Confederate Pension Application of Robert F. Ausburn

 

Indigent Pension, 1897

Name-R. F. Ausborn

County-Banks

 

Questions for Applicant.

 

State of Georgia,

Banks County.

R. F. Ausborn of said State and County, desiring to avail himself of the Pension Act approved December 15th, 1894, hereby submits his proofs, and after being duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows:

1.What is your name and where do you reside? (give State, County and post office)

R. F. Ausborn, Banks County Georgia, Hollingsworth Ga. P. O.

2. Where did you reside on January 1st, 1894, and how long have you been a resident of this State?

Banks County Ga., ever since my birth 9 Nov. 1837.

3. When and where were you born?

9 Nov. 1837 in Habersham County.

4. When and where and in what company and regiment did you enlist or serve?

May 1862, Banks County Ga., Co. D 43 Georgia Regiment.

5. How long did you remain in such company and regiment?

2 years and 10 months.

6. For how long a period of time did you discharge regular military duty?

All the time.

7. When, where and under what circumstances were you discharged from service?

26th April 1865, Greensborough, N. C., when General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered us.

8 What is your present occupation?

Farming.

9. How much can you earn (gross) per annum by your own exertions or labor?

About $80 annum.

10. What has been your occupation since 1865?

Trying to farm.

11. Upon which of the following grounds do you base your application for pension, viz: first, “age and poverty,” second “infirmity and poverty” or third “blindness and poverty”?

Infirmity and poverty.

12. If upon the first ground, state how long you have been in such condition that you could not earn your support?  If upon the second, give a full and complete history of the infirmity and its extent?  If upon the third state whether you are totally blind and when and where you lost your sight?

I have been suffering from Chronic Rheumatism for the last 15 or 20 years.  My limbs are so stiff that I cannot work at times at all.

13. What property, effects or income do you possess and its gross value?

Household furniture $15.00 & 8 shoats $8.00

14. What property, effects or income did you possess in 1894, 1895 and 1896 and what disposition, if any, did you make of same?

I owned the same household & a few shoats in 1894 & 1895 & 1896 as I now own.

15. In what County did you reside during those years and what property did you then return for taxation?

Banks County, the same household furniture and shoats.

16. How were you supported during the years 1895 and 1896?

I was supported by my 3 children & wife & what little I could earn.

17. How much did your support cost for each of those years, and what portion did you contribute thereto by your own labor or income?

I do not know.  Corn & meat worth $40.00.

18. What was your employment during 1895 and 1896?  What pay did you receive each year?

I was doing what I could working to make support.

19. Have you a family?  If so, who composes such family?  Give their means of support?  Have they a homestead?

I have a wife & 3 little children, 2 boys & one girl ages 16-14-12 respectively.

20. Are you receiving any pension, if so what amount and for what disability?

None.

Signed: R. F. Ausburn, Applicant

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 8th day of February 1897.

T. F. Hill, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Questions For Witness.

 

State of Georgia,

Banks County.

Jobe Brock of said State and County, having presented as a witness in support of the application of R. F. Ausborn for pension under the Act approved December 15th, 1894, and after being duly sworn true answers to make to the following questions, deposes and answers as follows:

1. What is your name and where do you reside?

Jobe Brock.  Banks County Ga.  Hollungsworth Ga. P.O.

2. Are you acquainted with R. F. Ausborn same, the applicant, is of how long have you known him?

Since 1858.

3. Where does he reside, and how long has he been a resident of this State?

Banks Co. Ga., all his life.

4. Do you know of his having served in the Confederate army or the Georgia militia?  How do you know this?

I no. [sic] I served in the Confederate army with him.

5. When, where and what company and regiment did he enlist?

May 1862.  Banks county Ga.  Co. D 43rd Georgia Regiment.

6. Were you a member of the same company and regiment?

I was.

7. How long did he perform regular military duty, and what do you know of his service as a Confederate soldier, and the time and circumstances of his discharge from the service?

Up to the surrender in 1865.  He was surrendered at Greensborough, N. C., 26th April 1865.

8. What property, effects or income has the applicant?  (Give your means of knowledge.)

Small amount of household furniture & some shoats.  I reside near him as a neighbor.

9. What property, effects or income did the applicant possess in 1895 and 1896, and what disposition, if any did he make of same?

About the same household & shoats.  He has made no disposition of any property.

10. What is the applicant’s occupation and physical condition?

He tryes [sic] to do what he can working on rental land.  He is suffering from rheumatism and General Debility.

11. Is the applicant unable to support himself by labor of any sort, if so, why?

He is unable to make a support for himself on account of his rheumatism and feebleness.

12. How was he supported during the years 1895 and 1896?

By his wife & 3 children with what little he done.

13. What portion of his support for these two years was derived from his own labor or income?

Very little because he was not able to do but little.

14. Give a full and complete statement of applicant’s physical condition that entitles him to a pension under the Act of December 15th, 1894?

He suffers all the time from rheumatism stiffness in his limbs and General debility.

15. What interest have you in the recovery of a pension by this applicant?

[blank]

Signed: Jobe Brock, Witness.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 8 day of Feby. 1897.

T. F. Hill, Ordinary

 

Power of Attorney

 

State of Georgia,

Banks County.

I. R. F. Ausborn hereby authorize T. F. Hill of Homer Ga. to receive and receipt for the pension allowed and request that he remit same to me at Homer Ga. by him.

Witness my hand and seal this 8th day of Feby. 1897.

R. F. Ausburn.

Executed in presence of Jobe Brock, James C. Wade J. P.

 

Note from Pension Office:

“Pension Office 5/5/1897

Further proof of infirmity is required.

Rich. Johnson, Com. Of Pensions”

[There is another date of 3/21/98 on the application folio, so the application must have been resent to the pension office for further consideration.]

 

Note-Reference “Cemeteries and Deaths in Banks County Georgia” by Richard J. Chambers states the following:

Ausburn, Robert F. 1837-no date

Aubsurn, Missouri Jordan (wife of Robert F.) 1848-no date

Both burials are in the Boling/Jordan family cemetery in Banks County.

 

Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline King