So yesterday I wrote about Clarence Perkins – more
specifically, what the census and vital records tell me about him and my
hunt for his ancestry. I wanted to include the information I found in
his Civil War service record but it would
have been a 10 page blog. I still find this important as it adds to
the mystery and gives me a few nuggets I didn’t have before. I know it's a very long tedious blog but I want this documented and out there and perhaps someone will be able to put Clarence's saga together and help me, so I want everything I have out there.
The monies listed for enlistment, discharge and pension figures out to be $1271.93 for his service in the war. That's amazing to me given that many people earn that in a week or two now.
The monies listed for enlistment, discharge and pension figures out to be $1271.93 for his service in the war. That's amazing to me given that many people earn that in a week or two now.
One thing that struck me is how much the government hasn't changed in 100+ years. This man ended up with 19 affidavits, 7 applications, 8 physical exams and 5 questionnaires. When I finish Sarah's blog on her attempts to get her widow's pension you'll see that was even worse!
Clarence shows on a draft registration in Kent
County Michigan dated June 6-7, 1863. He lists his name as Clarence L
Perkins, age 24, born in Vermont and working as a lumberman. I had
other ancestors settle in the Newaygo County Michigan
area due to the lumbering opportunities so I believe that’s what drew
Clarence to settle in the Ashland area.
He was drafted and mustered 11/2/1863 at Grand
Rapids MI for a period of 3 years. He was described as 5 foot, 5.5
inches tall, blue eyes, sandy hair, fair complexion and paid a bounty
and advance of $38.
The muster rolls that I was sent for him are as follows:
·
Jan & Feb of 1864 - Absent with remarks “new recruit assigned 2/28/1864 Regt’l Order Detached at Nashville for equipment”
·
Mar & Apr 1864 – Present with remarks “drafted”
·
May & Jun 1864 – Absent with remarks “Hospital Big Shanty GA June 29/1864
·
July & Aug 1864 – Absent with same remarks
·
Sep & Oct 1864 – Absent with same remarks
·
Nov & Dec 1864 – Present with no remarks
·
Jan & Feb 1865 – Present with no remarks
·
Mar & Apr 1865 – Present with no remarks
·
Jul & Aug 1865 (May & Jun shows no muster
roll) – “to be transferred to the 2 Mich Cavalry, which order has been
revoked and ordered to be mustered out under S.O. No. 43 from Hd. Drs.
Mil. Div. of the Tenn.”
Muster-out roll dated 7/1/1865 at Nashville Tenn lists him as follows:
Clarence L Perkins, Priv Co K 4th Reg’t Mich Cav, age 24 (does this man really not know his birthdate?)
Note on card – “Am’t for cloth’g in kind or money adv’d $71.93”
*In his Declaration of pension dated 2/26/1907 Clarence writes he was mustered out at Edgefield TN
The
remainder of this packet is the story of his medical problems and his
pension starting in 1891. I was hoping to find more information about
his service but with the hospital stay and
with him being “absent” half of his service time I’m guessing there
isn’t much to write about regarding actual battlefield experiences. He
and Sarah sure had to jump through hoops to get his pension though!
4/14/1891 – Declaration for Original Invalid Pension
Age 52, 5’5, light complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair
10/14/1891
Examination – Clarence claims he has head and neck pain, shoulder and
breast pain, that his hands are stiff and sore, that his nose is sore
and he blows “a great deal out of it”
and makes an unreadable complaint about his eyes. He guestimates that
he’s ½ disabled for manual labor. The doctor finds – no signs of
neuralgia, no limitations of motion, a slight congestion of the
nose/throat and that his general physical condition is
good. “No disability exists at this examination”. I’m unable to ascertain who performed this examination.
6/21/1893 Surgeon’s report
9/12/1893
affidavit of Clarence lists that at Big Shanty GA in June of 1864 he
contacted chronic rheumatism, neuralgia and disease of respiratory
organs, from exposure in line of duty. Prior
to the war he lists he was a sawyer and after the war he says he’s been
a miller and a farmer.
12/11/1893 his claim is denied
6/25/1895
Declaration for Original Invalid Pension – this time they find him
entitled to disability based on his rheumatism (that was rated 10/18)
and his chronic bronchitis (rated 6/18).
7/1/1895 – awarded an invalid pension of $6.00/month based on rheumatism and bronchitis
2/27/1896
affidavit of Andrew Reed and J.F. Blood stating that they’d known
Clarence 20 years/at least 10 years respectively and knew him to
complain of his maladies during this time.
5/27/1897
affidavit of Frank W. Squier and Harley R. Derby stating they’d both
known Clarence 10 years and knew him to complain of his maladies and at
times he was unable to perform manual
labor.
6/5/1897
affidavit of Dr. J.S. Ingram who declares Clarence’s condition to be
worsening with age and that he’s “2/3 of the time disabled.”
8/30/1897 he’s awarded $6.00/month for rheumatism and bronchitis (not sure why he had to send in new affidavits and get awarded the same pension again - perhaps they revoked it?)
10/4/1897 Clarence filed a Declaration for increase of Invalid Pension
12/6/1897 Clarence filed another Declaration for Original Invalid Pension
2/11/1898
affidavit of Andrew Reed stating he’d known Clarence since 1865 with
his maladies and knew him to see the doctor for them and that sometimes
he was unable to work because of them.
2/16/1898
affidavit of Harley R. Derby stating he’d been an acquaintance of
Clarence since 1877, living near him and working at the same place with
him for the last 6 years, seeing him almost
daily. He stated that Clarence complained of his maladies, took
medications, saw the doctor and sometimes quit work because of them.
6/4/1898 the Bureau of Pensions sent Clarence a questionnaire:
- First, Are you married? If so, please state your wife's full name and her maiden name. Clarence answered "Sarahetta Perkins"
- Second, When, where, and by whom where you married? Clarence answered "S.M. Woodworth."
- Third, What record of marriage exists? Clarence answered "Co. Record, Dec 1st 1872"
- Fourth, Were you previously married? If so, please state the name of your former wife and the date and place of her death or divorce. Clarence answered "Twice - former wives dead"
- Fifth, Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth. Clarence answered "Six living, youngest 3 months old"
4/23/1898 the Bureau of Pensions sent Clarence the same questionnaire - I can't figure out why the dates are the way they are but this is the order of the file and it's clear they made Clarence redo the questions because of his lack of answers the 1st time.
- Sarah Lambertson
- At Ashland Mich Dec 1st, 1872 by S.M. Woodward, Justice of the Peace
- Record in office of County Clerk of Newaygo Co Mich
- First Nancy Kellum who died Nov 5th, 1869 at Ashland Mich (Sarah's affidavits and one of their neighbors contradict this, stating it was 1868. No death record found - Nancy was wife #2 - unsure why Clarence mentioned 2 wives on one questionnaire and only 1 on this one)
- Clarence answered the following children and dates - I have no idea who James Edwin is - he isn't in any of the census records and I find no record of him at all. Clarence doesn't mention any of the children of his 2nd marriage (I know of 3) and doesn't mention my 2nd great grandfather, his son Charles Ellsworth Perkins born 9/15/1880. Willis was born in 1884 and Nellie in 1889 but otherwise this is all accurate.
o
James Edwin 2/21/1874
o
Delia May 5/31/1875
o
Eva 1/26/1877
o
Viola 8/15/1882
o
Willis 11/18/1885
o
Nellie 6/12/1888 -
o
Guy Herald 3/31/1893
o
Ralph C 3/18/1898
Seriously Clarence? On the 1st questionnaire you say you’d been married twice but on this one you only
list Nancy, incorrectly as your first wife? And what about those 6
living
children you mentioned last time? It’s now 8 children (instead of the
12 that I know of written about in my previous blog)
6/15/1898 Surgeon Certificate listing same health issues
2/21/1899
Affidavit of an Officer or Comrade given by Enoch S. Rhoades, age 56.
He concurred that at Big Shanty GA in 1864 Clarence was hospitalized for
rheumatism of the right knee/foot
and was “quite lame”, that 7/1864 at Big Shanty he ruptured his left
groin and added that at Huntsville AL in 8/1864 he contracted catarrh
& bronchitis.
3/4/1899 Declaration for Pension Increase filed, listing Clarence age 54.
8/2/1899
Surgeon Certificate lists Clarence age 54, 5 ft, 4.5 inches, 150lbs and
stated “this man is weak & disabled”. The ratings for his
disabilities were as follows: 6/18 for catarrh
& resulting bronchitis, 8/18 for rheumatism and 10/18 for his
hernia.
8/2/1899
his pension is increased to $8.00/month due to added left inguinal
hernia, memory issues and a “weak ankle as a result of dislocation”.
3/26/1900
affidavit of Watson S. Williams, age 63 stated that he served in the
same regiment as Clarence and knew he’d been treated. He stated he’d
worked with him from 1865-1877 and he was
“not able to do half of able bodied man”.
6/19/1900 affidavit of J.S. Ingram, Dr. is unreadable
7/24/1900 affidavit of Andrew Steadman stating he’d known Clarence 25 years and that he'd worked with him and heard of his maladies.
This
one was a key piece for me to link Cecelia/Celia as a definite child of
Clarence as in 1900 census she’s living with Andrew and Sarah
Steadman. Further research revealed that Sarah’s
maiden name was Kellum and that she was a sister to Clarence’s 2nd wife Nancy, therefore an aunt of Celia.
7/24/1900
affidavit of Frank W. Squier stating he’d known Clarence since 1865 and
that he’d worked for Frank and his father for the last 20 years with
his maladies.
7/26/1900 Physician’s Affidavit of J.S. Ingram stating Clarence is “nearly totally disabled”.
