Confederate Pension Application of William Kesler
State of Georgia
Banks County.
Personally appears before William
Kesler of Banks county, State of Georgia, who, after being duly sworn, says on
oath that he is a bona fide citizen and resident of said State, and has been
continuously since the [blank] day of October 1830 [gravestone gives his birth
as 04 Sept. 1819]; that he enlisted in the military service of the Confederate
States during the war between the States and served as a Private in Company H
of 16th Regiment Cavalry Georgia Volunteers, Vaughan’s Brigade; that
whilst engaged in such military service, at Bull’s Gap in the State of
Tennessee, on the 15th day of September 1864, he was wounded as
follows: [very light copy] Sustained a total dislocation of the right ankle
joint caused by the fall of his horse, with rupture of ligaments of said joint
and muscles of the leg. Remained in
hospital until the close of the war.
Ankle joint is yet dislocated and the muscles of the leg wasted away
rendering [?] the leg unfit for service [?].
Deponent desires to participate in
the benefits of the Act, approved October 24, 1887, and the Act amendatory
thereof, approved Dec. 24, 1888, and makes application for the allowance to
which he is entitled for the year ending Oct. 26, 1889.
Signed: William Kesler
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 5th day of March 1889.
James H. Caudell, J. P.
State of Georgia
Banks County.
Personally comes before me Thomas
F. Hill Ordinary of said county, V. D. Lockhart and Thomas Hayden, both known
to me as reputable physicians of said county, who being severally sworn, say on
oath that they have carefully examined William Kesler and after such examination
say the applicant has been injured as follow: [very light copy] Examination of
applicant reveals old dislocation of right ankle joint. Walks upon outside of his foot on side of
joint while the sole of the foot is turned upward and inward. The tendons of the toes are constricted, so
that they point upwards and the weight of the limb is sustained upon the
outside of foot and outside of ankle joint.
The muscles of the injured leg are wasted away to more than half the
size of the sound leg. The leg is
substantially and essentially useless caused by said dislocation and atrophy of
the muscles.
Signed: V. D. Lockhart, M. D.,
Thos. Hayden, M. D.
Sworn to me and subscribed before
me, this 5th day of March 1889, T. F. Hill, Ordinary.
Note- The application was returned
on April 30, 1899 with the following notation:
“Ex. Dept. Atlanta, April 30,
1899. The injury described while a bad
one, does not necessarily render the leg substantially useless. Does applicant go on crutches? If not, why not, if he has practically only
one leg?
What does he do? How old [illegible]? Does the wound ever inflame?
Explain how he was hurt. What was he doing when his horse fell &
injured his leg? His three witnesses
are asked to answer the last three questions.
The physicians will please answer the others.
W. W. Harrison, Clerk”
Additional note on above
application on bottom of page and in the left margin:
The applicant, Mr. William Kesler,
does walk with a stick and requires the constant use of one to support
him.
Signed: V. D. Lockhart, M. D.,
Thos. Hayden, M. D.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
this May 4th 1889
W. F. Hill, J. P.
A pension payment of $50.00
annually was awarded May 23, 1899 for “Right Leg Disabled” by W. H. Harrison,
Secretary, Executive Department for year ending Oct. 26, 1889.
Additional papers in the pension
folder:
For Use of Applicants Who Have not
Heretofore Drawn.
State of Georgia
Banks County.
Personally appears William Kessler
[sic] of Banks county, State of Georgia, who, being duly sworn, says on oath
that he is a bona fide citizen and resident of said State, and has been
continuously since the [blank] day of December 1827, that he enlisted in the
military service of the Confederate States during the war between the States,
and served as a Private in Company H, of 16th Regiment [Regiment
scratched through and Battalion handwritten] of Georgia Volunteers, Vaughan’s
Brigade; that whilst engaged in such military service, at the battle of Bull’s
Gap in the State of Tennessee, on the 15th day of September 1864, he
was wounded as follows:
Horse fell down on his right leg
dislocating ankle joint. Result:
permanent anchylosis [?[ of the ankle.
Is unable to walk without the aid of a stick.
Had no other blank and used this
in place of proper one. Drew last year
Fifty Dollars.
Signed: William Kesler
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this the 14th day of February 1890.
J. H. Caudell, J. P.
Commissioned Officer’s Affidavit
State of Arkansas
County of Saline
Personally appeared before the
undersigned James F. Ray, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he was
Captain of Co. H 16th Georgia Regiment Cavalry in the Confederate
Service, and was with Vaughan’s Brigade and others; and that William Kesler was
and is known to me, and he was a member of my said Co. H in said Confederate
army; and performed his duty faithfully as a soldier and is clear of any charge
during his said service-and said William Kesler was injured by his mare falling
down with him at Bull’s Gap in Tennessee.
Signed: James F. Ray, Late
Captain, Co. H 16th Regiment Ga. Cavalry
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 10th day of April 1891.
John A. P. Birkhorn [?]
Justice of the Peace.
There is an additional sheet in
the packet for a Widow’s Pension for Mrs.
Sarah A. [Miller] Kesler for her deceased soldier husband, William
Kesler, for the amount of $50 and it was approved and paid in Banks County on
March 12, 1904.
Note-William Kesler,
9/4/1819-10/30/1894, and Sarah A. Kesler, 8/11/1826-11/26/1898, are buried at
the Crump-Kesler Cemetery, also known as Whitfield-Kesler Cemetery in Banks
County. Directions from the book
“Cemeteries and Deaths of Banks County, Georgia” by Richard J. Chambers are as
follows: “ Hwy. 63, right side in woods just before Franklin county line. Cemetery not protected, cattle having
destroyed many markers. Distance to
Nails Creek Baptist Church is 4.7 miles.”
Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline
King