Deposition - William H Bowman
After Pleasant H Bowman (son of William H Bowman and Julia Ann (Andis) Bowman was killed in the Civil War, his mother, Julia attempted to acquire pension money. It had to be proven that her life was financially impacted by the death of her first son (Pleasant), and that she deserved compensation from the government for that death.
There is much valuable information contained within these documents. Family names and important dates are given, but of equal value is all the information given by family and neighbors that described the way this family lived and worked. There are many details of their everyday life and hardships, with references made to various family members and their roles in this family.
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This is just one deposition that was given. The remaining ones can be found here.
Deposition BCase of Julia A Bowman, No. 327216
On this 17 day of April, 1888 at Kecks Church, County of Martin, State of Ind before me, _______, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared William H Bowman, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says:
I am 68 years of age, a farmer and my P.O. address is Keck's Church, Martin County, Indiana. I was married February 4, 1840, to Julia A Andrews, my present wife, neither of us were ever married before and have lived together ever since as husband and wife. We have had 12 children as follows: Mary Jane (now Mrs Scott) born Nov 30, 1840, Sarah C (now Mrs Webster) born March 1, 1842, Pleasant Henry born September 25, 1843, John R born Feb 19, 1845, Amanda M born Dec 18, 1847, she died about 12 years ago, then there was Lureniza (??) Ann born 1846 died in infancy, Hannah A born July 12, 18__ died about 18 years ago, James I born August 20, 18__, Elizabeth born Sept 25, 1852 died about 8 years ago, Wm H born March 1, 1854, Jacob W born Oct 25, 1856, Minerva (?) born about 1858 died in infancy.
Q How do you fix those dates?
A They are taken from a copy of the dates in the Bible put down at the times of their birth. The record has since been destroyed but this is a copy as near as I could get and believe it to be correct.