Segourney Eppard - Application for a Widow's Pension

Segourny Eppard is my great-great grandmother (my mother's mother's mother's mother).  Her application for a widow’s pension, which was made available to widows of soldiers, sailors, and marines who served during the Civil War, is rather difficult to read.  I previously wrote about George Harvey Eppard's pension application HERE.  The handwritten portions appear to have been done with a medium-point Sharpie pen, but of course, I know that’s not the case.  Even the typed part is not crisp.  Everything in this digital copy appears to have bled and spread.  Therefore, I have transcribed mainly the questions and answers.  The opening paragraph appears to merely lay out the requirements for application as determined by the General Assembly in 1894. 

Click on image to enlarge

The Applicant must read, or have read to her, every word in this Application

Pensioners now on the ROLL are NOT required to make new application, but must file annual certification.

THIS APPLICATION must be filed with the Clerk of the Corporation Court of Your City or Circuit Court of Your County

(No application will be entertained, not on the printed form.)

1.        What is your name?  Segournie Eppard

2.       What is your age?  74

3.       Where were you born?  Albemarle Co, Va.

4.       How long have you resided in Virginia?  all of my life

5.       How long have you resided in this City or County of your present residence?  20 years

6.       Where do you reside?  If a City, give street address.

Post Office  Shenandoah

County of  Page  Virginia

7.       With whom do you reside?  my daughter Mrs. J. C. Rucker

8.       What was your husband’s full name?  Geo. Harvey Eppard

9.       When, where, and by whom were you married?

When?  May 28^th 1870

Where?  Rockingham Co., Va.

By whom? Rev. Condor

10.   When and where did your husband die?  Jan 13^th 1917 Shenandoah, Va.

11.   What was the cause of his death?  Rheumatism & kidney trouble

12.   Have you married since the death of your husband?  If yes, give full particulars.

No

13.   In what branch of the army did your husband serve?

Second Virginia Regiment

 “I” Company

14.   Who were his immediate superior officers?

Colonel   I’m not sure

Captain Wilson Carrier

15.   Give the names and addresses of two comrades who served in the same command with your husband during the war.

(See Certificate “B”)

Name

Address  None living

Name

Address

16.   Give the names and addresses of two persons who are familiar with the circumstances of your husband’s service and death.

(See Certificate “C”)

Name

Address  None living

Name

Address

17.   What assistance do you receive and what income have you from all sources?

No income live with my daughter

18.   How much property do you own?

Real estate  $  none

Personal Property  $  none

19.   Was your husband on the pension roll for Virginia? If yes, for what county or city was his pension allowed?

Yes, Rockingham Co.

20.   Have you ever applied for a pension in Virginia before?  If yes, why are you not drawing one at this time?

No

21.   Is there a camp of Confederate Veterans in your city or county?

yes

22.   Give here any other information you may possess relating to the service of your husband or the cause of his death which will support the justice of your claim.

he was disabled by the war, and limb broken

The document was signed by Segourney Eppard.  It is interesting that her name is spelled differently on the first line and question, which suggests someone else filled in the form for her, possibly the witness (possibly W.T. Miller) since the Notary Public’s handwriting does not match the other writing.

The next image is a series of witness statements which I have summarized:

Click image to enlarge

1.       W.T. Miller and C.C. Conrad swear they have known Segourney Eppard for 25 years.

2.       A statement from comrades says that there are none living.  Names included were Simeon Merica, Simon Merica, Cal Eppard.

3.       B.T. Milton and T.H. Bailey, non-comrades, swear they are familiar with George H. Eppard’s service and death.

4.       The physician witness statement could not be signed noting that George H. Eppard’s doctor J.M. Ropp has moved from the area to southwest Virginia.

This third image is a continuation of witness statements which I have summarized:

Click image to enlarge

1.       P.M. Kauffman, Lt. Commander of the Rosser-Gibbons Camp of Confederate Veterans, verifies Segourney Eppard’s application for a widow’s pension.

2.       Certificate of Ex-Confederate soldiers is blank.

3.       The Commissioner of Revenue for Page County, Virginia verifies that Segourney Eppard has no real or personal property of value.

4.       The chairman of the Pension Board recommends approval.

5.       Judge T.N. Haas examined the affidavits and certificates and judges the application to be just.

Below the form someone whose signature I cannot read states that George Harvey Eppard was on the Pension Roll for Rockingham County, Virginia.