Gonzales County, TX - Civil War Pension Application - James W. Cheatam **************************************************************** Contributed by Glenda Sheppard Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm **************************************************************** (front) *NOTE: some names may be misspelled, the writing was very hard to read. A 1575 Form No. 1 CONFEDERATE PENSION APPLICATION. Name of Applicant James W. Cheatham Gonzales County Post Office Leesville Comptroller’s File No. 1575 I have carefully examined the within application for pension, together with the proof in support thereof, and I recommend that the application be Approved this 28 day of Sept A. D. 1899 Wm. J. Snain I hereby approve the within application for pension, this 28th September A. D. 1899 R. W. Tinley Comptroller Page 1 THE STATE OF TEXAS County of Gonzales To the Honorable County Judge of Gonzales County, Texas. Your petitioner, James W. Cheatham respectfully represents that he is a resident citizen of Gonzales County, in the State of Texas, and that he makes this application for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the act passed by the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Texas, and approved May 12, A. D. 1899, the same being an act entitled “An act to carry into effect the amendment to the Constitution of the State of Texas, providing that aid may be granted to disabled and dependent Confederate soldiers, sailors and their widows under certain conditions, and to make an appropriation therefor.” and I do solemnly swear that the answers I have given to the following questions are true. Q. What is your name: Answer: James W. Cheatham Q. What is your age: Answer: 79 years Q. In what County do your reside? Answer: Gonzales Q. How long have you resided in said County and what is your post office address? Answer: 45 years P O Leesville Q. Have you applied for a pension under the Confederate Pension Law heretofore, and been rejected? If so state when and where? Answer: No Q. What is your occupation if able to engage in one? Answer: not able to engage in Q. What is your physical condition? Answer: Bad I am blind almost Q. If your physical condition is such that you are unable by your own labor to earn a support, state what caused such disability. Answer: Old age and blindness Q. State in what company and regiment you enlisted in the Confederate army, and the time of your service? Answer: Co. K 8th Texas Regt Hobbs from fall 1862 to close of the war. Q. If you served in the Confederate navy state when and where, and the time of your service. Answer: ________________ Q. State whether or not you have received any pension or veteran donation land certificate under any previous law, and if you answer in the affirmative state what pension or veteran donation land certificate you have received. Answer: No Q. What real and personal property do you now own, and what is the present value of such property? Give list of such property and value. Answer: I have no real Estate. My wife has 80 acres of which we are living. I have no property of any sort. Q. What property, and what was the value therof have you sold or conveyed within two years prior to the date of this application? Answer none Q. What income, if any, do you receive? Answer: none Q. Are you in indigent circumstances; that is, are you in actual want; and destitute of property and means of substance? Answer: yes Q/ Are you unable by your labor to earn a support? Answer: yes Q. Have you transferred to others any property of value of any kind for the purpose of becoming a beneficiary under this law? Answer: No Q. Did you ever desert the Confederacy? Answer: No Q. Have you been continuously since the first day of January, 1880, a bona fide resident citizen of this State? Answer: yes Wherefore your petitioner prays that his application for pension be approved and that such other proceedings he had in the premises as are required by laws. Signature of Applicant: James W. (X his mark) Cheatham Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10 day of Aug A. D. 1899 (Signed by County Judge of Gonzales County M. M. Gloss? AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESSES Signed by Tom Cheatham (*his son) Lizzie Cheatham (*his wife) James Cheatham (with his X mark) AFFIDAVIT OF PHYSICIAN States he’s unable to support himself due to Senility.. and blindness signed by Physician Jno. C. Jones CERTIFICATE OF COUNTY JUDGE Signed by M M Gloss (not sure about this name) CERTIFICATE OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Signed by A. W. Harman W. S. Coons T. W. Hodges C. Burnett COMMISSION TO TAKE DEPOSITION OF WITNESS IN PENSION CASES. Depositions of Soldier Henry Legate and Joe Zorn 1. What is your name? Joe Zorn & H. G LeGette 2. What is your age? 60 & 62 3. In what County and State do you reside? Guadalupe, TX 4. What is you Post office address? Seguin 5. Do you or not personally know ________who is an applicant for pension? *I can’t read this answer it appears to be Nz dr 6. Same as no. 5.. with same answer 7. In what company and regiment did said - Co K 8th Texas Infantry - enlist in the Confederate Army, and how long did he serve? Co K 8th Texas Infantry 8. Do you know whether or not the said applicant is unable to support himself by labor of any sort? Is Not CROSS INTERROGATORIES BY COUNTY JUDGE 1. Do you know the applicant ___ --- to the Confederacy if so when and where? yes - In Texas 2. Was he in any Battle if so name them. Was he wounded? Not wounded 3. When and where did he enlist in the service and when did he leave it? 4. Do you know the applicant the man you speak of if so how? We know him. don’t know where he enlisted mustered out of service at Allenton Texas June 1865 Singed by J. Zorn and H. Y. LeGette Tom and Lizzie Cheatham being by me duly sworn each say that they personally know that he is unable to support himself by labor of any ___ that he the applicant is old, de__fted and almost blind. He now unable to work at all has been in this condition some 10 or 12 years -- All the support he gets is from his children who are now grown. and have families of their own and all from people themselves. Tom Cheatham Lizzie Cheatham James W. Cheatham Be it reme___ ___ that ____ the hearing of the above applicant the following facts were ___ to wit. The applicant being sworn says. I am 79 years old, live at Leesville Gonzales county Texas. Have lived Gonzales TX 45 yrs. My health is very bad. All my answers in my application here are correct in addition there I will state that I enlisted in Co K 8th Tx Reg Hobb - served from fall 1862 to close of the war. All my service was in Texas - wars- fight at Corpus Christie - Mc Slough Island - was in Galveston about 8 months - old age, blind - can’t see to get around by myself - is my disability. James W. (his X mark) Cheatham 10 Day of Aug 1899 County of Gonzales State of Texas Robt Vernon being sworn for the applicant says. I know the applicant. Have known him for 15 years or more. He lives about 3 miles from me. The applicant’s physcial condition is such that he would be unable to work sufficient to make a support if he could sir. And as he is almost blind, he is unable to see how to do anything sufficient to enable him to work if he could. And is now supported by his neighbors largely. R. J. Vernon 18th day of Aug 1899 *NOte: Lizzie Cheatham was his wife, listed as Elizabeth in census records. Tom Cheatham was his son.