Confederate Widow’s Pension Application of Mary Ann Osborn

aka Mary Ann Ausburn

 

Widow’s Pension, 1898 No. 3819

Paid To Mrs. Osborn, M. A.

Of Banks County.

Widow of H. B. Osborn [Hugh B. Ausburn]

Warrant Issued Sept. 20 1899 and Handed to J. M. Terrell.

 

Affidavit to be Made by the Widow.

 

State of Georgia,

County of Banks.

In person came before me, the undersigned Ordinary in and for the County of Banks Mrs. M. A. Osborn, who being duly sworn according to law, says under oath that she is the widow of H. B. Osborn, who was a soldier in the service of the Confederate States, and served as a member of Company G of the 1st Regiment of Georgia Volunteers; that he enlisted in said service on or about the 13th day of Feb. 1862, and was in the .......Army up to the 17th January 1865.  That while in the Army, he was on the 11th day of January 1865,

“He was attacked with hemorrhoids and suffered along all the time until he was discharged, though he was put on light duty.  He lingered along after his discharge with the named disease until from it he died on the 26th day of March 1879 [see notes].  As a result of the hemorrhoids he became very nervous.  He was healthy and robust when he went into the service, and the exposure there was the cause of the disease.”

Deponent further swears that she was the wife of the diseased soldier during his term of service in the Army, and that she has never married since his death; that she became his wife on the 3rd day of March 1843, and that she was born in Banks County [Banks County was formed in 1859] and has resided in Georgia continuously since the 15th day of Feb. 1826; that Georgia is her home, and was such on the 23rd December, 1890, and since said date she has not lived in any other State or locality.  Deponent, as the widow of said deceased soldier husband, applies for the pension provided by the Act of the General Assembly of Georgia, approved December 23, 1890, for the pension year ending February 11th, 1897, and herewith tenders the proof of her right to receive the pension granted by said Act.

Signed: M. A. Osborn [X her mark]

Post Office, Pruitt, Ga.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 22nd day of March 1897.

T. F. Hill, Ordinary.

 

Affidavit For Three Witnesses.

 

State of Georgia,

County of Banks.

In person came before me, the undersigned Ordinary in and for said County, witnesses J. A. Hill, D. W. Mize and A. L. Griffin (each known to the Attesting Officer as truthful, reliable and reputable citizens), who severally say under oath, that, FROM THEIR OWN PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE, Mrs. M. A. Osborn, now a resident of the County of Banks State of Georgia, is the widow of H. B. Osborn who was a soldier in Company G of the 1st Regiment of Georgia Volunteers.  That the said soldier enlisted in the service of the Confederate States (or Georgia State Troops) on or about the 13th day of Feb. 1862. That while in said service or by reason of said service in the Army, he died on the 26th day of March 1879 from the following causes:

He was taken with hemorrhoids on account of exposure while in the service about the 11th day of January 1865, and was put on light duty until he was discharged on the 17th day of Jan. 1865 the disease being the cause.  He suffered after returning home greatly with the named disease and became worse gradually, and nervousness followed, until on account of the hemorrhoids so contracted in the service he died March 26th 1879.  He was a good soldier, and was always on duty.

Our opportunity for knowing the facts stated in reference to death of applicant’s husband were [blank].

We further swear that she became his wife on the 3rd day of March 1843, and so remained to his death, since then she has not again married, and she resided in the State of Georgia on the 23rd of December, 1890, and that she has so continued to reside up to this date.

We further swear that we have no personal interest in the pension asked for.

Signed: J. A. Hill, D. W. Mize [X his mark], A. L. Griffin

 

Power of Attorney.

 

State of Georgia, Banks County.

I, M. A. Osborn hereby authorize T. F. Hill of Homer, Ga., to receive and receipt for the pension allowed and request that he remit the same to me at ........ by........

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 22nd day of Marchc1897.

Signed: M. A. Osborn [X her mark]

Executed in the presence of Oscar Brown, Logan Perkins, C. S. C.

 

[Two notes from the Pension Office in Atlanta on the cover of this application:

Pension Office 4/12/1897.

The evidence given to show that deceased came to his death by reason of disease contracted in the service in not clear or satisfactory.

Richard Johnson, Com. of Pensions

 

Pension Office 3/22/1898.

The only disease with which the deceased was afflicted at the close of the war was hemorrhoids.  It should be clearly & distinctly proven that same originated in the service & that it was the direct cause of death and the witnesses should state fully why they say so.

Richard Johnson, Com. of Pensions]

 

[Handwritten statement apparently sent to the Pension Office to clarify the questions posed in the above notes]:

 

Georgia,

Banks County.

Personally appeared before me the undersigned Ordinary of said County Elias Watson, A. L. Griffin and J. M. J. Borders, citizens of said County well known to me to be trustworthy and that their statements are entitled to full faith and credit.  And after being duly by me sworn say that they have personally known H. B. Osborn the husband of Mrs. N. [sic] A. Osborn who is applying for a pension since before the Confederate war.  The each served in the war with him in same Co. and Regt. (Co. G 1st Ga. State Troops) and know while he was having to ride horse back on a ruff [sic] saddle night and day in Dec. 1864 and Jany. 1865, he contracted hemorrhoids.  He soon became unable to do further duty and was discharged and sent home and when we got home in April 1865 we found him suffering greatly with the same disease and he continued to suffer for several years.  He for a while for better but when he exposed himself to do any work he got worse and the disease came back and for a while his rectum protracted out some 3 inches which caused information [inflammation] and served to effect his whole system and after a few years he got so that he could not sit down attall [sic] and he grew worse from said disease until March 1879 when he died.

Signed: Elias Watson, A. L. Griffin, J. M. J. Borders

Sworn to and subscribed before me May 24th 1898.

T. F. Hill, Ordinary

 

Georgia,

Banks County.

I, T. F. Hill, Ordinary in and for said County do hereby certify that Elias Watson, A. L. Griffin and J. M. J. Borders whose testimony Mrs. N. [sic] A. Osborn presents to sustain her claim for Pension are known to me to be trustful witnesses entitled to full faith and credit as such and that the full text of the affidavit was read to and understood by them before the same was signed.

Given under my hand and seal this May 24th 1898.

T. F. Hill, Ordy. Banks Co.

 

 

Widow’s Pension, No. 3339, for year ending February 15th, 1899.

Paid to Mrs. Orsborn (or Osborn), M. A.

Of Banks County

Widow of H. B. Orsborn (or Osborn)

Warrant Issued 2/9/1899 and handed to T. F. Hill.

 

For Widows Heretofore Allowed Pensions.

 

State of Georgia,

County of Banks.

Personally comes Mrs. Mary A. Orsborn [sic] who, being duly sworn, says on oath, that she is a bona fide resident of said county of Banks State of Georgia, and that she has resided in said State continuously since her birth 1832.  That she is the Widow of H. B. Orsborn who was a soldier in Company A [G] of the 1st Georgia State Troops of Ga. Volunteers, that he enlisted in said regiment on or about the month of March 1862 and served in the Army up to.....1865.  That he lost his life on the ... day of .... 18...

“He contracted Hemorrhoids while in the Confederate War which resulted [cannot make out word] lay sick a long time after he came home from the Army in 1865 and he never was able to do but very little work while he lived and died 26th March 1890.”

Deponent swears that she was the wife of said deceased soldier, during his service in the army as a soldier, and that she has never married since his death aforesaid, and that she became his wife in 1852.

I have been allowed a pension as a resident of Banks County for the year ending February 15th, 1898, and now apply for the pension provided by law for the year ending February 15th, 1899.

Signed: M. A. Orsborn [X her mark]

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 17th day of Jany. 1899.

T. F. Hill, Ordinary

 

Note- Mary Ann Ausburn is buried at Damascus Baptist Church cemetery in Banks County, Ga.

Her stone reads 6 Jan. 1832 to 26 June 1899.

 

Transcribed 2006 by Jacqueline King