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Widows Claim for Pension, 16 November 1864:The State of Ohio, County of Scioto, SS. On this Sixteenth day of November, A. D., 1864, personally appeared before me sole judge of the Probate Court, a Court of Record within and for said county, Annaliza McFann, aged 23 years, a resident of Vernon Tp, in the county of Scioto, and state of Ohio, who, being duly sworn according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress approved July 14, 1862. That she is the widow of James McFann, who was a private in Company D, commanded by Captain Henry H. Barnes, in the First Regiment of Ohio Heavy Artillery, commanded by Col Hauley in the war of 1861. That her said husband died at Knoxville, in the State of Tennesee, on the 29th day of September A. D. 1864 his disease was fever contracted while in the line of duty in the service of the United States. [this is written in the space following the previous sentence:] cause of his death She further declares that she was married to the said James McFann at Scioto County Ohio, on the 24th day of August A. D., 1864,1 by one Henry Norris, a Justice of the Peace; that her name before her marriage was Annaliza Coyle, and that ever since the death of her said husband, she has remained a widow: as will more fully appear by reference to the proof annexed. that she has caused search to be made and that there appears no public record of said marriage. That during the existence of the aforesaid marriage there were born to her and her said husband the following named children, who are now under the age of sixteen years, viz: Margaret Ann, born the 29thday of September, 1858, Cisero V. born the 8 day of November 1860 and James D born March the 5 1862 all of whom are still living, and reside in Township County and State aforesaid She also declares that she has in no manner been engaged in, or aided or abetted, the Rebellion in the United States. [written in the space following the previous sentence:] my Po address in Lyra, Scioto Co, Oh. [her mark:] Annaliza McFann Also personally appeared Dempsy Deever and Sarah E. Deever, residents of Vernon Tp in the County of Scioto and State of Ohio, persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit and who, being by me duly sworn, say that they were present and saw Annaliza McFann make her mark to the foregoing declaration. They further swear that they were acquainted with the said James McFann, deceased, in his life-time, and know that he and the said Annaliza McFann, lived and cohabited together as man and wife, up to the time when he entered the service, and that they were generally recognized as such by their acquaintances and neighbors, and their marriage was never questioned. That during the continuance of said marriage there were born to them the following named children, all of whom are now under the age of sixteen years, viz: Margaret Ann born the 29th day of September 1858 Cisero V born the 8th day of November 1860 and James D born the 5th day of March 1862 That since the death of her said husband, the said Annaliza McFann has not married, but is still a widow; and that she is the identical person she represents herself to be. All the foregoing statements they make from their own personal knowledge; and they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim. [signed:] Dempsy Dever [her mark:] Sarah E Deever Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 16 day of November, A. D. 1864 and I hereby certify that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim. [written in the space following the previous sentence:] that the foregoing was explained before signed Witness my signature and the seal of said Court, at Portsmout Ohio, the day and year aforesaid. [signed:] F. C. Searl 2 Probate judge of Scioto County Ohio Know all men by the presents, that I, Annaliza McFann, of Vernon Tp, in the County of Scioto, and State of Ohio, do hereby constitute and appoint Miranda Searl, my true and lawful Agent....and Attorney...., for me and in my name to prosecute the claim presented by me for a pension by reason of the service of my late husband; and I do hereby authorize my said Attorney ....to examine the papers, documents and records relating to my said claim, which may be found in any Department or Office of the Government; to appoint one or more persons to assist him in the business aforesaid; to file additional evidence or arguments when necessary; to receive the certificate which may issue in my name upon the said claim; and to do any and all lawful acts necessary in effecting the object of his said appointment. In testimongy whereof, I hereto set my hand and seal, this 16 day of November, A. D. 1864 [her mark:] Annaliza McFann Executed in the presence of [signed:] Dempsey Dever [her mark:] Sarah E Deever [The following is hand-written and appears to have been attached (the punctuation was added by me):] State of Ohio, Scioto County, Probate Court I, F. C. Searl, judge of said Court, do certify that I have dilligently searched the records of said Court and that no evidence of the marriage of James McFann to Annaliza Coyle exist on said records. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and the seal of said Court this 6th day of December 1864 F. C. Searl [the rest is cut off in the photocopy] [the following is completely hand-written and was probably also filed with the claim:] State of Ohio, Scioto County, ss: We Dempsey Deever and Sarah E. Deever make oath and say that we reside in Vernon Township, Scioto County, Ohio and have been personaly acquainted with James McFann who was a private in Company D in the First Regiment of Ohio Heavy Artillery and with his widow Annaliza McFann whose name before her said marriage was Annaliza Coyle, that we were present at the marriage of the said James McFann and Annaliza Coyle and saw them joined in marriage and that the said James McFann and Annaliza McFann lived and cohabited together as husband and wife up to the time of the death of the said James McFann and that the said Annaliza McFann is the identical Annaliza McFann who makes application for pension and whose signature thereto we have witnessed and that we have no interest in the prosecution of [not readable] [signed:] Dempsy Dever [her mark:] Sarah E Deever Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th day of November A. D. 1864 and I certify that I have no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of this claim [signed:] F. C. Searl |
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Notes:
1. The year is incorrect. The date of their marriage is given in the subsequent documents as 24 August 1857. 2. I think F. C. Searl is the father of Orpheus Alphonso Searl who married Mary F. McFann in 1868. Mary F. McFann was the daughter of David McFann and Rachel Hays, and thus the younger (half) sister of James McFann. |
Letter from the Adjutant General's Office, 17 January 1865:Adjutant General's Office Washington, D. C. Jan 17th 1865 Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt from your Office of application for Pension No. 76,511, and to return it herewith, with such information as is furnished by the files of this Office. It appears from the Rolls on file in this Office that James McFann was enrolled on the 7th day of Aug, 1862, at Portsmouth O in Co. D, 1st Regiment of Ohio Artillery Volunteers, to serve three years, or during the war, and mustered into service as a Private on the 13th day of Sept, 1862, at Camp Portsmouth Ohio in Co. D, 1st Regiment of Ohio Artillery Volunteers, to serve three years, or during the war. On the Muster Roll of Co. D of that Regiment, for the months of Sept & Oct 1864, he is reported "Died at Genl Hospital No 1 Knoxville Tenn Sept 29th 1864." cause of death not stated .... Affidavit of Ann Eliza McFann, 5 June 1865:State of Ohio, Scioto County, SS: Before me F. C. Searl, judge of the Probate Court in and for the said county personaly appeared Ann Eliza McFann who being duly sworn according to law upon her oath says that she is the widow of James McFann Dec'd late a private of Company D First Regiment of Ohio Heavy Artilery Volunteers and who died at Knoxville in the State of Tennessee on the 29th day of September 1864 That she has made an application (No 76511) for Pension She further says that there is no public record nor church record of her said marriage from the Justice of the peace who joined them in marriage and that said [blank] Norris who joined her late husband James McFann aforesaid and her in marriage has left the County and that she does not know where he now resides That the testimony of the two witnesses to her declaration is the best evidence she can obtain [her mark:] Ann Eliza McFann Attest E[?] Hanes Sworn to and subscribed before me this fifth day of June A. D. 1865 [signed:] F. C. Searl Probate Judge Guardian's Letters, 21 June 1871:The State of Ohio, County of Scioto, SS: To all whom these presents shall come, greeting: Know Ye, that the Probate Court of said County doth hereby grant the Guardianship of the person and estate of Cicero V. McFann aged 10 years on the 8th day of November 1870 James D. McFann, aged 8 years on the 5th day of March 1871 minor children of James McFann of said county, deceased, unto Joseph W. Blair who is hereby fully empowered and authorized to do and perform all and singular the duties appertaing to said appointment, the said Guardian having given bond according to law, and in all respects complied with the requisition of the Statutes in such case made and provided. Witness, my hand and the seal of said Court, at Portsmouth, this 21st day of June A. D. 1871 [signed:] A. C. Thompson Probate Judge .... Claim of Guardian Joseph W. Blair for Pension, 21 June 1871:The State of Ohio, County of Scioto, SS: On this 21st day of June A. D. 1871 before me a Probate Judge in and for County and State aforesaid being a Court of Record personaly appeared Joseph W. Blair a resident of Iron Furnace, P. O. Scioto County, State of Ohio, aged 38 years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on oath make the following declaration as Guardian of the minor children of James McFann deceased in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress approved July 14th 1862 and such other acts as apply to the case granting pensions to minor children under sixteen years of age of deceased officers and soldiers. That he is the Guardian of Cicero V. McFann aged 10 years on the 8th day of November 1870, and James D. McFann aged seven years on the 5th day of March 1870, and they are the only surviving children under sixteen years of age (except Margaret A. McFann age 12 years on the 29 day of September 1870) of James McFann who was a Private in Company D in the first Ohio Heavy Artillery Vols in the war of 1861 who died at Knoxville in the State of Tennessee on the 29 day of September 1864 by reason of General Debility, Diahrea, and Fever. That the mother of the aforesaid children remarried on the 20th day of January 1870 to one Jacob Helman in the County of Scioto, State of Ohio (see certificate of marriage) that the date of the birth of his said wards are as follows, to wit: Cicero V. born on the 8th day of November 1860 and James D. born on the 5th day of March 1863. He further declares that the parents of his said wards were married at Scioto County, State of Ohio, on the 24 day of August 1857 by one Esq Norris a justice of the peace and that there is no public record of said marriage That a certificate from the Probate Judge of said Scioto County that there was no public record of said marriage and an affidavit of two witnesses present at said marriage has been duly filed with the application of Ann E McFann mother of said children for Pension---to which reference is hereby made---he also declares that he has not at any time in any manner been engaged in or aided or abetted the Rebellion in the United States and he hereby constitutes and appoints Miranda Searl of Iron Furnace, P. O. Scioto County, State of Ohio, his true and lawful attorney to prosecute this claim and obtain the Pension Certificate that may issue in favor of his said wards That is Post Office address