Dunham and Fisher Confederate Pension Application Abstracts

Abstracts of information from Confederate pension applications of soldiers or widows. These applications were viewed from the microfilm collection of Wallace State College's Genealogy Collection (located on the 5th floor)at the campus in Hanceville, Alabama. I previously had these files on my Freepages Genealogy Website that was hosted at Rootsweb. You can now access the TN Confederate Pension files at Familysearch.org (Log on required for some portions of the site but it is free) This post should give you an idea of the type of information found in those files. Please check out the digital images of the originals at FamilySearch for these and other pension applications.

Confederate Pensions were paid by the States not the Federal Government. Also, keep in mind that they were filed in the state of residence which may or may not be the state in which they served. Eligibility requirements vary from state to state. The states which paid Confederate Pensions were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Drucilla Dunham--Dekalb Co. TN Widow's Pension Application #274

Drucilla Dunham
age 67
Born  Dekalb Co. TN Maiden Name Wilkerson
Husband Born in 1836 Dekalb Co. TN 
His full name was David Lafayette Dunham.
Married in Dekalb Co. TN Marriage License
issued on Jan 12, 1856. Married on Jan 17th 1856 by
Leonard Cantrell J. P. For Dekalb Co. TN

Enlisted in Dekalb Co. TN Capt Shields Co. 16th TN Reg. Inf.

Served nearly 4 yrs.  He served as long as he lived.  He died
in prison in Rock Island IL

He was captured near Chattanooga & carried to Rock Island and
died in prison.

3 Children--2 boys and 1 girl
Only one boy living 46 yrs old Nov. next
(application made June 4, 1905)

War Dept Statement
Enlisted May 21, 1861 at Camp Harris TN
Priv. Co. G 16th TN INF CSA
Captured Nov. 25, 1863 at Missionary Ridge.
Died at Rock Island IL Barracks Dec 23, 1863

Witness who was acquainted with Drucilla's husband(I missed their name)
as he served with him stated that he saw him in 
prison and while he had small pox.  Also saw his
grave after he was buried.  The head board had name
and regiment number.

Nancy Dunham--White Co. TN Widow's Pension Application #1215

Nancy Dunham
Belk,TN
Born in Dekalb Co. TN Feb 18, 1827
as Nancy Adcock
Husband Born in Alabama March 24, 1821
name:  William Ray Dunham
Married March 29, 1849 in Dekalb Co. TN
Enlisted Dec 9, 1861 in Capt Perry Adcock Combs' Battalion
Co. H. 50th TN
Served until Paroled
Surrender in Macon GA April 28, 1865

When and where did your husband die
Dekalb Co. TN Jan 24, 1884

Seven Children--3 boys and 5 girls(Marie Note:  yes I know that 3+5 doesn't = 7)
age ranging from abt 58 to 35 yrs of age Two Girls dead.

have 75 acres of land as dower on Homestead about tithable income $25 per annum
No personal.

I live with son W. R. Dunham my youngest child.
He has almost 30 acres of land and very little personal property.
application dated Oct 13th 1906

William R. Dunham & Nancy Adcock 
License issued March 29th 1849
Marr. Record Book "B"

War Dept Record Statement
Dec 11 1906
The name of William Richard Dunham has not been found on the rolls of Co. H. 50th TN Inf CSA

The records show however that one William R. Dunham a priv. of Co. K 50th TN Inf CSA is reported
on Roll of Co. Dated Apr. 30 1864 only roll on file as present.

It is also shown by the records that one William R. Dunham Private 50th TN INF(Co. was not stated) was
paroled April 28, 1865 & he subscribed to the oath of allegience May 4, 1865 at Chattanooga, TN.

Alfred Fisher--White Co. TN Soldier's Pension Application #11710

Alfred Fisher filed Dec 14, 1909
Alfred Fisher of Walling, TN was a member of Co. 8th TN Dibrells Calvary
Born in White County Tennessee 1825

Enlisted 1861 Dibrells G.G. Dibrell Col. Jeff Leftwell Capt.
Was not wounded but contracted Chronic Rheumatism and I
am still effected with it.

