Confederate Widow’s Application of Cynthia C. Bowden
Brewer
Questions for Applicant
State of Georgia
Banks County.
C. C. Brewer of said State and County, desiring to
avail herself of the Pension allowed to Indigent Widows of Confederate
Soldiers, under Act of General Assembly, passed [blank] 1900, hereby submits
her 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? My name is C. C. Brewer and I reside
in Banks County.
2.
How long and since when have you been a resident of this State? I have lived in the State fifty years, I
came from S. C. in 1853.
3.
When and where were you born? In S. C.
4th day of April 1833.
4.
When and where was your husband born-state his full name, and where were you
and he married? (Attach copy of marriage license in every case.) In S. C. In January 1825 he was born. I think it was the 4th day of
January. John Willson [Wilson] Brewer
and we married 10th day of April 1855 in Franklin county, Georgia.
5.
When and where, and in what Company and Regiment did your husband enlist or
serve during the war between the States?
He enlisted in Sept. 1861 in 24th Regt. Co. “A” at Homer,
Ga. Comrades are dead. For sickness he was discharged. When he was able he enlisted the 2nd
time in 2nd Ga. Regt. Co. “A” and served till surrender. Had enlisted 2nd time in July,
1862.
6.
How long did your husband serve in said Company and Regiment? He served in first command about 12 months,
and in 2nd he served until surrender.
7.
When and where did your husband’s Company and Regiment surrender and was
discharged? His Co. & Regt.
Surrendered and he was discharged 9th April 1865 at Appomatox
Courthouse.
8.
Was your husband present at the time and place where his Company and Regiment
surrendered? He was present at the
time and place.
9. If
not with his command at surrender, state clearly and specifically where he was,
when he left command, for what cause, and by what authority? At surrender, by authority of his command.
10.
When and where did your husband die? He
died 19th Jan. 1900, in Banks County, Georgia.
11.
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 and
partial blindness.
12.
If upon the first ground, state how long you have been in such a condition that
you cannot 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? Generally debilitation, broken down in
health and unable to see how to work.
13.
What has been your occupation since your husband’s death? Have not been able to do anything and have
not done anything.
14.
How much can you earn gross, by your own exertion or labor? Nothing.
15.
What property, real or personal, or income do you have or possess, and its
gross value? I have a small piece of
land covered by a mortgage, and am at the mercy of the mortgage, and only get a
small bail [sic] of cotton a year. I
have no other personal property since by husband’s death, had to sell to nephew
this land for a support and no mortgage.
It is worth nothing when mortgage is held.
16.
What property, real of personal, did you possess at death of husband or he left
you, and of the years 1899, 1900, 1901, and what disposition, if any, by sale or
gift, have you made of the same? I had
only the land mentioned covered by mortgage and for the years mentioned had no
personalty.
17.
In what counties did you reside in 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902 and what property
did you return for taxation? I have lived
in Banks County and had about 85 acres. $250.00 was mortgage.
18.
How have you been supported since death of husband, and especially for 1899,
1900, 1901 and 1902? One of my sons,
who is now crippled and unable to support himself.
19.
How much did your support cost for each of those years, and how much did you
contribute by your own labor or income?
About $60.00. I contributed
nothing by my labor, about 1 bale of cotton.
20.
What was your employment during 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902-how much did you
receive for each year? Nothing. About one bale of cotton. Nothing for my labor. I am now without anyone to help me.
21.
Have you a family? If so, who composes
such family? Give their means of
support? Have they any lands or
property? I have no family.
22.
Have you ever made application for pension before? None.
23.
How many applications have you made for Pension, and under what class? None.
Signed: C. C. Brewer
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 6th
say of July 1903.
T. F. Hill, Ordinary of Banks County.
Questions For Witnesses
State of Georgia
Banks County.
T. V. Forbes and J. C. Allan of said State and County,
having been presented as a witness in support of the Application of Mrs. C. C.
Brewer for a Pension under the Act of [blank] 1900, 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?
J. C. Allan, T. V. Forbes. Banks Co., Georgia.
2.
Are you acquainted with the applicant, Mrs. C. C. Brewer. If so, how long have you known her?
More than forty years.
3.
Where does she reside, and how long and since when has she been a resident of
this State?
In Banks County.
Resided in this State fifty three years.
4.
When and where was she born?
In South Carolina, April 4th 1833.
5.
Were you ever acquainted with her husband?
Yes.
6.
Where did she reside in 1861?
In Banks County, Georgia.
