Confederate Widow’s Pension Application of Lula Wood Smith McDonald

 

Application for Pension Due Deceased Soldier.

(To Be Paid to His Widow or Dependent Children)

Under Act Approved October 9, 1891.

State of Georgia

Banks County.

Personally before me, the Ordinary of said County, comes Mrs. M. L. McDonald of said County, who after being duly sworn, on oath says that she is the widow of M. L. McDonald and that said Pensioner was on the Pension Roll of Banks County and was paid a Pension of .......($115.00) Dollars from Banks County for 1923 [smudged], and that said Pensioner died in Banks County on the 4 day of November 1923, and at the time of his death a Pension of $90.00 was due him from Banks County and unpaid for 1924.  Applicant further swears that she married the said M. L. McDonald on the 20 day of December 1916, in Banks County and State of Ga., and resided with him from the date of marriage to his death as his lawful wife, and is now his dependent widow, and she asks that the Pension so due and unpaid be paid to her.

Signed: Mrs. M. L. McDonald

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25 day of April 1924.

W. M. Thomas, Ordinary, Banks County.

 

Affidavit of Witness.

State of Georgia, Banks County.

Personally before me comes W. L. Durham, who on oath says he knew M. L. McDonald while in life and that he knows Mrs. M. L. McDonald, the above applicant ...See enclosed copy [Proof of marriage] and they were residing together as husband and wife at the time of his death on the X day of November 1923, and that she is his dependent widow.

Signed: W. L. Durham

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26 day of April, 1924.

W. M. Thomas, Ordinary, Banks County.

 

Certificate of Ordinary

State of Georgia, Banks County.

I, W. M. Thomas, Ordinary of said County, do certify that I personally know Mrs. M. L. McDonald, the applicant, and that she is the lawful widow of M. L. McDonald who was on the Disabled Pension Roll of said Banks County, and was paid a Pension from Banks County for 1923, there was due to him and unpaid his Pension $90.00 Dollars from the State of Georgia, and I know W. L. Durham, the within witness, and he is of a truthful and trustworthy character and entitled to full credit.

Given under my hand and seal this 26 day of April 1924.

W. M. Thomas, Ordinary, Banks County.

 

[The balance of $90.00 due M. L. McDonald, deceased, was paid April 28, 1924 to his widow, Mrs. M. L. McDonald.]

 

Application For Pension By A Widow Of a Confederate Soldier.

(Under Act of 1910, as Amended by Act of 1919, and Constitutional Amendments of 1920 and 1937)

Questions For Applicant To Answer.

State of Georgia,

Banks County.

Personally comes before me, Mrs. Lula McDonald, of said State and County and hereby applied for the pension allowed by the Act of 1910, as amended by the Act of 1919 and the Constitutional Amendments of 1920 and 1937, and submits testimony to support the same, and, after being duly sworn, true answers to make to the questions propounded, answers as follow, to wit:

Section I.

1. What is your name and where do you reside? (Give Post Office and County.)

Commerce, GA. R. F. D. #1 Banks County.

2. How long and since when have you been, continuously, a bona fide resident citizen of the State of Georgia?

All my life.

Give the date, or year, of your birth.

March 1st 1888.

Age?

49.

3. (1)When, (2)where and (3) to whom were you married?

Dec. 20, 1916, Banks County.  M. L. McDonald.

a. Have you married since the death of first and soldier husband?

No.

b. When and where did your first husband die?

Nov. 4th, 1923.  Banks County, Ga.

c. Were you residing together when he died?

Yes.

d. If not, how long had you resided apart?

[blank]

e. Are you now a widow?

Yes.

f. Have you or your husband heretofore been paid a pension by the State?

Husband.

g. If so, when and for what cause were you or your husband placed on the roll?

1917-Disability.

Section II. [to be answered only if husband was not a pensioner.]

Signed: Mrs. Lula McDonald

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 22 day of Sept. 1937.

R. L. Sullivan, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Questions for Witness as to Marriage and Service of Husband.

State of Georgia,

Banks County.

J. B. G. Logan of said State and County is hereby presented as a witness in support of the application of Mrs. Lula McDonald for the pension provided by the Act of 1910, as amended by that Act of 1919 and the Constitutional Amendments of 1920 and 1937, in said State, who, after being sworn true answers to make to the questions propounded, answers as follows, to-wit:

1. What is your name and where do you reside? (Give Post Office and County.)

J. B. G. Logan, Homer, GA.

2. How long and since when have you known Mrs. Lula McDonald, applicant?

About Twenty Five years.

3. Where does she now reside, and since when has she been, continuously, a bona fide, resident citizen of this State?

Commerce, GA.  R. F. D. #2.  All of life.

4.  When and where and to whom was she married?  1916-M. L. McDonald. 

How do you know?

From public records.

5. How long and since when did you know M. L. McDonald her husband?

45 years.

6. When and where did M. L. McDonald, the husband of applicant die?

Banks County Georgia, November 1923, at his home in Banks County, Georgia.

7. Were the applicant and her husband living together as husband and wife at the date of his death?

Yes.

8. If not, how long did they live apart before his death?

[blank]

Were they divorced?

No.

[The remaining questions would only be answered if the husband of the applicant was not a pensioner.]

Signed: J. B. G. Logan

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 21 day of Oct. 1937.

R. L. Sullivan, Ordinary of Banks County.

 

Note-Mrs. Lula McDonald was awarded a Widow’s Pension on November 5, 1938, based on the service of her husband, Martin  Luther McDonald in Company A 2nd Ga. Infantry Regiment [Banks County Guards] and Company H 34th Georgia Infantry Regiment from Banks County.  Lula Wood Smith McDonald died August 8, 1965 according to a letter filed with the Georgia Department of Veterans Services in Atlanta by Mrs. V. E. Chambers, Ordinary of Banks County, Georgia.  On January 20, 1961, Mrs. Lula McDonald was visited by a representative of the Veterans Service department who reported her as living in Commerce, Banks County, Ga., drawing a Confederate pension of $110.00 with a Federal pension of $15.00 annually.  The person listed as caring for her was James Howard Smith.  Lula Wood Smith McDonald is buried at Homer Presbyterian Church cemetery in Homer, Ga., next to her sister, Daisy Wood [1882-1959].  Both stones bear the inscription “Sister”.

 

Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline King