This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: McDowell, Roberts Classification: Pension Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/2dB.2ACI/2697 Message Board Post: Civil War Pension Records of Mary McDowell, mother of soldier Israel B. McDowell Surgeon’s Certificate of Examination of a Dependent Relative Claim No. 267621 State: Pennsylvania, County: Westmoreland, Post Office: Irwin Station Feb. 21st, 1883 I hereby certify that I have carefully examined George McDowell, husband of Mary McDowell, who claims a pension as the dependent mother of Israel B. McDowell who is alleged to have died Sept. 17, 1862, and that in my opinion, based on such examination and a personal acquaintance with him for no years, the said George McDowell is and has been physically incapacitated for the support of himself and his family, the nature, degree, and duration of his disability being as follows: I find the claimant a man of 70 of large build, he suffers slightly with senile tremor. Has never had any severe illness, his pulse is 60 intermittent, respiration 24. I find he is suffering from hypertrophy with dilatation of the heart & mitral abstriction. His heart beats are sometimes tumultuous. He has slight dyspepsia. He complains of pains in his abdomen for which I find no cause. He is a Laborer. Strictly temperate but uses tobacco moderately. The duration of his disabilities are permanent. Not having known the claimant previously I can state nothing of his previous condition. G.L. Humphrys ***** War Department, Surgeon General’s Office, Record and Pension Division Washington, D.C., June 4, 1883. Sir: I have the honor to return herewith your request for a report of hospital treatment in Claim No. 267,621, with such information as is furnished by the records filed in this Office, viz: that Priv. Israel B. McDowell, Co. C., 11th Pa. Inf. was admitted to Waters Warehouse, G.P. Georgetown, D.C., Sept. 8, 1862 with compound fracture of femur, of which he died Sept. 17, 1862. No records of the Regiment prior to Jany 26, ’65 on file. By order of the Surgeon General: D.L. Pope, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army. ***** In the matter of the pension for Israel B. McDowell Stahlstown [Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania] Feb. 21 / 83 W.W. Dudley, dear sir you will find enclosed some papers that George E. Lemon sent that he wanted filled and sent to him but I thought that it was not nessary as papers of the same kind have been used - it takes a great deal of money and as the claimant is not able to spend money unnessary but if you think it nessary you can return them and then they can attend to they must have looked them and as they live about twenty miles from the county seat but if you think it nessary send them back and oblige me. J.S. McDowell Stahlstown Westmoreland Co. Pa. The claimant is Mary McDowell mother of I.B. McDowell ***** Septem 1862 the Warehouse hospital Dear sister. I will drop you a few lines to let you know that I am wounded I was in the batell of bull run on the 20 of last month in the first place I shot was in the rite thigh and it was broken and also shot through the left ankle but it is not very bad but I am geting a long middling well consider the wounds that I have got I lay on the battle for five days and did get meat to eat as a slice bread then our **** of truce com and then we were carried under sum appel trees and left 5 day but we got mor to eat and then we got our wounds dressed and I got my bal taking out of my thieh when they *** *** the [best?] the [bade?] blood com I hope I will get well so can see you all by and by I hope. lines will find you all well I am lying on my back could hardly write very well Israel B. McDowl [Mar***] I want *** to if lieutenant don’t *** is at home or if he is [****] if I want you to my money four him I left im [**********] and give it mother and the [rest?] Direct reply as follows, Israel B. McDowell Georgetown Warehouse Hospital, On High St. near Canal, Georgetown, D.C. ***** Deposition A, Case of Mary McDowell, No. 267621 On this 24¨ day of Sept. 1884, at Ligonier Township, County of Westmoreland, State of Penna., before me, C.H. Davis, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Mary McDowell, 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: her age is 64 years. Residence Ligonier Township, Westmoreland Co. Pa. Post Ligonier, Pa. Q: Upon what ground do you claim a pension? A: On account of the death of my son Israel B. McDowell. He died of wounds received in battle at Georgetown Hospital Sept. 17¨ 1862. Q: Was your husband living when your son was killed? A: Yes sir - and he is living yet. Q: In 1862 who did your husband work for and what did he work at? A: He was a laborer, and worked