Confederate Pension Application of James M. Sims
Questions for Applicant
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
James M. Sims of said State and
County, desiring to avail himself of the Pension Act (Section 1254, Code),
hereby submits his proofs, and after being 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 Postoffice.)
James M. Sims in Maysville, Banks
County Georgia.
2. How long and since when have
you been a resident of this State?
All my life since 18th
day of February 1844.
3. When and where were you born?
February 18th 1844 in
Clark [Clarke] County Ga.
4. When and where and in what company
and regiment did you enlist and serve?
February 1863 at Homer, Banks
County Georgia, Co. A 11th Ga. Cavalry.
5. How long did you remain in such
company and regiment?
Until the surrender May 1865.
6. When and where was your company
surrendered and discharged?
May 1865 near Columbia South
Carolina.
7. Were you present with your
company and regiment when it surrendered?
Yes.
8. If not present, state
specifically and clearly where you were, when you left your command, for what
cause and by whose authority?
I was present.
9. How much can you earn (gross)
per annum by your own exertions or labor?
Nothing.
10. What has been your occupation
since 1865?
I have tried 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 was attacked with what the
Doctors say was insanity and cared for by my brother for a long 1895. Had my right leg broken which has never
gotten well so I could use it, I am very weakened and decrepit and nearly
broken down and not able to do any kind of work.
13. What property, real and
personal, or income, do you possess, and its gross value?
Nothing.
14. What property, real or
personal, did you possess in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905, and what
disposition, if any, by sale or gift, have you made of same?
Nothing.
15. In what County did you reside
during those years, and what property did you return then for taxation?
Banks County Georgia.
16. How were you supported during
the years 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905?
By my married children and second
wife.
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?
Sixty dollars.
18. What was your employment
during 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905?
What pay did you receive each year?
Nothing. I was not mentally nor physically able.
19. Have you a family? If so, who composes such family? Give their means of support. Have they a homestead, or other
property? Their ages and how employed?
I have a Wife only. She has no homestead, income or other
property or money.
20. Are you receiving a
pension? If so, what amount and for
what disability?
No.
21. Have you ever made an
application for pension before?
No.
22. How many applications have you
ever made and under what class?
None.
Signed: James M. Sims, Applicant
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 6th day of July 1907.F
T. F. Hill Ordinary of Banks
County.
Affidavit of Physicians.
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
Personally came before me O. N.
Willson [sic] and W. S. Willson [sic], both known to me to me as reputable
physicians of said County, who, being severally sworn, say on oath that they
have examined carefully James. M. Willson [should be James M. Sims], applicant
for pension under Section 1254, Code, and after such personal examination say that
his precise physical condition is as follows:
Had an attack of Insanity in
1895. Got right leg broken in 1905 just
above ankle joint. Has never been able
to go well on leg since; is still swollen and tender and showing a varicose
condition of the blood vessels at that point.
This with failure from natural causes renders him unable to earn a
support for himself by manual labor,
and that we have no interest in
said pension being allowed.
Signed: O. N. Wilson M. D., W. S.
Wilson M. D.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 28th day of June 1907
T. F. Hill Ordinary
Questions for Witness.
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
John M. Hill of said State and
County, having been presented as a witness in support of the application of
James M. Sims for pension under Section 1254, Code, 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?
John M. Hill and reside Maysville,
Jackson County.
2. Are you acquainted with James
M. Sims. the applicant: if so how long have you known him?
Since he enlisted in 1863.
3. Where does he reside, and how
long and since when has he been a resident of this State?
In Banks County Georgia, and a
resident of Ga. since 1863.
4. When, where and in what company
and regiment did he enlist, and how do you know?
February 1863 at Homer, Banks
County Ga. Co. A 11th Ga.
Cavalry.
5. Were you a member of the same
company and regiment?
Yes.
6. How long did he perform regular
military duty?
Until the Surrender May 1865.
7. When and where was his command
surrendered?
May 1865 at Columbia S. C.
8. Were you present when it
surrendered?
Yes.
9. Was applicant present?
Yes.
10. If he was not present, where
was he?
He was present.
When did he leave his command?
May 1865.
For what cause?
Surrender.
By whose authority he left?
Surrender and honorable discharge.
How do you know all of this?
Applicant and I were together all
the time from enlistment to surrender.
11. What property, effects or
income has the applicant? (Give your means of knowledge.)
Nothing.
12. What property, effects or
income did the applicant possess in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905, and what
disposition, if any, did he make of same?
Nothing.
13. Has he conveyed away any of
his property in the last four years; if so, what was it, and to whom?
He had nothing.
14. What is the applicant’s
occupation and physical condition?
He has farmed in early
manhood. He has suffered from dementia
and does now has a broken leg since 1895.
Is entirely broken down permanently and is unable to do any work.
15. Is the applicant unable to
support himself by labor of any sort; if so, why?
Yes, because he is mentally and
physically weak, has broken leg, is permanently broken down and unable to do
anything.
16. How was he supported during
the years 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1905?
By his married children and his
second wife.
17. What portion of his support
for there four years was derived from his own labor of income?
Nothing.
18. Give a full and complete
statement of the applicant’s physical condition that entitles him to a pension
under Section 1254,Code.
He is partially insane, totally a
physical wreck, has a broken leg and is entirely unable to work.
19. Who composes family? What
property have they? Children’s ages and
their earning capacity?
He only has a wife. She has no property. No children except over 21 years and
married.
20. What interest have you in the
recover of a pension by this applicant?
[blank]
Signed: John M. Hill, Witness
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 6th day of July 1907
T. F. Hill Ordinary.
Ordinary’s Certificate
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
I. T. F. Hill Ordinary, in and for said County, hereby certify that the
applicant James M. Sims resides in said County, and has been a bona fide
resident since the 15 day of June 1865 [birth stated by applicant as 18 Feb.
1844] and that the witnesses, viz: John M. Hill are of trustworthy character,
and that their statements are entitled to full faith and credit.
I further certify that before
answering the foregoing questions the applicant and each witness took the oath
hereon prescribed, and that their statements are entitled to full faith and
credit.
I further certify that the tax
digest of Banks County shows that applicant returned for taxation in his name
in 1901 nothing Dollars of property, and in 1902 nothing Dollars of property;
in 1906 nothing Dollars of property; in 1904 nothing Dollars of property; in
1905 nothing Dollars of property.
In my opinion the foregoing claim
is made in good faith.
Witness my hand and seal of
office, this 6th day of July 1907.
T. F. Hill, Ordinary of Banks
County.
Indigent Pension allowed for 1908.
Note-James M. Sims died April 12,
1923 at the Confederate Soldiers Home in Atlanta. His body was returned to Maysville, Ga., where he was laid to
rest in the Sunrise Cemetery.
Transcription 2006 by Jacqueline
King