Widows Application for Pension Hannah Belle Sherrouse, widow of Louis Sherrouse, Harris County Texas File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jennifer Marie Sherrouse 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 cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. This file may not be removed from this server or altered in any way for placement on another server without the consent of the State and USGenWeb Project coordinators and the contributor. *********************************************************************** A photocopy of the original application can be obtained from the Texas State Archives - http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/pensions/index.html *********************************************************************** FORM B For Use of Widows of Soldiers Who are in Indigent Circumstances THE STATE OF TEXAS | COUNTY OF HARRIS | I, Mrs. Hannah Belle Sherrouse, do hereby make application to the Commissioner of Pensions for a pension, to be granted me under the Act passed by the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Texas and aproved April 7, 1913, on the following grounds: I am the widow of Louis Sherrouse, deceased, who departed this life on the 7 day of Feb., A. D. 1880, in the County of Fannin, in the State of Texas. I have not remarried since the death of my said husband, and I do solemnly swear that I was never divorced from my said husband, and that I never voluntary abandoned him during his life, but remained his true, faithful and lawful wife up the date of his death. I was married to him on the 16 day of March, A. D. 1858, in the county of Alachua, in the State of Florida. My husband, the said Louis Sherrouse, enlisted and served in the military service of the Confederate States during the war between the States of the United States, and that he did not desert the Confederate Service. I have been a resident of the State of Texas since prior to Jan. 1, A. D. 1900 and have been continuously since a citizen of the State of Texas. I do further state that I do not receive from any source whatever money or other means of support amounting in value to the sum of Three hundred collars per annum, nor do I own in my own right nor does anyone hold in trust for my benefit or use, estate or property, either real, personal or mixed, either in fee or for life, of the value of over one thousand dollars; nor do I receive any aid or pension from any other State, or from the United States, or from any other source, and I do further state that the answers given to the following questions are true: 1. What is your age? 73 years 2. Where were your born? Alachua County Florida 3. How long have you resided in the State of Texas? About 47 years 4. How long have you resided in the county of your present residence? And what is your postoffice address? About 35 yrs. 616 East 13th St. Houston, Texas. 5. What was your husband's full name? Louis Sherrouse 6. What was the date of his death? Feb 7, 1880 7. In what State was your husband's command originally organized? Florida 8. How long did your husband serve? If known to you, give date of enlistment and discharge. Nearly during all war with exception of first 3 or 4 month. 9. What was the name or letter of the company, or name of number of the battalion, regiment or batter of artillery in which your husband served? If he was transferred from one branch of service to another, give time of transfer, description of command and time of service. 7th Florida Regt Capt. Si. Flanaghan. 10. Name branch of service in which your husband served, whether infantry, cavalry, artillery or the navy, or if commissioned as an office by the President, his rank and the line of duty, or if detailed for special service, under the law of conscription, the nature of such service and time of service Infantry. 11. Have you transferred to others any property of any kind for the purpose of being a beneficiary under this law? No. Wherefore your petitioner prays that her application for a pension be approved and such other proceedings be had in the premises as are required by law. (signature of applicant) [signed with an X] Hannah Belle Sherrouse (witness to mark Daisy L. Gleason) Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 12 day of April, A. D. 1915, [signed] W. H. Ward County Judge Harris County, Texas. [SEAL.] _____________________________________________________________ AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESSES (NOTE - There must be at least two credible witnesses.) THE STATE OF TEXAS | COUNTY OF HARRIS | Before me W. H. Ward, County Judge of Harris County, State of Texas, on this day personally appeared Dr. P. B. Thornton and W. B. Sherrouse, who are personally known to me to be credible citizens, who, being by me duly sworn, on oath state that they personally know that Mrs. Hannah Belle Sherrouse, applicant for a pension as the widow of Louis Sherrouse deceased, is in truth and fact the widow of Louis Sherrouse deceased; that they personally know that she has not remarried since the death of her husband, for whose service in the army she claims a pension, and that they have no interest in this claim. (Signature of witness) [signed} Penn B. Thornton (Signature of witness) [signed} W. B. Sherrouse Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 12 day of April, A. D. 1915. [signed] W. H. Ward County Judge Harris County, Texas. [SEAL.] ____________________________________________________ AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESSES (NOTE - There must be at least two credible witnesses.) THE STATE OF TEXAS | COUNTY OF HARRIS | Before me W. H. Ward, County Judge of Harris County, State of Texas, on this day personally appeared Dr. P. B. Thornton & W. B. Sherrouse, who are personally known to me to be credible citizens, who, being by me duly sworn, on oath state that I have personally known that the above named applicant for a pension, and that they personally know that the said Mrs. Hannah Belle Sherrouse has been a bona fide resident citizen of the State of Texas since prior to Jan 1, A. D. 1900 and that they have no interest in this claim. (Signature of witness) [signed] Penn B. Thornton (Signature of witness) [signed] W. B. Sherrouse Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 12 day of April, A. D. 1915. [signed] W. H. Ward County Judge Harris County, Texas. [SEAL] ____________________________________________________ AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESSES (If possible, the two witnesses should have served with the applicant's husband in the army, and, if so, let them, or either of them, state it in their oath; also any information regarding the army service of applicant's husband.) THE STATE OF TEXAS | COUNTY OF HARRIS | Before me, W. H. Ward, County Judge of Harris County, State of Texas, on this day personally appears Mrs. Hannah Belle Sherrouse, and being duly sworn on oath deposes and says: That she knows of no one living who served in same company with her deceased husband. That her deceased husband joined and served in Florida. That she has been away from Florida for about 47 years. That her husband has been dead so many years that she has lost trace of all his old comrades; that her health is bad and she can not now remember the letter of company and that she saw her husband during the war two times as he was furloughed for about 1 month and came home and another time he was stationed at Waldo[?] Fla and she stayed there 2 days and nights. That he served to close of war. That he came home on account of serious illness of his wife. That we lived in Florida after the war and then came to Texas. (signature of applicant) [signed with an X] Hannah Belle Sherrouse (witness to mark Daisy L. Gleason) Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 12 day of April, A. D. 1915, [signed] W. H. Ward County Judge Harris County, Texas. [SEAL.] ______________________________________________________________ CERTIFICATE OF STATE AND COUNTY ASSESSOR I, Wm D. Moody, State and County Assessor int eh County of Harris, State of Texas, do hereby certify that Mrs. Hannah Belle Sherrouse, whose name is signed to the foregoing application for a pension, under the Act of the Thirty-third Legislature, approved April 7, 1913, is charged on the land and persoal property rolls of said county, in her name, or the name of a trustee, with estate, real, personal, and mixed, at the assessed value of no dollars. Given under my hand, this 13 day of Apr, A. D. 1915. [signed] W. D. Moody State and County Assessor. ______________________________________________________________ OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS STATE OF TEXAS AUSTIN J.C. JONES, COMMISSIONER To the Adjutant General, War Department, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: I have the honor to request the military record of Louis Sherrouse, who is reported to have enlisted in Company _____, Regiment 7th Florida Reg't Capt Si Flanaghan. In service of the Confederate States Army. Purpose; The widow person above named is an applicant for a Confederate pension granted by the State, and I desire to verify his proof of service. Very Respectfully, [signed] J. C. Jones Commissioner of Pensions _____________________________________________________________ WAR DEPARTMENT, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON April 19, 1915. Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions, State of Texas, Austin. The records show that Lewis Sherrouse, private, Co. D, 7th Florida Infantry, C.S.A., enlisted April 3, 1862. On the muster roll of the company dated February 29, 1864, last on file, he was reported present. No later record of him has been found. [signed] H. P. McCain The Adjutant General Form No. 74 - A. G. O. Ed. Mar. 17-15-75,000 ___________________________________________________________