Paroled in May 1865 at the close of the war at Washington, GA

Size of Family?
Myself and my Wife
Wife is 76 years old
3 boys and 3 girls but none living with me.

Business engaged in?
Try to farm a little

Property? 
About 110 acres land valued at $380

Statement from V. B. Webb M.D. 
saying that Alfred has Vertigo & Chronic Rheumatism.

W. L. Dibrell writes to Pension board requesting blank forms for
Widow's Pension Application and informing them of Alfred's death.

Emily C. Fisher--White Co. TN Widow's Pension Application #23

Emily C. Fisher
Widow of Madison Lee Fisher

Marriage M. L. Fisher & Emily C. Hastey 
Oct 26 1867 in White County Tennessee

Records show that M. L. Fisher Private Co. B(also Co. C)
16th Inf CSA inlisted May 21 1861
to serve 12 months that(as Madison L. Fisher)
he was captured May 19 1864 at Cassville, GA
and that he was released at Rock Island, Illinois
May 16, 1865 after taking the oath of allegience.

Enoch Fisher--Smith Co. TN Soldier's Pension Application #7400

Enoch Fisher Aug 1908
Punch? TN
Co. F 25th & 28th TN Reg. INF
Born in Smith Co. TN 1830
Inlisted in later part of 1861 and went to Camp Myers in 
Overton Co. where Co. was drilled. I was in Co. F Capt Jeff Shaw
25th TN Reg. Col. S. S. Statton Later on at reorganization of army the
company was transfered to 25th TN.

Size of Family
Wife age 53
2 dau. 1- 20 yrs old and one 18 yrs old.

Priv. Co. F 25th TN Inf CSA enlisted Sept 23, 1861
on roll of company for May & June 1863 other records show
that he resigned July 16, 1863

Declined to appear before the board.

John Fisher--Dekalb Co. TN Soldier's Pension Application #4666

John Fisher 16th Inf
Enlisted in Capt Perry Adcock's Co. S.H. Combs Batt.
Fought at Atlanta and Jonesborough
Contracted Rheumatism, injury to feet and bloody piles.

Injured by fall in Atlanta disabled him for awhile
At Jonesborough a shell injured his head and hearing
has always injured him since above fall of 1862
At Vicksburg contracted pain in back and hips.

Born in White County Tennessee July 20, 1838
Enlisted in Fall of 1861
Injury to feet marching 6 days in cold weather

Married? "Yes"

Size of Family?
Wife and 4 children--Two children with us and two married.
Children all boys
Wife is 64 Oldest child born 1867 youngest is 20 yrs old

John P. Fisher--Dekalb Co. TN Soldier's Pension Application #4989

John P. Fisher May 9, 1903
Resides Belk in Dekalb Co. TN

Co. G. TN INF
I was wounded at Chickamauga.  The wound was in right leg not very serious.

Born in Dekalb County TN
Enlisted in Co. G 1st TN was transfered to Tom B. Maury Batt.
John Salvage's Col.

Was slightly wounded at Chickamauga was in the battle of Perryville, Chickamauga,
Missionary Ridge and in a subsequent battle of these Bentonville in April 1865.

Went to hospital and remained a short time.  I was paroled at Washington GA

Family?
Myself and my wife.  I am 66 wife is 62.

Sallie Fisher--White Co. TN Widow's Pension Application #3442

Sallie Fisher widow of Alfred Fisher
Sallie resided in TN for 77 yrs.
Born in White Co. TN with maiden name Sallie Hutson.
Alfred Fisher, her husband, was born 1824 in White
County Tennessee.  They were married 57 yrs ago last June

Husband died 7th Dec 1910 in White County.
He was a pensioner.

Children
3 Boys and 3 girls current ages 48-55 yrs 

Alfred Fisher married to Sarah Hutson June 17 1852 in White Co. TN

TN Confederate Pensions are grouped by Soldier, Widow and Colored Soldiers and then by Application Number. Before visiting the college library, I consulted the online index of the TN State Library and Archives for pensions of interest. Tennessee Confederate soldiers' pension applications.

 TSLA (Nashville, TN) 113 reels Accessed at Wallace State College Library: Genealogy Collection, 5th-floor Microfilm F 436 .M55 S46 

Tennessee - Widows pension applications. TSLA (Nashville, TN) 60 reels. Accessed at Wallace State College Library: Genealogy Collection, 5th-floor Microfilm F 436 .M55 W52

Dunham & Pittman descendants among those applying on Baker Roll.

While working on the Pittman/Adcock portion of my 2GrGP to 2C project I have found applications for the Eastern Cherokee(Baker Roll era)  ...not the the Pittman line but through the Dunham line..both were rejected but contained a great deal of detail about their migration.  I thought it might be interesting for others to see what a basic rejection letter looked like and the reasons for not recommending the applicant be accepted as a member to the Eastern Cherokee. Items 1-6 were checked on the two applications for the John Sebron Dunham and Margaret "Peggy" Pittman Dunham descendants.



Dear Sir or Madam:

The enrolling committee has examined your application for enrollment with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and from the information contained therein it does not feel justified in recommending you for acceptance as an enrolled member of the Band.  Your application is therefore rejected for the reasons checked below:

1.  The applicant's ancestors have not been enrolled as members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

2.  The applicant or parents not in the state of North Carolina at the time of the Award October 23, 1874.

3.  The applicant, or parents not enrolled in 1868 or since that date.

4.  Proper degree of affiliation and association with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

5.  Not recognized by the tribe as a member thereof.

6.  No contribution made to the purchase of the Qualla Boundary or other tribal lands.

7.  The applicant, or parents enrolled as Western Cherokees.

8.  Any right the applicant, or an ancestor, may have acquired by reason of residence in the state of North Carolina in October 1874 or by reason of enrollment with the Eastern Band prior to that date has been lost through non-affiliation.

9.  The parents of the applicant, one of them being white, married since June 7, 1897, and the applicant born apart from the Indian  community.

Thirty days is allowed in which to appeal to the Secretary of the Interior from this decision.  Any appeal taken must be prepared in proper form and filed in this office so that all the paper in the case may be forwarded at the same time.  The committee has no forms for use in making appeal and no information as to the method of preparing the same.


Very respectfully,

-------?  the enrolling commission

A Genealogist's Holiday Wish list

The holidays are drawing near and about this time every year people are wondering what to get the genealogist on their list. I've read articles on this subject which have suggested

• Subscription to Family Tree Magazine, Heritage Quest or another genealogy related magazine
• Database Subscriptions(Footnote.com, Ancestry.com, WorldVitalRecords etc.)
• Week long trip to the FHL in SLC
• A Genealogy Conference
  

All of those are wonderful ideas. I love my subscription to Family Tree Magazine as well as my Footnote.com subscription.

Now if Santa is wondering what I'd like for Christmas:
(Cue the "Santa Baby" music)

• William Clifford Cook's parents' names(he married in Williamson Co TN and lived in Bedford Co. TN)
• Census Entries for the Wm. Taylor Hale family in 1860 & 1870(minus Wm.) they should be in Van Buren Co. TN
• Thomas Adcock's parents' names--(Warren Co TN area)
• Records from Annie Pitman Dunham's visit to Talequah in 1866
• Pictures of the six GG Grandparents( I have pics of 2 sets): Wm C. & Elizabeth Putman Cook, George & Catherine Morrow Jakes, David & Rebecca Manley Frizzell, Elisha & Keziah Rigsby Luna, David and Mary Adcock Pitman, Wm P. & Nancy Arminda Hitchcock Hale.

These should all be fairly easy for Santa. After all, at one time he had to know where these people were in order to deliver Christmas goodies(or perhaps their lump of coal).