VOORHEIS -- FEDERAL PENSION FILE >From the National Archives; 204 pages; Soldier's Certificate No. 177714; Rank - private; Service -Co. E 148 NY Inf. (Civil War) pg 2: check for $72 returned to government declaring that William C. Voorheis of Dresden, NY had died on January 19, 1915. pg 4: Surgeon's Certificate: on January 17, 1906: birth place Seneca Falls, NY; age 65; height 5-8; weight 198 pounds; complexion florid; color of eyes blue; color of hair gray; abundance of permanent marks and scars; also scar on left forearm. Chronic diarrhea first after Battle of Colce Harbor, Virginia in 1864. [full detail of exam on this page] Also has deafness and kidney disease. He was applying for an increase of benefits at this time. Resides at Seneca Falls, NY. pg 7: Was examined on May 25, 1904 at Auburn, NY requesting increase in pension. Resides at 19 Center St, Seneca Falls, NY. pg 9: Was examined on January 21, 1903 at Seneca Falls, NY requesting increase in pension - 62 yrs old, weight 179; chronic diarrhea and disease of rectum. Resides at Seneca Falls, NY. pg 11: Was examined on June 16, 1901 at Auburn, NY requesting increase in pension. 59 years old, 170 pounds; complaining of deafness in both ears with dizzyness and head pain; resides at 24 Water St, Seneca Falls, NY. pg 15 - 17: Was examined on September 14, 1898 at Seneca Falls for additional pension. Resides in Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Gun Shot wound of right arm; disease of stomach, kidneys, chronic diarrhea, enlarged prostrate, deafness, pain in head, loss of memory and vertigo. Was wounded at Henry's Bluff. pg 19: Was examined on January 18, 1893 at Seneca Falls for increase in pension; complaining of chronic diarrhea, partial deafness in both ears, gun shot wound of right arm, vertigo, kidney and stomach disease and general disability. 52 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weight 145. Resides in Seneca Falls. Report indicates physician did find evidence of all complaints except that no evidence of gun shot wound to right arm remains. pg 21: Was examined April 8, 1891 at Penn Yan, NY. Resides at Waterloo, NY. Complaining of chronic diarrhea, deafness and disease of head. 51 years old, weight 140, 5 ft 8 1/2 inches tall. pg 23: Was examined on July 25, 1883 at Auburn, Cayuga county, NY. Complaining of chronic diarrhea and increase of disability. 42 years old, weight 140; 5 ft 8 1/2 inches tall. pg 26: Was examined on April 7, 1880 at Canandaigua, Ontario county, NY complaining of chronic diarrhea. The examining physician did not find any evidence of this disability. Weight 140, age 39, eyes blue, hair brown, 5' 8 1/2" tall. pg 28: Was examined on June 22, 1878 at Geneva, Ontario county, NY complaining of chronic diarrhea. The examining physician did declare he had one half of total disability and qualified for a $4 per month permanent disability. He was 36 years old, weight 135. Chronic diarrhea commenced June 12, 1864 between Coal Harbor and White House landing, Virginia. pg 30: Act of June 27, 1890; declaration for invalid pension. William had notarized petition on May 17, 1900 at Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY stating that he was totally unable to earn support by manual labor by reason of chronic diarrhea, deafness, disease of heart and general debility. He resided at 24 Water St, Seneca Falls, NY; 59 years old and honorably discharged at Fortress Monroe, Virginia in Hospital on the 2nd day of June 1865. Witnesses A. M. Shepard stated he had known William 40 years and Asa Timmerman had known him 12 years. pg 32: William attained attorney Fred W. DeMott to represent him for the cessation of his benefits. He was a pensioner under certificate 177714 for chronic diarrhea but was notified Sept 11, 1883 that such pension was discontinued because that disability had cleared. Paper dated October 8, 1892. Witnesses Archibald M. Shepard stated he had known William 30 years and Frank Kinne stated he had known him 25 years. pg 34: December 12, 1891; notarized statement that William C. Voorheis, 51, residing at Waterloo, Seneca county, NY was the same person enrolled on the 31st day of Aug . 1862 in Co. E, 148th Reg NY volunteers and that he is applying for benefits under the Act of June 27, 1890. Witnesses were Warren S. Bishop and George Finnegan. pg 36: Declaration for Invalid Pension act of June 27, 1890. On July 18, 1890 ; William C. Voorheis, 49 of Penn Yan village, Yates county, NY appeared before the deputy clerk appointing Benjamin L. Hoyt of Penn Yan, Yates county, NY as his lawful attorney to prosecute his claim. Witnesses were Bennett Bogardue and Ezra T. Fenner both of whom had known him for 30 years. pg 38: Invalid Pension act of June 27, 1890 rejected on July 19, 1890; recognized attorney Benj. L. Hoyt of Penn Yan, NY. Submitted for rejection May 5, 1892. Pensioned from June 3, 1865 at $4 for chronic diarrhea. pg 39: Another rejection dated October 12, 1892; submitted January 31, 1900. Last paid to Sept 4, 1883. pg 40: Another application submitted Febrary 12, 1902 by Attorney Stephen Weatherlow of Seneca Falls, NY. William resides at 24 Water St, Seneca Falls, NY. pg 42: Notarized declaration for invalid pension; dated April 22, 1904; Witnesses Melvin A. Roystom and William R. Roystom both stating they have known William for 14 years. pg 44: April 27, 1904; William C. Voorheis of 19 Center St, Seneca Falls, NY; attorney Wm. Conard & Co; submitted for additional benefits on Oct 24, 1904. Now pensioned under laws at $10 per month for chronic diarrhea and resulting disease of rectum. pg 45: General Affidavit; Sept 7, 1897; oaths administered to Annie Crawford - 48 years old and Emma Kinney - 38 years old both of Seneca Falls, NY who both declare that they have known William for 30 years and that he has been affected with chronic diarrhea since his military service. " I went to Michigan when he went there and lived a neighbor there and when he returned to Seneca county our family returned at the same time and have lived neighbors ever since." pg 47: General Affidavit; Sept. 7, 1897; oath administered to George Crawford - 48 of Senca Falls. Declared he had known William for 27 years and had been a neighbor for 23 years and that he could verify his chronic diarrhea and total disability for the performance of manual labor for the last 20 years. pg 49: General Affidavit; August 1898; oath administered to A. M. Shepard of Seneca Falls. Declared he had known William for 35 years and that for the last 20 years he had chronic diarrhea that made him totally unable to perform manual labor. He stated he had been in the same command Regt during the war and knew he had complained of it ever since. pg 51: General Affidavit; August 31, 1898; oath administered to Rynear B. Covert M.D., 55 of Seneca Falls, NY. Declared he had not known William prior to his military service but had known and treated him for the last 7 years for chronic diarrhea and that he was unable to perform manual labor. pg 53: General Affidavit; September 10, 1898; oath administered to Warren Bishop, 57 of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for 35 years and for the last 10 years he had chronic diarrhea that made him unable to do manual labor and that he was very deaf and vomits a great deal; that his memory is very poor. pg 55: General Affidavit; September 1892; oath administered to John W. Van Gorden, 58 of Seneca Falls, Seneca County, NY. Declared he had known William for ten years and that he suffered from chronic diarrhea, deafness, poor memory; pain in heart and stomach very often as well as in his back and kidneys to the extent that he is unable to perform manual labor. pg 57: Medical Evidence by Dr. John Dunnison of Ovid, filed by George E. Lemon-attorney for claim of William C. Voorhies. Declared he had not known William prior to his service but that he had treated him for the last ten years for severe pain in the stomach and bowels and dizzyness. He stated he was unable to perform manual labor. pg 59: Medical Evidence by Dr. Henry W. Stumble of Ovid, Seneca county, NY; filed by George E. Lemon - attorney for claim of Willaim C. Voorhies. Declared he had practiced medicine for 30 years and had been Williams family physician prior to his military service and that he had been in sound health at that time. He did see him after his discharge and his disease was of a very stubborn nature that did not readily yield to treatment. pg 61: General Affidavit; March 1878; oath administered to Darwin C. Covert, 36 of Sheldrake, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for twenty years and had seen him at least once a week since his discharge from the service. That he had been in good health prior to his service and since that time had been continually afflicted with chronic diarrhea; that he had been able to work prior to his service but had been unable to since returning. pg 63: General Affidavit; March 9, 1878; oath administered to James Bishop, 48 of Ovid, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for eighteen years and that prior to his enlistment William had been an able bodied farm hand but that since his discharge he had suffered from chronic diarrhea to the extent that he is now unable to work. pg 65: General Affidavit; September 2, 1898; oath administered to Daniel Mack, 62 of Seneca Falls, Seneca, NY. Declared he was Orderly Sergeant of Co E, 148th Regt the same Co that said Voorhies belonged to and know that said Voorhies was sick in the Army with diarrhea and was so bad with it at Point of Rocks near there that he was sent to the hospital. I excused him a great many times on account of his being sick with diarrhea. I sent him again to the hospital while we lay at deep bottom Virginia that was in the winter of 1864 and 1865 said Voorhies never was able to be with the Regt after that and was discharged from the hospital. I have known him every year since then and know he suffers from chronic diarrhea so that he has been unable to do manual labor for the last fifteen years. pg 70: General Affidavit; stamped May 4, 1896; November 30, 1895 before Woodworth - Justice of the Peace; Daniel P. Budd, 54 of Lodi, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for 33 years; that he served in the same Regt and first noticed William's deafness right after the battle of Cold Harbor in June 1864 and that William thereafter complained greatly about something in his ear; that he is now quite deaf. pg 72: General Affidavit; November 29, 1895; Patrick Dowdle 52 of Ovid, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for about 40 years. That he served as a Sergeant of Co. E 148th Regt NY Infantry. He first noticed William's deafness after the battle of Cold Harbor about the middle of June 1864. He has known William since childhood and he did not have any hearing problem prior to this time. He has noticed it get progressively worse. He also had complained of chronic diarrhea. pg 74: General Affidavit; November 29, 1895; oath administered to James D. Brown, 55 of Lodi, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William for about 33 years; that he had served in the same Regt. Same information about the time deafness first noticed, his chronic diarrhea and his hospitalizations. pg 76: War Department; Adjutant General's Office; Sept 13, 1878: Declared that Alexander Gilchrist was Captain in Co. E 148th Regt NY for the months of May & June 1864. pg 78: General Affidavit; August 15, 1878 at Evansville, Vanderburgh county, Indiana; oath administered to Alex Gilchrist, a late Captain in Co. E 148th Regt NY volunteers of the war of 1861. Declared he knew William and that he had no apparent health problems until June 2, 1864 while at White House Landing in Virginia he contracted chronic diarrhea the result of exposure, hard service and improper diet. He last saw him in the early part of 1865 at Fortress Monroe where he appeared in miserable health. pg 80: Adjutant General's Office; June 6, 1878; reported that Daniel Mack, George H. Jackson and Henry Jackson were on the same muster rolls as William but that a listing for Wm H. Jackson was not found. The Regt was in action near Petersburg in June 1864. pg 82: General Affidavit; January 25, 1878; oath administered to Wm. H. Jackson, private in Co. E, now resident of Lodi, Seneca county, NY. Declared he knew William and that on or about June 1864 at White House Landing in Virginia William had contracted chronic diarrhea from exposure to bad water and food. pg 84: General Affidavit; January 29, 1878; oath administered to Daniel Mack, private in Col E, now resident of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY. Declared he knew William and that on or about June 1864 at White House Landing in Virginia William had contracted chronic diarrhea from exposure to bad water and food. pg 86: Department of the Interior; Pension Office; May 28, 1878; Request to furnish office with hospital treatment report: Disability from chronic diarrhea at White House Landing June 12, 1864. Treatment as follows: Field Hospital for two weeks, then back to Regt. In March 1865 Field Hospital, then to Hospital Point of Rocks, thence to Hospital Fort Monroe, Virginia. Discharged June 2, 1865. pg 89: Transcript from Records; War Department, Surgeon General's Office, Record and Pension Division, January 25, 1879. "It appears from the records filed in this office, that Private W. C. Voorhees, Co. E, 148th NY volunteers was admitted to 18th A. C. Battle Field Hospital Aug 3, 1864 complained "sick" and returned to duty Aug 8, 1864. Was admitted to 24th A.C. Flying Hospital Jany 18, 1865 as Wm Voorhees with chronic diarrhea and transferred Jany 20, 1865. Was admitted to Point of Rocks Hospital; Army of the James, Virginia, Jany 23, 1865 with chills and diarrhea and transferred Feby 15, 1865. Was admitted to G. H. Fort Monroe, Virginia on Feby 16, 1865 as Wm C. Voorhies with chronic diarrhea and mustered out June 3, 1865. The records of the Regt subsequent to March 31, 1864 are not on file." Vol. 47 No. 3365. pg 90: Adjutant General's Office, Washington, DC; November 23, 1877. "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt from your office of application for Pension No. 242115, and to return it herewith, with such information as is furnished by the files of this office. It appears from the Rolls on file in this Office that William C. Voorheis was enrolled on the 31st day of August, 1862, at Ovid in Co. E 148th Regiment of New York Volunteers, to serve 3 years or during the war, and mustered into service as a private on the 14th day of September 1862, at Geneva, in Co. E 148th Regiment of New York Volunteers, to serve 3 years or during the war. On the muster rolls of Co. E of that Regiment to December 31st 1864, he is reported present Jany, Feby 65 - absent sick in hospital Mar, Apr 65 same report. Det MA Roll reports him mustered out honorable discharge June 2, 1865 at Fort Monroe Virginia. Evidence of disability at date alleged on Co rolls- Co. Regt books are not on file" pg 92: War Department, the Adjutant General's Office - returned for personal description including age at enlistment. Only information supplied was age at enlistment - 21 years. pg 95: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions; information supplied by Wm C. Voorheis on Sept 7, 1898: Married, wife Caroline W Voorheis, formerly Bedell. Married Feby 15, 1865 Canoga, NY by Squire Smith, Justice of the Peace. Recorded in Bible. Never married before. Living children: Charles D. born Nov 15, 1866; William A. born Jan 24, 1874 and Albert A. born April 28, 1877. pg 96: General Affidavit; June 21, 1879; oath administered to William C. Voorheis of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY. Claimant states he has resided in Seneca county, NY since his discharge except for a short time he visited his folks in Michigan; that he is disabled half of the time unable to work but does work as a farmer to support his large family. pg 100: History of Claimant's Disability; Sept 21, 1886; William C Voorheis, 45 of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, New York. Declared he had resided in the town of Romulus, Seneca county, NY since his discharge from the service on June 2, 1865 except for two years when he resided in Ovid, State of Michigan. His occupation is farm hand. He is filing for additional pension for deafness in left ear since about the 12th of June 1864 while in camp near Cold Harbor, Virginia. He has not been treated for deafness by any physician. pg 111: Declaration for Restoration to the Pension Roll. William C. Voorheis, 47, resided in Romulus, Seneca county, NY until March 1887 when he moved to Penn Yan,Yates county, NY where he has since resided. Dated October 12, 1888. pg 113: Declaration for the Increase of an Invalid Pension; June 16, 1883; William C. Voorheis, 42 of Romulus, Seneca county, NY. Witnesses Geo. W. Conn and Darwin C Covert both of Romulus, NY. pg 115: Declaration for the Increase of an invalid Pension. William C. Voorheis, 43 of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY stated his pension of $4 per month had ceased as of Sept 1883 and he was still suffering from the chronic diarrhea - he is refuting this action. pg 117: For increase of invalid pension; February 26, 1885; William C. Voorheis, 44, of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY; appoints J. B. Cralle as his attorney to prosecute his claim. pg 119: Invalid Pension; Reissue to allow additional disability; submitted January 31, 1900; William C. Voorheis of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY: Rejected. pg 120: Claim for restoration and additional pension; June 29, 1886; William C. Voorheis, 45 of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY. appoints J. W. Morris of Washington, DC as his attorney. Witnesses: Lee Sanfort ahnd Darwin Covert. pg 122: Declaration for restoration to the pension roll; September 7, 1897; William C. Voorheis, 55 of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY appoints Stephen Weatherlow of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY as his attorney. "I have resided since 1865 when discharged I came to Ovid, Seneca county, NY for two years. I then moved to Ovid, Michigan where I remained four years and then came to Seneca Falls, NY in 1871 where I have resided since that time." Witnesses: Thomas McGovern and Wm. H. Hurley both of Seneca Falls, NY. pg 124: Restoration and increase invalid pension; William C. Voorheis, of 24 Water Street, Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY; March 17, 1902. pg 125: General Affidavit; June 16, 1902; oath administered to John W. Bishop, 62 of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Declared he had known William "since the close of the Rebellion and that he is not totally deaf but his hearing is very poor. His hearing was good before he enlisted." pg 127: General Affidavit; June 16, 1902; oath administered to A. M. Shepard, 58 of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Declared he has known William since they left the service. He is a grocer and William trades 3 or 4 times a week. That he finds it hard to talk to William because of his deafness. pg 129: Physicians Affidavit; May 23, 1902; James E. Medden M.D. declared he had not known William prior to enlistment but had treated him for 2 « years during which time he has had deafness greater in the left ear than in the right. pg 131: General Affidavit; October 11, 1902; oath administered to Albert Miltower, 43 of Dresden, Yates county, NY. Declared he had known William for the past 23 years and lived near him as a neighbor for about 14 years; he could only hear with his right ear at this time. About 9 years ago William moved to Seneca Falls. pg 133: General Affidavit; October 11, 1902; oath administered to Theodore R. Martin, 46 of Penn Yan, Yates county, NY. Declared he had known William for more than 35 years; being a neighbor for more than 20 years during which time William had been deaf in his left ear. Theodore said he did not now reside in the same neighborhood but sees him quite often and he is still deaf. pg 136: William is 62 and living at Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY on November 11, 1902. Witnesses: Melvin A. Roysten and Chas. E. Palmer both of Seneca Falls. pg 138: William is living in Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY on June 3, 1903; request for increase in pension is rejected. pg 139: Declaration for the increase of an invalid pension; April 11, 1904; William is 63 and living at 19 Center Street, Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. pg 141: General Affidavit:November 29, 1905; oath administered to Andrew McCarty, 62 of Auburn, Cayuga county, NY. Declared he had known William in the service and that he was so bothered by chronic diarrhea that he "detailed him to work around his quarters excusing him from other duty that at the time of the capture of Fort Harrison, Virginia on the 29th of September 1864 the said Voorhies went to the front with some medical supplies. On the way back he was knocked senseless by the concussion of an exploding shell fired from the Rebel gun boats. After he recovered concusness he complained of head and deafness. He has been deaf ever since." pg 143: General Affidavit; November 28, 1905; oath administered to Peter Woods, 66 of Ovid, Seneca county, NY. Declared that he "was 1st Luenit of Co E 148th NY Volunteers Infantry - William was a member of my company. On the 29th day of September 1864 we captured Fort Harrison, Virginia. Some time after we captured the fort the said Wm C Voorhies who was on detail with the surgeon went to the front. On his way back from the front and when a short distance from the fort a shell from the Rebel gun boats burst near him. The concussion knocked him senseless. After his recovery he always complained of his head and of partial deafness. He also had chronic diarrhea badly." pg 145: Physician's Affidavit; November 27, 1905; oath administered to Frederick W. Lester M.D. of Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Declared he was a practicing physician and has known William for 20 years; since 1894, he had examined Williams ears and had known him to have had poor hearing and chronic diarrhea and chronic colitis. pg 147: Declaration for the increase of an invalid pension; December 12, 1904; William C Voorheis was 64 and living at 19 Center Street, Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. pg 149: Increase invalid pension; January 17, 1906; William C. Voorheis, of 19 Center Street, Seneca Falls, Seneca county, NY. Rate $12 per month commencing January 17, 1906. pg 150: Declaration for Pension; Monroe, NY; June 3, 1911; William C. Voorheis, 70 of the 541 Lake Ave.,city of Rochester, Monroe county, NY. Farmer, born March 15, 1841 at Seneca Falls, NY. Residences: 1865-72 at Ovid, Michigan; 1872-1908 Seneca Falls, NY; 1908 until the present time Rochester, NY. pg 152: Reissue Act of February 6, 1907; certificate # 177714; William C. Voorheis of 541 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY; age over 70 rate to increase to $ 15 per month, commencing June 6, 1911; approved. (was receiving $ 12 per month). pg 153: General Affidavit; April 10, 1913; William C Voorheis, 72, of 207 Clinton Ave, N. Rochester, NY declared: "I was born March 15th 1841 as I have been informed by my parents. They are both dead and there is no record public or private of my birth that I know of." pg 156: Declaration for Pension; December 14, 1912; typewritten form indicating Williams birth date to be March 15, 1840. The government questioned the two dates and that is why the previous one was made (March 15, 1841). pg 159: Declaration for Pension; June 1, 1912; William C Voorheis, 72 of 541 Lake Ave, Rochester, NY; farmer; residences since leaving the service- Seneca 1865 to 69, Ovid Michigan from 1869 to 76, Seneca Falls NY from 1876 to 96. Rochester since 1896 to present. Witnesses: William A Voorheis and Frank E. Morphet. ( he stated he was born 1840 on this paper). pg 160: Reissue Act of May 11, 1912; William C Voorheis of 207 Clinton Ave, Rochester, Monroe county, NY will receive and increase in pension to $24 per month commencing June 5, 1912 and because of and amendment by Act of March 4, 1913 - he will receive $30 per month commencing March 15, 1916 [he did not live long enough for this last increase]. pg 163: Government request for proof of birth date if available. pg 188: Statement as to treatment in hospital required by the commissioner of Pensions: Oct 22, 1888 by William C. Voorheis in Penn Yan, Yates county, NY; given to his lawyer George E. Lemon: "The first hospital is Bermuda Hundred West there about the 12 day of June 1864 staid there until about the 24 then . I went to my company in froset of Peters Burg. Was not there but a few days, when I was taken down with the chronic diarrhea again sent to the field hospital was there about 2 weeks. Went back to my company staid there unfit for duty till my Regiment went to deep Botom for winter quarters. Remained there unfit for duty, taking medicines from our regimental doctor till I guess they thought I was about dead. Then it was some time in March I think of 1865 they sent me from deep Bottom to the field hospital. From there to point of Rocks hospital. Staid there I think till about the first of April then sent to Fort Monroe Hospital. Ward number 9 I think. Remained to Fort Monroe till discharged on the second day of June 1865." pg 193: June 8, 1886; Residence of William C Voorheis listed as Hayt's Corners, Seneca county, NY. pg 195: January 6, 1905; Residence of William C Voorheis listed as 19 Center St, Seneca Falls, NY pg 200: Articles of Agreement; July 5, 1886; William C Voorheis of Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY. pg 202: William C Voorheis still residing at Hayts Corners, Seneca county, NY on April 23, 1887.