Alpheus Beatty Company "O" 6th WVA Infantry (Certificate # 420,770); Guardian John Fries (Minor's certificate #527,524) On June 10, 1879 Alpheus Beaty, aged 56 and a resident of Battle Creek, Lincoln County, Kansas filed a claim for an Invalid Pension. Alpheus enlisted on Sept. 12, 1864 as a private in Company "O" of the 6th Regiment of West Virginia R. R. Guards commanded by Captain Joseph Godwin and was honorably discharged on May 22, 1865. He states that on April 1, 1865 at Fort Pendleton, Maryland he "contracted disease, neuralgia in head & left eye which affects the whole system, while in actual service caused by exposure & hardship incident to the service." Alpheus has resided at Preston County, West Virginia since his discharge and his Post Office address is now Battle Creek, Lincoln County, Kansas. Robert Purvis and Charles Draper witness the signature of Alpheus Beaty. On December 23, 1880 Alpheus Beaty, a resident of Lincoln County, Kansas, states "he has been absent from his native State West Virginia for about four years, and that at the time he left there he knew of but one comrade and that he has not since been able to hear from." On May 26, 1885 Alpheus states "I lived in Preston County, West Virginia and my occupation was that of a farmer in West Virginia for three years prior to enlistment. My occupation was that of a farmer in West Virginia until 1878, when I removed to Lincoln County, Kansas." On Feb. 16, 1886 the Pension Department sent a letter to the Post Master at Battle Creek, Lincoln County, Kansas asking about the character of Dr. John Coil, an affiant in the Pension Claim of Alpheus Beatty (this is a common form found in pensions, Postmasters are asked to reply on the back of the form). The Postmaster sent the following reply: "Pinon, Kansas, Feb. 24, 1886, Sir: There has been no P. O. called Battle Creek in the State of Kansas (to which this was addressed) for several years, it having been removed and the name changed to Pinon. I have no acquaintance whatever with the person named. >From what I know of Mr. Beatty I do not think he would use any unfair means in order to procure a pension. I presume you can get the required information by addressing the Postmaster at Herman, Lincoln County, Kansas. Respectfully, D. V. Lewis, P. M." On April 18, 1888 Alpheus Beatty, aged 65 and a resident of Rodamers, Preston County, West Virginia, files a claim for Invalid Pension; stating the same facts as above. John S. Murdock and Elias Whetsell are witnesses on this form. John C. Bucklew, aged 69 and a resident of Terra Alta, West Virginia, was a member of the same Company as Alpheus in the Civil War. He states "I was well acquainted with Alpheus Beatty the applicant before he enlisted in said Co. and as far as I knew him he was an able bodied and stout hearty man. After he returned home direct from the hospital at Grafton, West Virginia he was afflicted with neuralgia in the head. Some great misery so much so that he was not able to work more than one half of his time and continued so while he remained in our county up to 1877 when he went west." [There is a lot of additional testimony from Doctors, comrades and neighbors to establish when Alpheus was afflicted with his disease, what the nature of the disease was and to what extent he is disabled. I did not find any further genealogical information in this testimony.] Pension was finally granted on Feb. 1, 1889, with a rate of $2.00 from May 23, 1865; $4.00 from Dec. 23, 1870; and $6.00 from Oct. 9, 1889. Alpheus Beatty, aged 66 and a resident of Ogden, Lenawee, Michigan filed a claim for increase of pension on June 29, 1889. He alleges several new disabilities to include a rupture of left groin and a tumor in his right breast. On October 3, 1891, Alpheus files another claim for an increase in pension; he is still a resident of Lenawee, Michigan and still pensioned at the rate of $6.00 per month. On October 4, 1892, Alpheus now aged 70 and residing once more in Terra Alta, Preston County, West Virginia files another claim for an increase requesting a medical exam. On May 24, 1895 Alpheus now aged 72 and a resident of the National Military Home in Montgomery County, Ohio files another claim for an increase in pension. He asks "to be placed under the act of June 27th 1890 as he is on the 8th day of next July 73 years old." A statement from the Secretary of War dated Oct. 12, 1895 shows that at the time of enlistment Alpheus Beatty was "born in Preston Co, W VA age 42 yrs, occupation farmer, eyes gray, hair dark, complexion fair, 5 feet, 9 inches." On May 31, 1897 John E. Fries, aged 55 and a resident of Taylor County, West Virginia applies for a pension for children under the age of sixteen. He states that he is the guardian of William E. Beatty, minor child of Alpheus Beaty who died April 10, 1897. He states that William E. Beaty was born on July 1, 1893. A copy of the marriage license of Mary A. Mason to Alpheus Beatty is in the file showing that they married May 26, 1892 at Terra Alta, West Virginia Harriet Ridemor and Lydia Miller, both of Taylor County, West Virginia, say that they were acquainted with the minor child of Alpheus Beaty and also with his widow. They state that Mary A. Beaty remarried on May 3, 1897. A copy of the marriage license of John E. Fries, aged 54, to Mary A. Beaty, aged 40, is in this file. Susan Hugil of Taylor County, West Virginia states "that she was acquainted with Mary A. the mother of claimant W. E. Beaty and the second wife of Alpheus Beaty from the time she was a little girl and knows that said Mary A. was never married until she married the soldier Alpheus Beaty." On March 28, 1900, Mary Freeland, aged 47 and residing in Preston, West Virginia states "she was acquainted with Jane Beaty the first wife of Alpheus Beaty of Co C 6th West Virginia Vols. Affiant says that said Jane Beaty died on the 26th day of January 1875 near Terra Alta Preston Co. Affiant says that she knows the fact because she was a sister to her father and she knew that her father went to the burial and if she had not been dead she would have known." John Casady, aged 72 and a resident of Terra Alta, Preston, West Virginia states "I am a brother of the late Jane Beaty the first wife of Alpheus Beaty and say that said Jane Beaty died in Preston County on the 26th day of January 1875. A statement from the Court at Taylor County West Virginia: "I S. B. Ayer, Clerk of the said Court and as such, the custodian of the records of said County, do hereby certify that it appears that William E. Beatty, a son of Alpheus and Mary A. Beatty was born in this county on the 1st day of July, 1893. Given under my hand and the seal of the aforesaid Court this 15th day of December, 1899." Another statement from the same Court: "I Samuel B. Ayer, Clerk of the County Court of said County, and as such the custodian of the records of said Court, hereby certify that it appears of record in this office that Mary A. Fries a married white woman, died in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia and that she was by Nationality an American, 41 years old, and that she died October 13, 1897." On Nov. 18, 1901, J. D. Miller, aged 52 and a resident of Preston County, West Virginia states "said Beaty did not remarry after his wife Jane died Jan. 26, 1875 until he married Mary A. Mason in May 25, 1892.." A statement from the National Home from Disabled Volunteer Soldiers shows that Alpheus was admitted on April 24, 1895. A description of Alpheus at the time of his admission is given "Left inguinal hernia. Cardiac hypertrophy, adenoma right breast, loss of teeth. Senility. Discharged at his own request July 2, 1896. And on readmission Jan. 1, 1897 left inguinal hernia, cardiac hypertrophy, heart irregular and intermittent. Adenoma right breast, asthma, senility. Feeble old man." Pension is approved on February 6, 1902, retroactive to June 2, 1897, for William E. Beatty, minor heir of Alpheus Beatty. The pension continued until William E. reached the age of 16. 1850 Preston County, 45th District WVA p447 Alpheus Beaty 28 Jane 27 Elmyra 6/12 1870 Union Twp Preston, WVA p215A Alpheus Beatty 48 VA Jane 47 VA John W. 18 VA Gego W. 11 Rebecca 11 WVA 1880 Battle Creek, Lincoln Co., KS p389B Alpheus Beatty 57 widowed coalminer, WV, WV, WV 1900 Portland District, Preston County, West Virginia p111 Fries John A. May 1842, 58, wd WVA, MD, WVA Beatty, William, stepson, July 1893, 6 WVA, WVA, WVA Laurel Baty, L252