La Salle Co., TX: Confederate Widows Pension Application - Lydia J. White 1899 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Renee Pierce Smelley Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm **************************************************** Lydia J. Wright (1829 OH - 1902 TX) married in the fall of 1845 in Texas to Headly Coburn White (1815 TN - 1884 TX). A entry in William Penn White's family bible said that his father came to Texas in 1834 and fought with Samuel Houston in 1836. Lydia died on April 24, 1902 in La Salle Co., TX This Confederate Widows Pension application is the only record found to date that mentions when they were married. We do know that their first child, Nancy White Yarbrough, was born on August 28, 1846 in Leon Co., Texas. I have two sources of death for Headley White. (1) Lydia records her husband's death on the 15th day of Decemeber 1874 on this application and (2) their son William Penn White's family bible records his death on 15 Dec 1884. Headley was listed as head of household on the 1880 McMullen Co., TX census, so the 1884 date must be the correct date of his death. It is believed that Headley was buried in the Hill Top Cemetery, Tilden, McMullen Co., TX without a headstone. Note: The affidavit of Witness is Lorenzo Dow Yarbrough. His is the son n law of Headley and Lydia White and married their daughter, Nancy White, on Nov. 30, 1863 in Live Oak Co., TX. The Yarbrough and White families were living in McMullen County as early as 1863 and were shown to be living in La Salle County by the 1900 census. Form No. 2. CONFEDERATE PENSION APPLICATION Mrs. L. J. WHITE LaSalle County, Post Office Twohig Texas. Comptroller's File No. 2521 I have carefully examined the whithin application for pension, together with the proof in support thereof, and I recommend that the application be Approved this 12 day of Oct A. D. 1899 Wm. J. Smith. Form No. 2 APPLICATION of Indigent widow of Soldier or Sailor of the late Confedracy for pension under the Act of May 12, 1899. The State of Texas, County of La Salle To the Honorable County Judge of La Salle County, Texas Your petitioner, Mrs. L. J WHITE respectfully represents that she is a resident citizen of La Salle County, in the State of Texas; that she is the widow of Headly C. WHITE deceased, who was a Confederate soldier, and that she makes this application for the purpose of obtaining a pension as the widow of said Headly C. WHITE deceased, 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 apropriate therefor," and I do solemnly swear that the answers I have given to the following questions are true. NOTE-Applicant must make answer to all of the following questions, and such answers must be written out plainly in ink. Q. What is your name? Answer L. J. White Q. What is your age? Answer I am (70) Seventy years of age Q. In what County do you reside? Answer La Salle county Q. How long have you resided insaid County and what is your post office address? Answer Ten years my post office address is Twohig, Texas Q. Have you applied for a pension under the Confederate Pension Law heretofore, and been rejected? If so state when and where. Answer I never applied for any pension Q. What is your occupation if able to engage in one? Answer I am not able to engage in any occupation Q. What is your physical condition? Answer Extremely feeble Q. What was the name of your deceased husband? Answer Headly C. White Q. Were you married to him anterior to March 1, 1866? If so, on what date were you married to him and where? Answer I was married to my husband n the fall of 1845 Q. What was the date of his death? Answer He died on the 15th day of December 1874 Q. Are you unmarried, and have you so remained unmarried since the death of your said husband for whose services you claim in pension? Answer I am unmarried and have so remained since the death of my husband Q. State in what company and regiment your deceased husband for whose services you claim in pension enlisted in the Confederate Army, and the time of his service therin? Answer Chatmans? Company Benavides Regiment Four years Q. If your deceased husband served in the Confederate Navy, state when and where, and the time of such service. Answer He was not in the navy 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 so received. Answer I have never received any thing at all 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 own no real nor personal property whatever Q. What property, and what was the value thereof have you sold or conveyed within two years prior to the date of this application? Answer None whatever Q. What income, if any, do you receive? Answer None whatever Q. Are you in indigent circumstances; that is, are you in actual want, and destitute of property and means of subsistence? Answer I am (Note that "I am" was underlined.) Q. Have you transferred to others any property of value of any kind for the purpose of becoming a beneficiary under this law? Answer I have not Q. Did your deceased husband for whose services you claim a pension, 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 I have Wherefore your petitioner prays that her application for pension be approved and that such other proceedings be had in the premises as are required by law. (Signature of Applicant) L. J. (her mark) White Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28th day of July A. D. 1899 S. T. Dowe County Judge La Salle County, Texas (Note: There is a Witness that signed in the margine) Witness G. H. K(sic) AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESS The State of Texas, County of La Salle Before me, S. T. Dowe County Judge of La Salle County, State of Texas, on this day personally appeared L. D. YARBROUGH 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. L. J. WHITE applicant for a pension as the widow of Headly C. WHITE, deceased is in truth and fact the widow of the said Headly C. WHITE , deceased; that they personally know that the said Headley C. WHITE , deceased enlisted in the service of the Confederacy, and performed the duties of a soldier as claimed by his said widow in the above and foregoing application, and that they further know that the said Mrs. L. J. WHITE, widow of the said Headly C. WHITE , deceased is unable to support herself by labor of any sort. (Signature of Witness) L. D. (his mark) YARBROUGH (Signature of Witness) M. E. REYNOLDS Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of August A. D. 1899 S. T. Dowe County Judge La Salle County, Texas (Note; again there is a handwritten note for a witness in the margin that is not readable) Witness G. H. K(sic) CERTIFICATE OF COUNTY JUDGE The State of Texas, County of LaSalle I, S. T. Dowe County Judge of La Salle County, State of Texas, do hereby certify that on the 19th day of August A. D. 1899, before me came on to be heard the application of Mrs. L. J. WHITE widow of Headly C. WHITE deceased, for a pension under the Confederate Pension Law of his State, approved May 12, A. D. 1899; that the answers of said applicant to the questions propounded were made under oath as the same appear in writing in the foregoing application; that the affidavits of the witness who are credible citizens were made before me as the same herinbefore appear. I also certify that the said applicant L. J. WHITE is not disqualified under any of the provisions of Section 12, of the Confederate Pension Law. I further certify that after considering all of the proceedings had before me relative to the said application for a pension by the said Mrs. L. J. WHITE deceased, I find the said applicant is lawfully entitled to the pension proved for by the Confederate Pension Law of this State, and I hereby approve said application. Witness my hand and seal of office at Cotulla this 19th day of August A. D. 1899. S. T. Dowe County Judge La Salle County, State of Texas CERTIFICATE OF COUNTY COMMISIONERS The State of Texas, County of LaSalle We, the undersigned members of the Commissioners Court of LaSalle County, Texas hereby certify that the foregoing application of Mrs. L. J. WHITE widow of Headley C. WHITE deceased, for a pension, together with the proof in support thereof, was duly submitted by Hon. S. T. Dowe County Judge of this La Salle County, to the Commissioners Court of this La Salle County, at a regular term thereof on the 19th day of August A. D. 1899, and after a careful consideration of the same we find the said applicant is lawfully entitled to the pension proved for byt he Confederate Pension Law of this State, and we hereby approve said application. Witness our hands and seal of office at Cotulla Tex this 19th day of August A. D. 1899 (Signature of Commissioners) D. W. McKey Geo Coss? Sam J. Jordan COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, TEXAS R. W. Finley, Comptroller J. R. Curl Chief Clerk AUSTIN, Oct, 9th 99. Hon. S. L. Dowe Co. Judge La Salle Co., Cotulla, Texas. Dear Sir:- Enclosed herewith I return to you the application of Mrs. L. J. WHITE for pension under the Act approved May 12th, 1899, for your signature to urat of Co. Judge to affidavit of witnesses as to inlistment and service of H. C. WHITE and identity of Mrs. L. J. WHITE. If this application is completed and returned to this office by the 14th, inst, the applicant may partidipate in the October apportionment. I note that only three members of the Commissioners Court signed the approval of the Court to the two applications for La Salle Co. Please explain why the fourth member failed to sign. Was he absent or not sitting with the court in the hearing of the applications or did he dissent from the opinion of the Court as to right of applicants to pension? Very respectfully, R. W. Finley Comptroller Office of S. T. Dowe, Attorney At Law County Judge, Cotulla, Texas Cotulla, Texas, 10 / 11 / 1899 Hon R. W. Finley Pension Clrk Austin, Texas Dear Sir Your favor of yesterday enclosing pension application of Mrs. L. J. WHITE for my certificate received and certificate added this was an oversight of mine Replying to the questions asked as to the County Commissioners please allow me to say that there were only three of them in attendance at that meeting and all there signed these petitions The other Comm would have signed had he been there but he lives a long distance from the Co site is a ranch man and was unavoidably prevented from attending at that meeting. If you desire it I can send you a certifcate to that effect Yours Truly S. T. Dowe Co Judge