8/30/1900
affidavit of Watson S. Williams and Franklin R. Howes stating they’d
known Clarence since 1862 and knew him to be a “good, moral and upright
citizen, one respected by all his acquaintances
and a man of no vicious habits”
The “no vicious habits” appears in several affidavits and physician’s statements”
9/14/1900 affidavit of Clarence to state he has no further medical proof of his problems
9/22/1900
affidavit of Clarence to again state he has no further medical proof of
his problems as he’d been treated by Doctors Baker & Fish and that
both had been dead for some years.
3/2/1901 Application for Pension Increase requesting increase from $8.00 to $12.00/month
3/16/1901
Physician’s Affidavit by J.S. Ingram stating he’d known Clarence 20
years and that he was a “sober industrious and upright man” and that
he’s a constant sufferer from piles, chronic
rheumatism of shoulders and arms so severe at times he can hardly move
his arms, chronic catarrh of throat and nose and a right inguinal
hernia.
8/7/1901
Surgeon’s Certificate stating he was born in Vermont, age 54, 5’4,
166lbs, works as an engineer. This report confirmed the hernia,
rheumatism and catarrh.
10/4/1901 handwritten letter from Enoch Rhoades – almost unreadable but lays out the medical issues again.
2/18/1902 the Bureau of Pensions sent questionnaires:
·
Andrew Reed – known Clarence and his medical issues since 1865
·
Harley Derby – unable to read
·
Andrew Steadman – known Clarence since 9/1865 and “unable to do ¼ of a man’s work”
3/3/1902 affidavit from Mary Clough and Smith Fulkertson stating the following:
“We
have known Clarence L. Perkins the claimant for nearly 40 years and met
him frequently and are well acquainted with his character. We know him
to be a moral, strictly temperate man, a
good and respected citizen, and a man of no bad or vicious habits”.
Clarence
then signs the affidavit after it’s written (unknown by whom) – “that
he is unable to say positively how he incurred a rupture of groins both
right and left. That he first noticed
a small swelling in the left groin just before he was mustered out of
service. Thought it was caused by striking the pommel of his saddle
when mounting his horse. Had no treatment for it during service. It
became very bad about one year afterwards and has
so continued up to the present time and now there is a rupture of both
groins. That they are not caused by vicious habits as he is a strictly
moral man and a man of no bad habits.
3/13/1902 affidavit signed by Clarence:
“that
he is unable to give a reason for his eyes being diseased only that
while near Big Shanty Georgia in 1864 he had a severe headache and his
head and face became swollen so as to close
his eyes for a week or more and his eyes have never been perfectly well
since. That he has not now or ever had any vicious habits and is a
strictly temperate moral man and was at the time of the above mentioned
trouble. That he cannot furnish any witnesses
as to the cause of his rupture as he did not know what it was at first
and when he discovered it was a rupture he did not like to show it to
anyone”.
5/27/1902
– application for a pension increase filed due to “inability to earn a
support at manual labor”. He was earning $8.00/month at the time.
Undated
letter (kept in order so assume between May-October 1902) from J.S.
Ingram stating he first treated Clarence 8/1/1880 and that he’s got
chronic rheumatism of arms and shulders, chronic
bronchitis and he’s unable to perform manual labor “six eighth of his
time”.
10/15/1902
Surgeon’s Certificate listing him at age 55, 5 ft, 3-3/4 inches, 160lbs
and diagnosed with a double inguinal hernia. The doctor wrote “we
think the condition of this man will or
should warrant a rating of at least $12.00”.
12/17/1903 – awarded an increase to $10.00/month
4/15/1905 Surgeon’s Certificate
·
Confirmed double inguinal hernia in 1864 with “right complete”
Rheumatism 1885 Bronchitis and catarrh 1885
· Disease of eyes 1900
Doctors noted:
· Rheumatism of shoulders/elbows/hips/knees/back
· Cannot raise either arm to right angle to body
· Function of shoulders just ¼
· Muscles of back very painful on palpation and claimant cannot stoop to floor to pick up anything. Function of back is just ¼
· Claimant walks with a cane and slow
· Catarrh
· Bronchial cough from chronic bronchitis
· Both eyes 12/20 but can read with glasses
This certificate ends with “a note of $12.00”
Application for admission to the Soldiers Home at Grand Rapids MI lists his admission 5/17/1906.
He listed his discharge at Edgefield TN 8/12/1865 due to "close of war".
He is listed as 70 years old with an occupation of sawyer and as a Protestant.
Disabilities listed are double hernia and heart trouble.
Specifically they state he has a double inguinal hernia, has heart difficulty-valvular lesions, is subject to dizzy spells. Very feeble being unable to work without (unreadable word).
12/14/1907 Michigan Soldiers Home issues a certificate of death stating Clarence entered the home 5/17/1906 and died 8/15/1907 of septicaemia. His nearest kin is son Charles E. Perkins of Bellevue MI (this is the only reference to my 2nd great grandfather in any of the papers).
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