Transcription from the CIVIL WAR Pension file of Abisha (Abishia) CLARK, a brother of my GG-grandfather Joseph Thomas CLARK. I will send more as soon as I can transcribe the depositions. These two are a bit graphic in describing the ill health of Abisha. Affidavit for Officers or Comrades This Affidavit should, if possible be in the handwriting of the Affiant State of Nebraska County of Lancaster Joseph T. Clark being duly sworn, say that Abishia Clark of Co. G, 6th Regt. West Va. Vols., and that I was 1st Sargent, was a member of said organization. I do further swear that Abishia Clark contracted the following disability, while in said service, viz: had measles in Parkersburg, West, Va. In December 1861 and went to Clarksburg, West Va., some time in January 1862 at which place he took cold on measles, which settled on his lung; he coughed considerable and spit blood considerable. I know this from personal knowledge being in the same company with him and I further state that I lived near him through 1880 and he still had the same disease of lung. The said Abishia Clark is my Brother. I know these facts from being in the same company and near neighbors and I further swear that I have no interest in this Claim for Pension. Post office address is Saltillo, County of Lancaster, State of Nebraska. Joseph T. Clark late of Co. G, 6th Regt. West Va. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 3rd day of March 1885 and I hereby certify that the party whose name is attached to the above affidavit is reputable and credible and the person represented to be, and that I have no interest in this claim. The contents were read to Affiant before signing the same. My certificate is on file in the department. F. S. Palmer, Notary Public ==== Deposition Case of Ellen M. Clark, W.O. 606, 181 On this 3rd day of Sept. 1908 at Union District, County of Wood, State of West Va., before me George M. Beckett a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared John N. Postlethwait, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says: I am 64 years of age; my post office address is Parkersburg, W. Va. R. F. D. #2 res. 8 miles N. E. of Parkersburg. My farm adjoins the farm in which Abishia Clark died, and the houses are not more than 2oo yards apart. Lived right here neighbors to each other nearly all the time from the close of the war or there about 1868. When I first knew him, I do not recall that he was complaining. In fact we did not socialize together much then or until later years. About 20 years ago he became disabled so that he could not work at all but was complaining for a number of years previously –he was not much of a complainer and a man of few words. The first I realized that he was ailing, he had a hacking cough. About 20 years ago he started to go to church and was later taken with a hemorrhage from his lungs, so he told me, in fact I saw him soon afterward at his house; he was still spitting blood and there was blood in the vessel in the house. From that day until his death he was never off of his farm to my knowledge; in fact for years seldom out of his house & seldom out of his dooryard. Why I heard he had a bad hemorrhage years before. One he had on a Sunday, rather on Saturday<text unreadable> to church. After that he had hemorrhages and I saw him spit blood slightly. Don’t recall any severe hemorrhages the last years of his life. The time he was examined at Marietta, Ohio, I went with him as it wasn’t considered safe to go before board alone. From the time he had the bad hemorrhage at the church he gradually failed and was thin in flesh; at death not weighing more than 100 pounds. I think at death –nearly “Skin and bones” as near as a man could be. And he was terribly stooped and his chest was sunken way in. I arrived at his bedside right after he died, in fact I thought he breathed once after I arrived, and I attempted to straighten him out & his back was so bent and so were his legs from sitting so long and lying in a half sitting position for so long that I could not straighten either his back or legs. It was a surprise to me that he did not die years before. He had a vessel to spit in all the time at his side –this spitting was very disagreeable. The spit-up was a yellowish stuff at times streaked with blood. He had a hollow vaporized (?) cough all those years and complained of choking with the phlegm & of smothering spells. Often told me that he had to sit up all night, that he could not rest, except in his chair. No, he had no pneumonia or fever at any time to my knowledge. I think he had bad colds if he had once pretty bad, and several years before he died, 10 or 12 years before I think. He was subject to cold as a person naturally would be in his condition. He had no liver trouble, chills, or kidney bladder troubles to my knowledge. Except he chilled when he had Lagrippe. I don’t know that he had any special stomach trouble. He had to eat light food and very little all those years. Never complained of his stomach that I can recall & no misery in that region-- no gas in stomach or vomiting. Well, that I know of. Well I heard him complain some of diarrhea, but I don’t recall that he had chronic diarrhea. No I don’ t recall that he ran off at the bowels. Hadn’t seen him for a few days before his death & I was not feeling well myself hence had not visited him as frequently as previously. Well, he complained of his heart a good bit and that is what caused him to be short of breath he thought, and sat up to breathe on that account—that and this phlegm, which he said he could not get up nor down. I don’t know that his heart pained him nor whether it beat slow or fast or fluttered, nor do I recollect as to his <unreadable>. Simply spoke of his heart in any connection with the smothering. I recall that he had a hectic (?) flush toward the last –rosy cheeks I suppose you mean. I don’t recall as to night sweats. He was not tropical at any time, not even about this fact that I recall but it was not from dropsy, and I tell you pretty nearly free from flesh. I never heard that he had caught cold at any time of that kind. Simply got worse and weakened and died. Didn’t know he was worse until sent for stating he was dying. So far as I know he was always of good habits. Never knew him to drink intoxicants at all. Chewed tobacco moderately and did not smoke at all to my knowledge. Well sir, I think lung consumption is what caused his death and very slow consumption at that. And his appearance when I arrived indicated that he had slept away quietly without a struggle. Don’t recall that he ran off at the bowels at the last. Oh yes, complained of his lungs all those years and wheezed a good bit. I hereby understood the questions asked me and my answers are correctly recorded as read to me. J. N. Postlethwait Subscribed and sworn to me before the 3rd day of Sept. 1908, and certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing. George M. Beckett, Special Examiner Thank you, Kathie Harrison - CLARK-WV, CLARK-PA, CLARK-NE, CLARK-MO, CLARK-KY & CLARK-IA Surname List Admin. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~irishrose/lists.html