Pension file for mahala dodd last wife of james riley dodd-(pension file papers from austin-CSA records) Jeff T. Kemp, county judge, Milam Co. Cameron, TX State of Texas: Co. Of milam. "Before me the undersigned authority on this day personally appeared Mrs. Martha Hairston, known to me to be a credible person, who, being by me duly sworn deposes and says, " I am the daughter of the late J. Dodd. I was a child during the Civil War, but I well remember that my father was a Confederate soldier. I know tht he rendered valuable service to the Confederacy and that he did not desert. I remember his coming home from the army with a case of measels and giving them to the rest of the family." Witness my hand this 29 th day of January, 1925. Martha X Hairston (her mark) Sworn and subscribed to before me this 29th day of January 1925. signed: jeff T. Kemp, county judge, milam co. tx. pension file 40534 ---------- Jeff T. Kemp, county judge, Milam co. Cameron TX. feb 4, 1925 Hon.S.H. Terrell, Comp. Austin, TX. Dear Sir, ............ .................."In this case I tracked the law as provided in Article of 6270: I knew the old man, personally, and I discussed the matter with his neighbors and I also made a special trip to ROCKDALE, and secured an affidavit from his daughter, Mrs. Hairston, who remembers that her father was in the army and that he brought the measles home with him. I have no copy of this trip to Rockdale. I will say in this connection that I will not let one of these old people pay me one cent for my trouble. I make this recommendation in good conscience and while I know that you do not have to grant the pension upon same, still I hope that same will satisfy you and that you will grant it. Yours very truly, Jeff T. Kemp, county Judge --------------------------------------------------------------- the census of Walker co. tx. shows her age 1 in 1860 with probably birth year of 1859? For her to sign the papers for her step mother: mahala bankston williams dodd, she was of age: 66 by my subtraction in 1925.