Thomas Phipps Deposition
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| Deposition F Case 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 Thomas C Phipps, 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 72 years of age, a farmer, and my P.O. address is Keck's Church Martin County, Indiana. I have been acquainted with client and her husband ever since the war. I knew him before that but not so well. I have known him (?) for 35 or 40 years I guess. Q What was his land worth an acre along about 1862-63? A About $8 an acre I would think. Q Do you know how much land he had then? A No I don't. He had a good bit of it. Q What other property did he ________? A He had horses, cattle and _________ but I could not tell how many of them. Q Do you know how he provided for his family about 1862 and 63? A I guess they had tolerable plenty. Q Do you know what their son Pleasant done? A I guess he worked on his father's farm til he went into the army. That was my understanding but I don't know anything about it as I don't Know I ever saw the boy more than 2 or 3 times. Q Do you know anything about Pleasant sending home money from the army? A I don't know that I do and I cannot say that I heard about it. Seems like I heard he had sent some once or twice . I never heard of his sending but very little if any. Q Was his work on the farm or money he sent home in any way necessary for the comfortable support of his mother. A I think it was. The old man was not very able to work much himself and they depended I would think on the labor of the boys right smart. Q Do you know what client's husband was worth then? A I couldn't say. Q Were you at their house so as to know how they lived in 1862 and 63? A I think I had been there some. Q Did they live as well as any of their neighbors? A I suppose they did. Q Has the client's husband always provided comfortable for his wife and family? A I believe he has. Q Have you testified in this case before? A Yes sir. That is my signature. Q How did you estimate Mr Bowman to be worth $3000 when you made that affidavit? A I don't remember but I supposed that was about right or else I would not have stated so. Q What do you mean by stating that his income that year and each year since was about $300 or $400? A Well the growth of his stock, crops, etc. I don't think he had more than that much clear each year. Q Did Mr Bowman provide for his family as well a man in his circumstances ought to do? A Yes he did. Q What do you know about his girls working on the farm? A I have seen them at work in corn planting, etc. Q Did they have to do so any more than any other farmers daughters during the war where hands were scarce? A I don't know as they did. Signed Thomas C Phipps |