is Iron Furnace, County of Scioto, State of Ohio [signed:] Joseph W Blair sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st day of June 1871 and at the same time personaly appeared Lucius E. Weaver and Oliver Mason residents of said Scioto County and persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit who being duly sworn according to law declare that the children named in the foregoing declaration are the only children under 16 years of age of said James McFann who died in the service of the United States as stated in said declaration which has been made and signed in their presence and that the mother of said children remarried to one Jacob Helman on the 20th day of December 1870 a copy of the public record is herewith enclosed and that they believe that the date and place of marriage of the parents of said children and the date of birth are correctly stated in said declaration and they further testify that they have no interest in the claim for pension in behalf of said children [signed:] Lucius E. Weaver [signed:] Oliver Mason sworn to before me and subscribed in my presence this 21st day of June A. D. 1871 and I hereby certify that I have no interest whatever in this claim of Joseph W. Blair guardian for pension [signed:] A. C. Thompson Probate Judge, Scioto County, Ohio Claim of Guardian David McFann for Pension, 29 June 1871:The State of Ohio, County of Scioto, SS: On this 29th day of June A. D. 1871, personally appeared before me, S. B. Drouilleard, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, a Court of Record, in and for the county and State aforesaid David McFann, who being duly sworn according to law makes the following decaration in order to obtain the pension provided by acts of Congress for children under sixteen years of age, that he is the only legal guardian of Margaret Ann McFann, legitimate child of James McFann, who enlisted under that name at Portsmouth, Scioto County Ohio on the [blank] day of August A. D. 1862 in Company D of the 117th Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the War of 1861, afterwards changed to the 1st Regimant of Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery, and which was the only organization in which he served during said war; who died of a fever at Knoxville, Tennessee, on the 29th day of September A. D. 1864, and who bore at the time of his death the rank of private in said Company and Regiment; that he left surviving him as his widow Ann McFann, who has [?] to wit: on the 20th day of January A. D. 1870, remarried to one Jacob Helman; that the above named Margaret Ann, and Cicero V. and James D. are the only surviving legitimate children of the said James McFann, who were under sixteen years of age at the time of his death; that said children were the issue of said James McFann and of the said Ann Helman (then McFann) and were born at the dates following, viz: Margaret Ann, on the 29th day of September A. D. 1858, Cicero V., on the 8th day of November A. D. 1860, and James D., on the 5th day of March A. D. 1863; that the father was married under the name James McFann to Ann Coyle, the mother, on the 24th day of August A. D. 1857 at Vernon Township, Scioto County, Ohio, by one [blank] Norris a justice of the peace, there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that the said Margaret Ann McFann resides with declarant, who upon her choice was appointed her guardian; that the other two children are the wards of Joseph W. Blair; that the said Margaret Ann McFann his ward has not aided or abeted the Rebellion against the United States, and that no prior application has been filed in their behalf; that the mother was a pensioner as the widow of the said James McFann until remarriage; that he hereby appoints A. C. Thompson of Portsmouth, Ohio his attorney to prosecute the above claim; that his residence is at Vernom Township Scioto County, Ohio and his post office address is Lyra in said County [his mark:] David McFann Executed in the presence of us: [signed:] J. S. Miller [signed:] Isaac F. Mead Also personally appeared Isaac F. Mead and John S. Miller residents of Portsmouth in said county, persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit and who being by me duly sworn say they were present and saw David McFann the claimant sign his name to the foregoing declaration; that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of said claimant and their acquaintance with him that he is the identical person he represents himself to be, and that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim [signed:] Isaac F. Mead [signed:] John S Miller Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 29th day of June A. D. 1871, and I hereby cerify that the contents of the above declaration were fully made known and explained to the applicant and witnesses before swearing .... Affidavit of Arthur Titus, M. D., 26 September 1871:The State of Ohio, County of Scioto, SS: Before me a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid personaly appeared Dr A. Titus a resident of Wheelersburg in said Scioto County who being duly sworn according to law upon his oath says that he was acquainted with James McFann late private in Co D 1st Regt Ohio Heavy Artilery and that while said James McFann was living with his wife in lawful wedlock that there was born to him a daughter Margaret Ann on the 29th day of September A. D. 1858, that affiant attended with the wife of said James McFann at the birth of said child as a Physician, affiant further says that he believes there is no public record of the birth of said child and that he has no interest in the claim for pension in behalf of minor children of said James McFann [signed:] Arthur Titus, M. D. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of September 1871. I further certify that I have no interest direct or indirect in any claim for pension in behalf of said minors [signed:] R. Enslow, J. P. |
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Photocopies of the documents were obtained by mail from the National Archives and transcribed by Brian McFann |