Civil War Pension File of Edward Saddler

SC 553.357
Unit: Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enrolled: 12 Aug 1862 – Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois
Discharged: 21 Jun 1865 - Salisbury, North Carolina
Physical Description: 5 feet 5 inches tall, fair complexion, dark hair, blue eyes

Documents:

(1) Declaration for an Original Invalid Pension – 1 Feb 1887 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
Edward Saddler, aged 56, states he enrolled on 12 Aug 1862 in Company I, 107th Illinois Infantry commanded by Capt. E. L. Waller, and was honorably discharged at Salisbury, N. C., on 21 Jun 1865.  His personal description is aged 56; height, 5 feet 5 inches; fair complexion, dark hair, blue eyes.
While at "Elizabeth Town," Kentucky, in August of 1863, he contracted rheumatism in his hip and shoulders which continues to grow worse from year to year.  He was treated in the field hospital at "Elizabeth Town" and at "Mumfordsville," Kentucky, by the regimental surgeon, John Wright.>br /> He has not been in the military service since 21 Jun 1865.  Since leaving the service he has resided at Leroy, Illinois, and Carson, Iowa.  His occupation has been that of a farmer.  He was a farmer when he enrolled and he is now partially disabled.  He has not received nor applied for a pension.  His post office is Carson, Pottawattamie Co, Iowa.
Signed: Edward Saddler
Witnesses: G. J. Pedicord & Franklin [unreadable]

(2) Adjutant General (partial report) – no date – no place
The company return of December, 1863, reports "left sick at Knoxville, 7 Dec 1863."  For the return of April 1864, "absent in Pioneer Corps since 11 Apr 1864."
Name not on the rolls of the Pioneer Corps or Engineer Battalion on file in this office.
Absent on furlough report on the roll dated 10 Apr 1863.
"The records of this office furnish no additional information [unreadable] to disability of soldier during his term of service."

(3) General Affidavit – 9 Jul 1887 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
William Reed, aged 36, resident of Carson, Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, states he has been acquainted with Edward Saddler for a period of fifteen years.  The claimant has been disabled from doing any work on account of his rheumatism many times during the years of their acquaintance.  In the early part of 1874 the affiant was living within 1/2 mile of his residence and the affiant remembers that he was unable to do work of any kind for several months.  In the Spring of 1880 the affiant was living within 2 1/2 miles his residence and remembers that he was severely afflicted with what he said was rheumatism and which disabled him for 4 or 5 months.  The affiant knows that the claimant has suffered severely many times from this disease so as to keep him from doing manual labor.
Signed: Wm. Reed

(4) General affidavit – 31 Oct 1890 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
D. W. Parker and S. M. Johnson, residents of the county, Post Office Carson, Iowa, state they are personally and intimately acquainted with the claimant and live near him.  That since June 27, 1890, the claimant has been permanently disabled on account of rheumatism of the hip and shoulder and also has weak eyes.  He is unable to earn a support by manual labor.  The said disabilities are not the result of his own vicious habits.  "Our means of knowledge of the above is from observation, hearing him complain and personal knowledge."
Signed: D. W. Parker and S. M. Johnson

(5) General Affidavit – 7 Apr 1892 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
William Reed and F. Morris, Post Office Carson, Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, certify that they have been acquainted with Edward Saddler for the last ten years and know from personal knowledge that he has been afflicted with rheumatism in such a manner as to render him at least one half of his time unfit for manual labor and that he is constantly complaining of rheumatism in his shoulders and hips.  They see him every few days.
Signed: Wm. Reed and F. Morris

(6) General Affidavit – 8 Nov 1892 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
William Reed, aged 42, Post Office Carson, Iowa, states that he has been personally acquainted with Edward Saddler since 1872.  From that time to the present the affiant knows that the claimant has been afflicted with rheumatism and he is not fit to do a day’s work.
Signed Wm. Reed

(7) General Affidavit – 26 Nov 1892 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
Ellen Reed, aged 33, Post Office Carson, Iowa, states that she has been well acquainted with Edward Saddler since 1860 and has been personally acquainted with him ever since he was mustered out of the service in 1865.  He was afflicted with rheumatism during the year of 1865 to the present and each year it is growing worse.  He is unfit for manual labor.
Signed: Ellen Reed

