Submitted by Belva
Seaberry
Civil
War military record for John Scott
125th
Regiment, Company H, U. S. Colored Troops
Civil
War Pension Application of Delpha Scott, widow of John Scott
Greensburg,
Green
County,
KY
More than 3 dozen names of Greensburg residents, both black
and white, are contained in these documents. Many names are
confirmed in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 censuses.
The Civil War USCT enlistment papers of John Scott
(black) document that he was a slave of John Scott
(white) of Greensburg, who applied for compensation to
the U. S. War Department because he had not consented to his
slave joining the military. Scott was a private in the USCT
from enlistment at Lebanon, KY,
April 22, 1865 to
disability discharge May 23, 1866
in Cairo, IL.
According to the pension application, Scott died March 20,
1876 in Greensburg after
suffering years of illness contracted during his military
service. In his military records and in the pension
application, his approximate birth year is 1812 or 1820.
His birth year in the 1870 Greensburg census is about 1816.
The widow’s pension documents mainly date from January 1,
1890 to October 28, 1893.
They include the marriage license and certificate of John
Scott and Delphia Gaines (June 24, 1875), the Army
Certificate of Disability Discharge, Green County
court documents, U . S. government documents, and a number
of afffidavits of Greensburg residents
attesting to Scott’s illness and death and his widow’s
poverty.
Delpha Gaines was born in Green County March 1829 and died
there September 25, 1929
according to these files. She is listed in the 1870 Census
in Greensburg.
John Scott (black) is also listed in that census with his
first wife Margery and 5 young people.
The names of Greensburg residents are listed with their
function in these dated documents, along with notes where
they are of interest. Race, (B) or (W), is indicated when
census entries were found.
Greensburg Residents
|
Document |
Date |
Place |
Notes |
John Scott (white)
John H. Alden
Justice Peace (W)
B.B. Scott
witness (W)
John N. Reid
attestor
Hobson S. Lewis
attorney
Wm. Tucker
attestor (W)
E.F. Tucker
attestor (W)
John A Trasenwriter
attestor (W) |
Proof of Ownership, Compensation Claim,
Oath of Allegiance,
Proof of Loyalty,
Power of Attorney
|
3/2/1867 |
Green Co., KY |
Scott asks to be compensated by U.S. Government for the
loss of his slave to the military. Takes oath that he
has been loyal to U.S. |
John Lewis
witness (B)
JamesEmbry
witness (B)
J.D. Durham
county clerk (W)
Samuel Carter
minister (B)
Richard Taylor
homeowner (W)
|
Marriage License and Certificate of John Scott
(black) & Delphia Gaines (black) |
6/24/1875 |
Green Co,
Richard Taylor’s
[farm] |
|
A.J. Perkins
clerk (W)
B.J. Hamilton
clerk? (W)
W.H. Milby
attorney (W) |
Verification of above |
-- |
Green Co. courthouse |
|
|
Army Certificate of Disability for Discharge for John
Scott |
5/23/1886 |
Army Post, Cairo,
IL |
|
F.J. Taylor,
60 (W) |
Affadavit for the widow’s claim |
1/1/1890 |
Green Co |
Made Scott’s coffin |
Alfred Scott,
74 (B) |
Affadavit |
3/12/1890 |
Green Co |
Knew Scott personally |
Belle Henry,
43 (B)
James Blakeman,
42 (B) |
Affadavit |
“ |
Green Co |
Knew Scott personally and witnessed death |
Lewis Phillips,
38 (B) |
Affadavit |
“ |
Green Co |
Knew Scott personally |
Charles Marshall,
72 (B) |
Affadavit |
1/1/1890 |
Green Co |
Also 125th; in Cairo IL; witnessed
Scott’s illness |
A.S. Lewis,
MD (W) |
Affadavit |
3/7/1890 |
Green Co |
Verifies Scott’s illness and death on his return to
Greensburg |
B.B. Scott,
MD (W) |
Affadavit |
1890 |
Green Co |
Treated John Scott, “an old family servant” |
Matt Cowherd,
65 (B) |
Affadavitm |
9/3/1890 |
Green Co |
Also in 125th; in Cairo IL; witnessed
Scott’s illness |
Milo Blakeman,
78 (B)
Charles Marshall,
54 or 56 (B)
George W. Lewis,
47 (B)
Washington Lile,
62 (B)
Margie Allen
(B) |
Affadavit |
1/1/1890 |
Green Co |
All also in 125th, in Cairo IL; witnessed
Scott’s illness. Reported Scott had been married first
to Margie Allen, deceased. Delpha not previously
married, and remained a widow after Scott’ death. They
“had no children under age of 16 at the [death of] John
Scott. |
Lucien Durham,
46 (W) |
Affidavit of Delpha Scott’s poverty and living
arrangements |
7/5/1893 and 8/4/1893 |
Green Co |
Employs Delpha as cook and washerwoman for his family.
She lived in his house near Greensburg |
William Smith,
46 (W) |
Affidavit confirming Delpha Scott’s poverty and living
arrangements |
7/5/1893 |
Green Co |
Says he is “well-acquainted with the claimant.” |
W.H. Milby
Accepting Agt
Chas. D. Allen
witness (W)
R. L. Foster
witness (W) |
Articles of Agreement |
8/10/1889 |
Green Co |
Milby agrees to represent Delpha Scott in her
application, for free. |
|
Court declaration by Delpha Scott |
8/10/1889 |
Green Co |
Repeat of Delpha’s testimony, age 50. Said Scott
contracted “diseases of lung and diarrhea “ at Camp
Burnsides, KY, fall 1865 |
|
Widow’s Pension Application |
1/20/1892 |
Pension adm. |
First claim rejected |
L. Durham
witness (W)
J.L. Hamilton
witness (W)
H.T. Larimore
clerk (W) |
Court declaration by Delpha Scott |
2/24/1892 |
Green Co. |
Delpha, 52, affirms all of previous testimony. |
|
Widow’s Pension Application |
10/28/1893 |
Pension adm. |
Claim approved for $8/month commencing 2/27/1892.
Later increases stamped on record:
11/4/1916 Delpha, 76, entitled to $20/month.
6/4/1928
Delpha’s pension increased to $40/month. |
B.W. Penick
clerk/witness (W)
Alex Milby
witness (W) |
Affidavit by Delpha |
1/1/1890 |
Green Co |
Delpha affirms above testimony, but has no other
required records of Scott’s illness or treatment. |
|
Statement of John Scott’s service |
10/12/1889 |
War Dept. Washington, D.C. |
Scott on rolls 4/22/1865 to 2/1866, present March &
April, absent sick [rheumatism] in Post Hospital, Cairo,
IL since 4/12/1866. Vitals and description. |
|
Report of hospital record |
11/9/1889 |
Bureau of Pensions |
“Disability from disease of lungs and diarrhea, no
treatment alleged, discharged for ‘old age and its
infirmities (54 years)’, chronic nephritis and an old
fracture of left arm—all contracted before enlistment.” |
C. H. Noggle
attestor (W) |
Letter from Delpha Scott to Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D. C. |
10/5/1916 |
Greensburg |
Asks for a pension increase from $12 to $20/month. Gave
her birth month/year. |
|
Pension Office Drop Report |
10/14/1929 |
A
federal office |
Drops Delpha because of her death Sept 25, 1929
|
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