Confederate Widow’s Pension of Nancy H. Keesler

aka Nancy H. Kesler

 

Application for Pension by a Widow under the Act of 1910–Questions for Applicant.

State of Georgia

Banks County.

Personally before me comes Nancy H. Keesler of said State and County, and after being duly sworn, on oath says that she desires to apply for the pension allowed under the Act of — 1910, and submits testimony to make out the same, true answers makes to the following questions to wit:

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

Nancy H. Keesler.  Banks County.

2. How long and since when have you been a continuing resident in the State of Georgia?

All my life.

3. When, where and to whom were you married?

H. C. Keesler.  July 6th 1866. [Banks County marriage records indicate a marriage took place between Henry C. Kesler and Miss Nancy H. Kesler on 7 Feb. 1866.]

4. When, where and in what Company and Regiment did your husband enlist in Confederate Army or Georgia Militia? (State the arm and class of Service.)

Co. L. Palmetto Sharpshooters, S. C.

5. When and where did the Commands of your husband surrender or discharge from the army?

At the surrender at Appomatox.

6. Was your husband personally present at the time of the surrender or discharge of this Command?

Yes, he always said so.

7. If not present state clearly where he was?

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8. Where was his command when he left?

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a. For what cause did he leave his Command?

[blank]

b. By whose authority did he leave his Command?

[blank]

c. For how long was he granted leave of absence?

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e. What was his physical condition when he left his Command?

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f. What effort did he make to return to his Command?

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g. In what way was he prevented from going back to Command?

[blank]

h. Was he captured by the enemy at any time?

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i. If so, when and where captured and where held as a prisoner, and when and for what cause released?

[blank]

j. When and where did your husband die?  Were you residing together when he died?

If not, how long had you resided apart?

Banks County.  Yes. [Cemetery records indicate a death date for Henry C. Kesler of 6 July, 1888.]

9. What property of any description did you own, hold or control for your use and its cash value, Nov. 4, 1908? (State same by items.)

170 acres of hill land worth about 7 or 800 Dollars.

10. What property of any kind have you sold or given away since Nov. 4, 1908?  What was received to it and what did you do with the proceeds thereof? (Give items and cash value.)

None.

11. What property of any description of any value have you now?

As stated in No. 9.

12. What are your annual earnings or income and their value?

About 40 or 50 Dollars.  No more at least.

13. Have you heretofore been paid a pension by the State?

No.

If so, when and for what cause were you struck from Roll?

[blank]

Signed: Nancy H. Keesler [X her mark]

Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 11th day of Aug. 1910

Logan Perkins, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Questions for the Witnesses as to Service of Husband and Marriage.

State of Georgia

Banks County.

Personally before me comes W. A. Hopkins [William A. Hopkins] who after being sworn true answers to make, to the following questions, answers as follows:

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

W. A. Hopkins.  Banks County Ga.

2. How long and since when have you known about 45 years applicant? [transcribed as entered]

3. How long has she continuously resided in this State? (Give date.)

45 years.

4. When and to whom was she married?  How do you know?

H. C. Keesler.  Always lived together and reason of license.

5. How long and since when did you know [blank] her husband?

45 years.

6. When, where and in what Company and Regiment did H. C. Keesler enlist?

Co, L Palmetto Sharpshooters, S. C.  Capt. Daniels-Col. Walker-General Jenkins.

7. Were you a member of the same Company?

Yes.

8. How long within your personal knowledge did he perform actual military service with is his Company and Regiment?

4 years.

9. When, and where did his Command surrender, and was discharged?

1865 at Appomatox.

10. Were you personally present when it was surrendered?

Yes.

11. Was the applicant personally present at surrender?

Yes.

12. For what cause, if you know of your own knowledge was he prevented from returning to his Command?

[blank]

13. What effort did he make to return to his Command and how do you know this?  Of your own knowledge or how?

[blank]

Signed: W. A. Hopkins (X his mark)

Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 11th day of August, 1910.

Logan Perkins, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Affidavit of Two Freeholders.

State of Georgia

Banks County.

Personally before me comes T. F. Hill [and W. B. Mason] who on oath say that they are freeholders of said County and that they know Mrs. Keesler of said County and know what property she owned on 4th Nov. 1908, and its cash value to be set out by Schedule A as follows”

Personal Property-None

170 Acres of land (Life Support) worth $1000.00

[no money, accounts, horse and mules, cows and hogs, other property or income and earnings reported]

Signed: T. F. Hill, W. B. Mason

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 8 day of Nov. 1910.

Logan Perkins, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Notes- The 1910 application for Widow’s Pension was returned disapproved with a note from J. W. Lindsey, Commissioner of Pensions, as follows:

“Pension Office, 12-8-1910.

The 4th S. C. Infy. did not surrender at Appomatox C. H. Va. Apr. 9th 1865-It was not of Gen. Lee’s army.  Applicant’s witness must be more accurate in locating and accounting for husband to the close of the war.”

Whatever the problem was it evidently was solved as a pension was approved 2-19-1912.

Cemetery records from “History of Franklin County, Georgia” by the Franklin County Historical Society show the following entries in the Kesler family cemetery in the Prospect community of Franklin County:

Hooper, Sgt. Richard B-No dates, Revolutionary War

Kesler, H. C. 7/23/1844-7/6/1888.

Kesler, Wife of H. C. -unable to read.  Online family records give the following dates for Nancy H. Kesler-born 8 Jan. 1939, died 5 June 1912.

Newspaper abstracts cited in “Cemeteries and Deaths in Banks County, Georgia” by Richard J. Chambers offer the following:

“Kesler, Henry... died Friday, July 6, 1888.....wife and 12 children (Banks County Gazette, Thursday, 7/11/1888)”

“Kesler, John [John E. Kesler]...Thursday afternoon...the death angel visited the home of Mrs. N. H. Kesler and took her eldest son, John.  He had reached the age of forty years and was never married.  His remains were interred at Prospect Cemetery.” (Banks County Journal, Thursday, 3/3/1910)”

 

Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline King