Lampasas County, Texas - Civil War Pensions: GJ Spruill, C.S.A, ********************************************************************** Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: K. Waterhouse June 20, 2001 ********************************************************************** 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.net ********************************************************************** Form A - Soldiers Application for Pension (#22093) Name of applicant: G.J. Spruill, Lampasas County. Ogle, Texas Postoffice. Filed: July 14, 1913 Approved: Sept. 1, 1913 Pension allowed from: Dec. 1, 1913 Form A For Use of Soldiers Who are in Indigent Circumstances The State of Texas, County of Lampasas I, G.J. Spruill, do hereby make application to the Commissioner of Pensions for a pension to be granted me under the Act passed by the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Texas, and approved March 26, A.D. 1909, on the following grounds: I enlisted and served in the military service of the Confederate States during the war between the States of the United States, and that I did not desert the Confederate service, but during said war I was loyal and true to my duty, and never at any time voluntarily abandoned my post of duty in the said service; that I was honorably discharged or surrendered at close of war in 1865, that I have been a bona fide citizen of this State since prior to January 1, A.D. 1880, and have been continuously since a citizen of the State of Texas. I do further state that that I do not hold any national, State city or county office which pays me in salary or fees one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, nor have I an income from any other Employment or other source whatever which amounts to one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, nor do I receive from any source whatever money or others means of support amounting in value to the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, nor do I own in my own right, nor does any one hold in trust for my benefit or use, nor does my wife own, nor does any one hold in trust for my wife, estate or property, either real, personal or mixed, either in fee or for life, of the assessed 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 that I am not an inmate of the Confederate Home, and I do further state that the answers given to the following questions are true: 1. What is your age? 85 2. Where were you born? Louisiana 3. How long have you resided in Texas? 62 years 4. In what county do you reside? Lampasas 5. How long have you resided in said county and what is your postoffice address? Sixty years, Ogle, Texas 6. Have you applied for a pension under the Confederate pension law and been rejected? If rejected, state when and where: No 7. What is your occupation, if able to engage in one? Farming 8. In what State was the command in which you served organized? Louisiana 9. How long did you serve? Give, if possible, the date of enlistment and discharge: About Aug. 1862 and served until close of war. 10. What was the letter of your company, number of name of your battalion, regiment or battery? Company B, 2nd La. Reg. Capt. Blair's Co. 11. If transferred from one command to another, give time of transfer, name of command and time of service: No 12. What branch of the service did you enlist in-infantry, cavalry, artillery or navy? Cavalry 13. If commissioned direct by the President, what was your rank and line of duty? No 14. If detailed for special service, under the law of conscription, what was the nature of your service and long did you serve? No 15. Have you transferred to others any property of any kind for the purpose of becoming a beneficiary under this law? No Wherefore your petitioner prays that his application for pension be approved and such other proceedings be had in the premises as are required by law. G.J. Spruill Sworn and subscribed before me, this 4th day of January, A. D. 1913 MM White County Judge, Lampasas County, Texas. ----------------- Certificate of the State and County Assessor I, E.T. Jordan, State and County Assessor int he County of Lampasas, State of Texas, do certify that G.J. Spruill or his wife, or his trustee, or trustee for his wife, whose name is signed to the foregoing application for a pension, under the Act of the Thirty-first Legislature, approved March 26, A.D. 1909, is charged on the land and personal property rolls of said county with estate, real, personal and mixed, at the assessed value of Six Hundred and Seventy dollars. Given under my hand, this 14 day of June, A.D. 1913 E. T. Jordan State and County Assessor. ------------------------- (The first affadavit in the application was the Ex Parte examination/depostion of Van Lane, Mills, Texas which supported GJ Spruill's service claim. I have excerpted the pertinent parts) A.V. Lane of Goldthwaite, Mills County, Texas. 72 years old January 8, 1913 I first met applicant at Gen. Scurry's Headquarters at Mouth of Yellow Bayou in Louisiana in the spring of 1864. He was performing the duties of a soldier, namely acting as a courier. I knew of GJ Spruill as a soldier from reputation before I met him. He resided near where I lived when the war opened and left his house, going to Louisiana where he was reported to have enlisted in the Confederate Service. I never met him then, meeting for the first time at Gen. Scurry's headquarters in 1864. I never knew of any other person of his name before, during or since the Civil War. Subscribed and sworn before me, this 8th day of January, 1913 S H Allen County Judge Mills County, Texas. -------------------- The following letter was typed and I have left the original errors uncorrected) State of Louisiana Parish of Natchitoches, Know all mens by their presents: I Green B. Joyce, a residence of this parish of Natchitoches, and state of Louisiana. come before me and state he knew G. Jack Spruill, ans is the same party that was in Company B. 2sd, Second Louisiana, Calvery. under Capt, Hart, and Leon Grappe. with me. he serve about three years and entered and enlisted on about that time August I862, he was along with me in the Company B. second Louisiana Calvery. This done and sworn to before two compant witnesses and me a gualified Notary Public, for the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana. this the I6th, Day of April, I9I3. Witnesses. B J Adams X Green B Joyce Chas ---- his mark (Signature of Notary/Typist hard to read) ----------------------------------------- To the Adjutant General, War Department, Washington, D.C. Dear Sir, I have the honor to request the military record of G.J. Spruill who is reported to have enlisted in Company B, Regiment 2nd LA Cavalry in service of the Confederate States Army. Purpose: The 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, R.A. Buford Commissioner of Pensions ------------------------ War Department, The Adjutant General's Office 2058603 Washington, July 18, 1913 Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions, State of Texas, Austin. The records show that G.J. Spruill, private, Company B, 2d (sic) Louisiana Cavalry, C.S.A., enlisted August 21, 1862, and that he surrendered May 26, 1865 at New Orleans, Louisiana, ans was paroled June 15, 1865, at Natchitoches, Louisiana. (Signature hard to read) Adjutant General -------------------------------------------------------------------------------