Confederate Pension Application of John A.
Kelley/aka J. A. Kelly
Note-both surname spellings are
used in the paperwork, though the signature is J. A. Kelly
Questions For Applicant
State of Georgia
Banks County.
J. A. Kelley of said State and
County, desiring to avail himself of the Pension Act (Section 1254, Code),
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.)
J. A. Kelley, Banks County-Homer,
Ga.
2. How long and since when have
you been a resident of this State?
All my life except 8 years of
childhood.
3. When and where were you born?
In N. C., McDowell County, 22nd
June 1830.
4. When and where and in what
company and regiment did you enlist or serve?
Blairsville Ga., Co. F. 6th
Ga. Cavalry, C.S.A.
5. How long did you remain in such
company and regiment?
About 3 years.
6. When and where was your company
and regiment surrendered and discharged?
Greensboro, N. C., April 26th,
1865.
7. Were you present with your
company and regiment when it was surrendered?
I was.
8. If not present, state
specifically and clearly where you were, when you left your command, for what
cause and by whose authority?
Was present.
9. How much can your earn (gross)
per annum by your own exertions or labor?
Not more [copy faint...may be
$30].
10. What has been your occupation
since 1865?
Trying to cultivate a little land.
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”?
Age and Infirmity.
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 ground,
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?
Age Infirmity being 74 years
old-cannot work any longer.
13. What property, real and
personal, or income, do you possess and its gross value?
I own a very small farm poor
little farm & cannot rent it.
14. What property, real or
personal, did you possess in 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901 and
1902, and what disposition, if any, by sale or gift have you made of same?
I have made no sale or gift.
15. In what County did you reside
during those years, and what property did you return for taxation?
Have resided in Banks county for
10 years.
16. How were you supported during
years 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902?
By the rent of my little farm but
cannot rent it now.
17. How much did your support cost
for each of those years, and what portion did you contribute thereto by your
own labor of income?
Not more than 1.50 per mo.(?) [ink
is very faded...hard to read]
18. What was your employment
during 1898, 1899, 1901 and 1902? What
pay did you receive each year?
Do not receive anything from any
source.
19. Have you a family? If so, who comprises such family? Give their means of support? Have they a homestead, or other property? Their ages and how employed?
I have a wife 69 years old. No means of support. No homestead.
20. Are you receiving any pension?
If so, what amount and for what disability?
No pension.
21. Have you ever made an
application for pension before?
None.
Signed: J. A. Kelly, Applicant
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 20th(?) Day of July 1904.
T. F. Hill, Ordinary of Banks
County.
Questions for Witness.
State of Georgia
Union County.
A. D. McCravey [Achilles McCravey] of said State and County, having
been presented as a witness in support of the application of J. A. Kelley 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?
Blairsville, Union County Georgia.
2. Are you acquainted with J. A.
Kelly Yes, the applicant; if so, how long have you known him?
For 40 years.
3. Where does he reside, and how
long and since when has he been a resident of this State?
Banks County now-in State since
1838-have known him for 40 years.
4. When, where and in what company
and regiment did he enlist, and how do you know?
Was with Co. F (Co. H scratched
through) 6th Ga. Cavalry when I was transferred to it in 1864;
served longer but I now 9 months.
5. Were you a member of the same
company and regiment?
Yes.
6. How long did he perform regular
military duty?
About 3 years as I learn-I know of
9 months.
7. When and where was his command
surrendered?
With Johnson [sic] in N. C. Our Paroles dated Greensboro April 26th
1865.
8. Were you present when it
surrendered?
Yes.
9. Was applicant present?
Yes, but did not receive Parole-Came
home and had to go to Kingston.
10. If he was not present, where
was he?
[Blank]
When did he leave his command?
[Blank]
For what cause?
[Blank]
By what authority he left?
All men allowed to go who were
afraid of tiring stock.
How did you know all of this?
Was with him and know our officers
did not know the terms we were to get and told us any of us could go as we
might lose our horses.
11. What property, effects or
income has the applicant? (Give your means of knowledge.)
Has a small farm.
12. What property, effects or
income did the applicant possess in 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901 and
1902, and what disposition, if any, did he make of same?
No means except rent on his little
farm & cannot rent it now.
13. Has he conveyed away any of
his property in the last four years; if so, what was it, and to whom?
He has not.
14. What is the applicant’s
occupation and physical condition?
Has no occupation-is old &
broke down-74 years of age.
15. Is the applicant unable to
support himself by labor of any sort; if so, why?
He is on account of his age,
infirmity and Physical disability.
16. How was he supported during
the years 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902?
By renting his land.
17. What portion of his support
for those four years was derived from his own labor or income?
None at all.
18. Give a full and complete
statement of the applicant’s physical condition that entitles him to a pension
under Section1254, Code?
[Blank]
19. Who composes family? What property have they? Children’s ages and
their earning capacity?
Himself & wife. No children with them. None at all.
20. What interest have you in
recovery of a pension by this applicant?
[Blank]
Signed: A. D. McCravey, Witness.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 24 day of July, 1904
J. T. Calwell [Caldwell], Ordinary
Union County.
[Written in right hand margin of
witness statement:
“After being sworn, L. J. Ragsdale
of Banks county as to property of J. A. Kelley”]
Power of Attorney
State of Georgia
Banks County.
I, J. A. Kelley hereby authorize
L. J. Ragsdale of Banks Co. to receive and receipt for the pension allowed and
request that he remit same to me at Homer by him.
Witness my hand and seal, this 4th
day of August, 1904.
Signed: J. A. Kelly
Executed in presence of T. F.
Hill, Ordinary.
Note-This pension application was
submitted as an “Indigent Pension” for 1904.
It was disapproved by the Pension Dept. dated 9/29/ 04 with the comment
that the owner of a saleable property was not indigent.
John A. Kelley, June 23, 1830-Oct.
22, 1931, and his wife, Loucinda [Lucinda] Kelley, June 1, 1835-Feb. 21, 1909
are buried at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, Hwy. 51 North, Banks
County, Ga. [Reference: “Cemeteries and Deaths in Banks County, Georgia” by
Richard J. Chambers] I believe this death date may be incorrect as a John A.
Kelley on the Banks County Pension Roll was reported deceased on Oct. 31, 1931
in Oglethorpe County, and a funeral expense of $100.00 was paid by the Pension
Department on his behalf. Source:
Supplementals to Confederate Pensions online at the website of the Georgia
State Archives.
Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline
King