Confederate Widow’s Pension Application of Mary E. McKie Oliver
Application for Pension by a Widow
Under Act of 1910, as Amended by Act of 1919, and
Constitutional Amendment of 1920.
Questions for Applicant to Answer:
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
Personally before me comes Mrs. M. E. Oliver of said
State and County and hereby applies for the pension allowed by the Act of 1910,
as amended by the Act of 1919 and the Constitutional Amendment of 1920, and
submits testimony to support the same, and after being duly sworn true answers
to make to the questions propounded, answers as follows, to-wit:
1. What is your name and where do you reside?
Mrs. M. E. Oliver and reside in Banks County Ga.
2. How long and since when have you been,
continuously, a bona fide resident citizen of the State of Georgia?
Have resided in State all my life.
3.When, where and to whom were you married?
Nov. 19 1868 in Banks County Ga. to W. C. Oliver. [as
of this transcription I have not located this marriage in Banks county.]
4. When, where and in what Company and Regiment did
your husband enlist as a soldier in Confederate Army or Georgia Militia? (State
the arms and class of Service, and give the name of the Colonel and Captain.)
1861 at Homer, Ga. in Co. A 24 Georgia Regiment. [not
listed on the original muster roll of Co. A 24 Georgia Infantry Regiment.)
5. When and where did the commands of your husband
surrender of discharge from the Service?
April 1865 at Appomatox Court House.
6. Was your husband personally present with his
command when it was surrendered or discharged?
No.
7. If he was not present, state specifically and
clearly where he was?
At home teaching school at New Salem, Banks County.
8. When did he leave the Command?
Don’t know.
a. For what cause did he leave?
On account of being sick.
b. By whose authority did he leave?
Don’t know.
c. For how long was his leave of absence granted? Don’t know.
In what way? Don’t know.
e. [there is no d.] What was his physical condition
when he left command?
In bad health.
f. What effort did he make to return to his Command?
Don’t know.
g. In what way was he prevented from going back to
Command?
Don’t know.
h. Was he captured by the enemy at any time?
Don’t know.
i. If so, when and where? In what prison was he held and when was he released?
[There is just a “check” mark as a reply.]
j. When and where did your husband die?
In Banks County Georgia Nov. 21 1896.
k. Were you residing together when he died?
Yes.
l. If not, how long have resided apart?
[“check” mark again.]
m. Are you now a widow?
Yes.
9. Have you or your husband heretofore been paid a
pension by the State?
No.
10. If so, for what cause were you or your husband
placed on the roll?
[“check mark.]
Signed: M. E. Oliver
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 5 day of
August 1924.
W. M. Thomas, Ordinary of Banks County.
Affidavit of Witness to Prove Marriage and Date of
Death of Husband.
State of Georgia,
Banks County.
Personally before me comes Mrs. Amanda R. Gober known
to be a responsible and truthful person residing in said County [handwritten
before County-“Jackson Co., but formerly of Banks”], who after being duly
sworn, says that of the deponent’s own personal knowledge, Mrs. M. E. Oliver,
who made the foregoing affidavit, is the lawful widow of W. C. Oliver who died
in Banks County in said State of Ga. on the 21 day of Nov. 1896, , and that she
had not since remarried; that she became the wife of W. C. Oliver on the 19 day
of Nov. 1868; that she and he resided together as husband and wife continuously
since 19 day of Nov. 1868 [handwritten-“until he died, that she knows all of
these statements by having been a near neighbor of W. C. Oliver and wife when
they married and living not far from there where W. C. Oliver died.”]
Signed: Amanda R. Gober
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 27 day of
Oct. 1924.
W. M. Thomas Ordinary of Banks County.
Typed Affidavit of Amanda R. Gober [Mrs. Levi H.
Gober]
Commerce, Ga.
Feb. 23rd, 1925
State of Georgia,
County of Jackson.
This is to certify that William Capers Oliver was a
good friend of mine. He lived about two
and one half miles from my girlhood home and we saw each other frequently.
He came home from the service in the Autumn of 1863
either on parole or honorable discharge.
His health was badly impaired at the time and on until his death. He was never again physically able to do any
manual labor. He was a splendid type of
christain [sic] manhood and as good and true soldier as his enfeebled condition
would permit.
Respectfully signed,
Mrs. L. H. Gober
Personally came before me Mrs. L. H. Gober who on oath
says the above affidavit true.
Signed and sworn to before me this 23rd day
of February, 1925.
P. B. Trawick
Notary Public State of Georgia.
Notes- the application folio cover has several notes
on it, one being “10-20-1924" which is when the pension office probably
received the original application packet.
Another is “OK for 1925" and a note as follows:
“Pension Department, March 7, 1925.
Disapproved, for the reason that husband was not with
command to end of the war and witness [I don’t have the Witness sheet] was in
prison during that period, and could not complete the proof of service.
Signed: N. E. Harris, Commissioner of Pensions”
Whatever questions there were re the pension were
obviously resolved as on 4/20/1932 Mary E. Oliver transferred the assignment of
her pension benefits of $175.00 to Lovick Oliver, her son, “for board and
taking care of me,”
Mary E. McKie Oliver lies beside her husband, William
Capers Oliver [W. C.] in the New Salem United Methodist Church cemetery in
Banks County, Georgia. Her stone reads
“ June 2 1845-Dec. 18 1932".
Compiled 2006 by Jacqueline King (fammaw51@yahoo.com)