Mary C Lewis hand written Letter to Pension Office
Dated 12 July 1864
Information found in this document:
- Statement of the death and Service of Wilson L. Starkey
- J F Baldwin is the lawyer handling Mary C. Lewis' pension application
- Joel C Stone has moved from Rockford, Illinois and Mary C Lewis can not locate him
- Description of Mary C. Lewis' disabilities
- Newspaper clipping about Wilson L. Starkey's death
Stamped Newfane July 12th/64 Department of the Interiors Mr Joseph R Barrett July 16 18 Pension Office Dear Sir You may be some {surprise? } at the receipt of this letter but do hope you will receive it friendly. As J F Baldwin Esqr has done business for me since the death of my son Wilson L Starkey, of Co. C. Ill Vol who died July 26/62 of Conjestive Chills on the U.S. Hospital boat, Red Rover, and as tis now nearly two years since he {command?} and appears cannot give you full satisfaction as respects the affidavits I have given, thought I had done all I could, you wish by what Mr. Baldwin tells me that I must prove he left no wife child or children. That I have done and he has the affidavit but {next page} says one is good, and done legal, but I must have two, said he would write and have the mans wife also sworn. Mr. Joel C Stone of Ill, the affidavit was made out by the County Clerk, and he testifies that Mr. Stone is a reliable man for he has been acquainted with him for some years, Mr. Baldwin also says, you say I must prove by the surgeon in charge that he died on the Hospital Boat red rover, I have sent a number of letters for information, I have written to Com Davis, also to Luet Vercheoff acting Signal officer but cannot find them in the last letter I recd from my son was dated July 16th/62 and he was then on the Boat Brag doing duty and he died July 26th if you would like to see the letter I will forward to you {next page} tis now in the hands of my Lawyer J F Baldwin of Lockport Niagara Co NY, and as respects my inability I have had some of the most respectable people sworn that are no ways interested only in my welfare, my general health is very poor I am indeed entirely broken down, cannot endure hard ships if I could would not apply for a pension (but my all is gone) and I am quite advanced in years, some of the time cant walk a step on account of a fall I had {3 or 8?} years ago and injured the Sciatac nerves in my limbs, and now my whole hope is in you and what you may do for me. I have 2 sons and 3 grandsons in the army who left their homes manfully and cheerfully to help save our beautiful country. God help them may they do much good and be spared {next page} to return in safety to their loved ones at home and I wish I had a dozen more boys they should all go, I will enclose to you the Death of my son that was sent to me from Ill, his first capt. name was Ellis, killed second, Bradley and he wrote to me all the particulary and I gave the letter to Esqr Baldwin but his office was burned and that letter was destroyed, could I have that I think all things would be right but Capt. Bradley was also killed, and now H S Cottel has command and he has done all he could for me I will now leave my case in the hands of the Good Lord and yourself hopng soon to hear from you with receipt {cannot read} indeed a true {cannot read} to you and my country Mary C. Lewis Newfane Niagara Co New York The Newspaper clipping included in the letter: DIED Of Congestive Chills, on the U.S. Hospital Boat Red Rover, July 26th. 1826, Corporal WILSON L. STARKEY of Co. C, 15th Reg. Ill. Volunteers. The deceased was born in Greece, *Cooper Co., N.Y. and was 27 years of age. He joined the Ellis Rifles upon their organization at Rockford, Ill., and was with the Company constantly until after the battle of Shiloh, where he was detailed to serve with the Signal Corps. He was assigned to Commodore Davis’ fleet on this service, was at the engagement near Memphis, and afterward served on the gun-boat Bragg tell a few days before his death. His remains were interred at Spanish Moss Bend, La. A pleasant comrade and a good soldier, he was universally respected and beloved by his fellow soldiers, who morn his early and sudden death. H.S. Cottel Lockport, N.Y., papers please copy *(Cooper Co crossed out and Monroe Co. added) Note added: a mistake in the {cannot read} in Rockford Ill, Tis Monroe Co. instead of Cooper |