for whoever he could. He had no trade, but just worked at days work on the farm for the different neighbors. Q: What age is your husband? A: He is in his 72d year. Q: In 1862 what was the physical condition of your husband? A: He was in middling good health with the exception that he was troubled a good deal with a sort of a diarrhea - this would come on his about 3 or 4 times a year and would last about a week. Q: Was he *** to and did he contribute a comfortable support for yourself and your children? A: He did with the help of his boys. Q: How many children - boys - had you? A: I have had fourteen children, and their dates are as follows: Israel B. born April 25, 1840, died Sept. 17, 1862. Rosana W. born Aug. 26, 1841. Maria born Jan. 9, 1843. Hiram Y. born Aug. 31, 1844. Godfrey born June 13, 1846. Cyrus C. born May 6, 1848. Sadie K. born Jany. 2, 1850. Leah H. born Sept. 24, 1851. Dead. John S. born May 22, 1853. Wm. G. born April 3, 1855. Susan A. born Feby. 19, 1860. Maggie K. born Oct. 1, 1862. Edwin T.W. born Jan. 7, 1866. My last child died in its early infancy. Q: Prior to your son Israel enlisting did he assist in your support? A: He did - we received his money. He was an industrious kind hearted boy. Q: Had you other sons in the army? A: I had. My three oldest sons were in the army at the same time. And the next one wanted to go but he was entirely too young - he was not 15 years old. Q: In 1862, and while your sons were in the army, did you have to work in order to help to support your family? A: I did - I worked out for our neighbors spinning - and also knit and sewed for them - our oldest boys being away, there that were left at home were too young to do anything to our support, and while Mr. McDowell was able to work a good deal to help us when he was not afflicted with the diarrhea. Q: Did your son Israel send you any money while in the army? A: Oh yes - and I have sent two or three letters to Washington claiming that he had sent us money. Q: In 1862, was your husband possessed of any property - real or personal? A: No sir - not anything at all. About ten years ago my father and mother died and I came into possession of this little place consisting of ten acres, but up to that time we had nothing at all. Q: How were you actually supported in 1862? A: By the efforts of my husband - and by my own exertions - we had a large family at home then - there was six small children and about two weeks after Israel was killed I had another child - so you might say there was seven. I was compelled to assist my husband at that time in every position as I have stated before, knitting, spinning and sewing for the support of myself and my children. Q: In 1862, while your husband was afflicted with diarrhea, was he confined to his bed? A: Not for any length of time - although he would be kept in the house, and not able to do anything for a week or two at a time. Q: Did you have any doctor at that time? A: No sir, except that he would occasionally get medicine from Dr. Beam who used to live in Ligonier. Q: Has he ever get over this diarrhea? A: No sir - He still suffers at time with it - but has been quite clear from it this fall - but did have an attack of it in the spring. Q: Do you desire to be with me during the examination of your claim? A: I do not. Q: By whom do you expect to prove that your husband was physically unable to render you a comfortable support in 1862? A: I cannot prove that he was physically unable to support me, as I never claimed that he was physically weak, but I would like you to see Henry Croft and Benj. Yealy, they knew my circumstances well. {signed} Mary “her X mark” McDowell, Deponent. Witness mark: C.H. Davis. B. Deeds ***** July the 12 1862 [Hampmeas?] Warenton Dear godfry I seat my self once more to let you know that I am well and I hope that these few lines may find you the same yor as leter ola me to hand to day and I was glad to here from you and I **** if mother needs any money she **** use some of mine I suppose you will soon be done harvesting here I would like to know what you are doing now and the rest of the boys to so I suppose you are giving the gals hard [section missing?] but you must not beet hiram time I want to now what Shan is doing now whether he is in from any more I suppose he is in army for I have not got a leter from him since we left Annapolis and I will soon close. I.B. McDowell ***** St. John College Annapolis Md. Feb. the 18, 1862 Dear Brother I seat my self once more to let you know that I am well and I do hope that these few may find you all well & I received your leter last night and was glad to here from you. you stated that got my money I am glad that you got it for I lost my recite and all my money and I was afraid the money would not reach you but it is safe now if father needs any money he can [shape?] sum of it I want mother to take care of it for me if D. Geeting wants any money give him $5.00 do so and **** you keep an account of it so that he can’t dispute your account I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and the rest of the folks. ***** GAME COCK OF UNCLE SAM! WHILE I LIVE I’LL CROW 1776. 