7.
When and to whom was he married?
C. C. Bowden, April 10th 1855.
8.
When and where was he born?
South Carolina, Jany. 1825.
9.
How long have you known him?
Forty five years.
10.
When and where did J. W. Brewer enlist in the war between the States, and in
what Company and Regiment did he enlist, and how do you know this?
He first enlisted in 24th Ga. Regt., and
reenlisted in the 2nd Ga. Regt. In 1862 & served there until the
surrender, served with [us?].
11.
Were you a member of the same Company and Regiment?
Yes.
12.
How long did he perform regular military duty?
Served regularly with us in 2nd Ga. from
1862 to surrender.
13.
When and where was his Company and Regiment surrendered and discharged from
service?
At Appomattox C. H., Va.
14.
Were you with the Command when it surrendered?
No-in prison.
15.
Was J. W. Brewer the husband of applicant present?
Were not present ourselves, but are satisfied Brewer
was.
16.
If not present where was he? [blank]
17.
When and where did he leave his command?
At Surrender.
For what cause? Surrender. By whose authority he left? Of his Command. How do you know this? By being present during surrender.
18.
When and where did J. W. Brewer die?
In Banks County, Ga., Jany. 19th 1900.
19.
Where did he reside at his death and how long had he been a resident of Georgia
at his death?
In Banks County, Ga., about 45 or 50 years.
20.
Do you know of your own knowledge know that the applicant was the lawful widow
of J. W. Brewer?
Yes.
21.
Has she remained unmarried since her soldier husband’s death, and is now his
widow?
Yes.
22.
What property, effects or income has the applicant, is any, and how do you know
this of your own knowledge?
We do not know-but understand and believe that she is
possessed of no property.
23.
What property, effects or income did applicant possess in 1899, 1900, 1901 and
1902, and what disposition did she make of it?
We do not know.
24.
Has applicant conveyed any property in last two years or given any away, if so,
what was it, and to whom?
Don’t know.
25.
What is applicant’s physical condition and her chances and ability to earn a
support?
She is old and feeble & unable to support herself.
26.
Is applicant able to earn a support or income of any sort, if not, why?
No. She is old and feeble.
27.
How was she supported for 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902?
By her youngest son, who is now a cripple.
28.
How much did the applicant contribute to her support for last two years?
Nothing.
29.
Give a full and complete statement of applicant’s physical condition?
She is old, nearly blind and quite feeble.
30.
What interest have you in recovery of this pension by applicant?
None.
Signed: J. C. Allan, T. V. Forbes Witnesses
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st
day of July 1903.
T. F. Hill, Ordinary, Banks County.
Affidavits of Physicians
State of Georgia
Banks County.
Personally before me come W. P. Harden, M. D. And O.
N. Harden, M. D., both known to me to be reputable physicians of said County,
who, being severally sworn, say on oath that they have examined carefully
Mrs. C. C. Brewer, applicant for Pension under Act of 1900, and after such
personal examination say that her physical condition is this-
She is very weak and infirm. She is almost blind due to incipient senile cataracts on both
eyes. She is also afflicted with a
general weakness and breakdown of her nervous system. These conditions render her totally unable to earn a support for
herself at any calling whatsoever, and we have no interest in said pension if
allowed.
Signed: W. P. Harden, M. D.
O. N. Harden, M. D.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21 day of July
1903.
T. F. Hill, Ordinary, Banks County.
Ordinary’s Certificate
State of Georgia
Banks County.
I, T. F. Hill Ordinary, in and for said County, hereby
certify that the applicant, Mrs. C. C. Brewer resides in said County, and has
been a bone fide resident of this State since the [blank] day of [blank] 1865,
and that the witnesses, Mr. J. C. Allan & T. V. Forbes are of trustworthy
character, and that their statements are entitled to full faith and credit.
I do hereby certify that the tax digest of Banks
County returned for taxation in her own name in 1899 $422 dollars worth of
property, and in 1900 $279 dollars worth of property, in 1901 $455 dollars
worth of property, and in 1902 $440 dollars worth of property.
Witness my hand and official seal this 21st
day of July 1903
T. F. Hill, Ordinary
Banks County.
Note-Cynthia C. Bowden Brewer is buried in the Homer
Presbyterian Church cemetery in Banks County, Ga. According to the book, “Cemeteries and Deaths in Banks County,
Georgia”, by Richard J. Chambers, her stone reads “C. Caroline Brewer, born
April 4, 1833-died March 20, 1911.
Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline King