"Linda Crannell" <lindac@jump.net> wrote: -snip- > David MOUNTAIN > Male 57 White Single born Ireland/Waterford/? >Poor House Admission/Discharge >11/10/85 - 4/19/86 >11/13/86 - 4/25/87 >5/2/87 - 5/6/87 >Comments on his certificate: >Rheumatism -- served in the War, 16th Artillery > >Here's my question (obvious!) >WHY would a man whose service in the Civil War could surely be documented -- Until the Pension Act of June 27, 1890- the disability had to be service connected. It would be interesting to see if he was granted a large enough pension to survive on in 1890. [or if he even applied] Here are the rules for the Act of June 27, 1890 from the back of a pension form from Milo B. Stevens Co- a solicitor of pensions; "The Act of June 27, 1890 requires in case of a soldier or seaman; 1. That there has been service of not less than ninety days in the war of the Rebellion. 2. That an honorable discharge from the service will have been issued. 3. That a disability, permanent in character not due to vicious habits exists: question as to origin, not material. 4. The rates are graded from $6.00 to $12.00 proportioned to the degree of disability to earn a support by manual labor; pension in no way affected by rank. 5. A pensioner under prior laws may apply under this one; a pensioner unde rthis law may apply under the general law; only one pension, however, can be drawn for the same period. ****** Even with the pension- they weren't all that large in most cases. There is a handy reference that might be available in TX that you could check. It's arranged by State/County- and is several volumes; "List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883, with added tables of contents." There were about 400 pensioners in Clinton Co [from the Civil and War of 1812]. Those who had rheumatic ailments were recieving $4-12. Not a lot of cash, even then. There was one totaly blind soldier who rec'd $72 a month and a couple more over $50-- but the majority [even those missing limbs] got less than $10. Actually, I wondered if my memory was wrong on that- so I just sorted that database. the first 80 are under $5- for wounds, diarhea, deafness, etc the majority of the next 170 are dependent mothers, fathers, widows & survivors of 1812-- all $8 #354 is $10 #405 is $20- the next 50 include loss of eye, arm, hand, foot- and lots of wounds- and a few widows got $12 #421 is $30 [loss of leg] #422 is $50 for insanity #423 is $72 for Blindness #424 $72 for mental derangement >2. Where do I find good HISTORICAL (NOT genealogical) information about the >CW Pension program? (When it started, how it worked, a chronological >timeline for its implementation, relevant laws, etc.) If you run across a good source, drop us a line. I would suspect that "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor" would have something-- but, though I've often seen it recommended, I've never picked the book up. >I am a little bit desperate here. I will be in Albany and Washington County >for about two weeks -- I leave in a week (takes 4 days to drive there from >Texas). Make some contacts in Washington Co now-- I think you'll find the hospitality in that part of the state as welcoming as we hear TX is. There are sure to be some excellent repositories there-- but if you get a chance to spend a day in Albany-- Go through the State museum to see how the state developed-- and in the same building, on the 7th floor is an excellent library with *very helpful* staff and volunteers. The 14th floor[11th?] of the same building is the NYS Archives..... I'll just say they have lots of stuff, but aren't as accessible as the library or most local repositories.<g> jim [and if this will be your first trip to NY-- I'll bet you're in for a very pleasant surprise<g>]