1861. February 5th 1862 St. John College Dear father -- I seat myself this afternoon to inform you that I am well at the present and hope when these pen lines reach you may find you all enjoying the same blessing - we received our pay and I am sending some home I am sending thirty dollars to you I am starting it to day and when you get it ttake it and put it to use what ever kind of use you need it for we got fifty four dollars I thought I would keep the balance I want to get a pair of boots and some other things I think they will pay us the next time a little sooner thus is no prospect of us leaving this at the present time the weather is very fine we had no cold weather here they [writes?] and no snow of any account there has been a great deal of rain here this winter it is very muddy the roads has been muddy, the mules teams has to wade through to there knees all the time. I will keep the reciet to see if you get the money I am sending it by express to Latrobe and I want you to get it as soon as you can I want y! ou to ans. as soon you can so no more at present. As soon as possible Israel B. McDowell George McDowell ***** The Result of Uncle Sam’s Government. Peace, Plenty and Prosperity. March the 19th, 1862. Camp Burnside Head-quarters Annapolis, Reg’t. Co. C Dear brother I seat my[self] once more to let you know that I am well and I hope that these few lines may [find] you all well the rest of the boys are all well I received your leter the other day and I was glad to here from you once more I think that I will not need any money for a while yet but if you could send me a few first stamps I think that will do me till get paid off a gain if papa needs any money he can take some of mine and if you think that david geeting wants any you might give him 5.000 and if you do want you to keep account of it so that they will not be any mistake a bout it I want you to write to me as soon as this come to hand so good by. Israel B. Mc. Hiram Y. Mc. ***** March the 16, 1862 Ann./Md. Dear sister I once more seat my self to let you know that I am well and I hope that these few lines may find you the same I received yours this morning and was glad to here that you are all well and I think that it will not be long till we will see each other for I believe that the war will not last long once more for the are getting scaled very [more?] I send my love to father and mother and also to all my brothers and sisters and I hope the time is short till we will see each other and then we will have some happy times together tell grandfather and grandmother that I send my love to them and all the rest of the gals and boys I must close for this time I bare my dear sister P.S. [illegible] Rose McDow. ***** April the 16th 1862 Washington D.C. Dear sister I seat my self once [more] to let you now that I am well and hoping that these few lines may find you well we are in Wash now and we came here last Friday and we expect to leave to morrow morninge and I do not now where we are going but I will let you now in the next leter we got paid to day we got twenty six dol a piece and henry weller and I are sending our money to in one packig and we are sending thirty dol henry is sending fifteen dols and I am the same I want you to send this leter home as quick as you can we are sending in Samuel Wellers name to Latrobe and I sent home sum of my leters and a book with Mr. Wil Anderson he was to leave them at James McDowell I want you not to tell any body about them. And we sent a boy horse I sent to two pare of pants and a blouce and shirt and we sent it in Samil care to so fare well for this time. I.B. McDowell Maria McDowell **** Stahlstown Jan. 14, ‘83 W.W. Dudly Dear Sir Mrs. Mary McDowell requested me to rite to you about her claim that is on file and to see why it is not heard from She employed George E. Lemon as her attorney to attend to it for her and she paid him his ten dollars Which he claimed which she stands in need of her claim and I think that its turn ought to have come before now as there is claims attended to that has been filed since hers and I think that she ought to hear from hers as she stands in great need of it as she and all and that it ought to be attended to soon. We would ask it as a just favor of you. Yours truly, J.S. McDowell Address Mary McDowell Stahlstown Westmoreland Co. Pa. as J.S. McDowell, the same the number of her claim is 267,621