(8) General Affidavit – 5 Mar 1896 – Phillips Co, Kansas
C. W. Clearwater, aged 64, resident of Phillipsburg, Phillips Co, Kansas, states he was well acquainted with the applicant for several years before he enlisted in the 107th Illinois Volunteer Regiment and up to 1877.  The affiant states that the applicant was "in feable health and seemed suffering from some disease or ailment to this affiant unknown."  From 1868 to some time in 1875 the affiant and the applicant lived within a half mile of each other near LeRoy, Illinois.  At various times during this period the applicant was unable to do any work and at no time was he able to do a full days work.
Signed: C. W. Clearwater

(9) Affidavit of Claimant – 24 Mar 1898 – Pottawattamie Co, Iowa
Edward Saddler, aged 65, resident of Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, states he does not know where any of the commissioned officers of his company are except for Col. J. J. Kelley, who resides at Lincoln, Nebraska.   The said Colonel cannot make the affidavit required for the reason that this affiant has no hospital record, and soon after the affiant contracted the disability he was detached from the regiment and placed in an Engineer Corps, and did not again see the officers of his company.
The affiant further states that he was not in the hospital and was not treated by the surgeon or assistant surgeon for the said disability for the reason that the surgeon refused to treat the affiant unless he would go to the hospital for treatment, and the affiant refused to go to the hospital and hence he had no treatment.   The surgeon stated that if he didn’t go to the hospital "there was no use treating him if he continued to expose himself to the cold and dampness."
The affiant does not give this affidavit in his own hand writing for the reason that he does not do much writing and by reason of age, etc., he is scarcely able to write a legible hand.
Signed: Edward Saddler

(10) Declaration For Pension – 2 Mar 1907 – McLean Co, Illinois
Edward Saddler, aged 75, resident of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, states he enrolled at Farmer City, Illinois, as a private in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and that his occupation was a farmer.  He was born in 1832 at Ireland.  Since leaving the service he has lived at McLean Co, Illinois and Pottawattamie Co, Iowa.  He has previously applied for a pension - #553357 - and makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll under the provisions of the Act of February 6, 1907.  His Post Office is Bloomington, McLean Co, Illinois.
Signed: Edward Saddler
Witnesses: Chester R. Reed and C. E. Duff

(11) General Affidavit – 26 Aug 1907 – McLean Co, Illinois
Edward Saddler, aged 76, resident of Bloomington, McLean Co, Illinois, states that there is no record of his birth or baptism.  "I was Born in Ireland and my Parents came to this Country when I was very Small and they both died So long ago I don’t remember them.  I was raised by a Methodist Minister by the name of Philips Who told me that I was Born September 1831.  I have 5 Sisters who were all older than I was but were all dead before I found out where they was.  They died in Chicago, Ill.  I was Separated from them 65 years before I knew where they was.  The first word I learned about them was Minooka, Ills.  So there is no chance for me to prove anything in regard to my Birth.  That I am Satisfied from what Minister Philips told me about my age that the dates are correct to the best of my Knowledge and belief and he is dead.  I was taken by him to raise when my Parents died the date of which I do not Know.  That I was married to Jane Clearwater May 2, 1852."
Signed: Edward Saddler

(12) Declaration For Pension – 20 May 1912 – McLean Co, Illinois
Edward Saddler, aged 79, resident of Bloomington, McLean Co, Illinois, states that he enrolled 2 August 1862 as a private in Co. I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was discharged 21 Jun 1865 at Salisbury, North Carolina.  He also served in detached Engineer Corps.  He was born in 1833 in Ireland and since leaving the service has lived in Iowa and Illinois.  He is a pensioner under #553351 and makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll under the provisions of the Act of 11 May 1912.
Signed: Edward Saddler X (his mark)

(13) General Affidavit – January 1914 – McLean Co, Illinois
Edward Saddler, aged 86, resident of Bloomington, McLean Co, Illinois, states he is a pensioner under the act of 11 May 1912 at the rate of $30 a month and is making this statement to ask if the pension can be increased. "I am now a very great sufferer from rheumatism, contracted in the army and for which I was pensioned.  I also am almost entirely blind and have to have a nurse constantly to wait on me.   I cannot even see to eat my food, and have to be fed.  In fact I am as totally disabled as a man can possibly be, and if under the law I am entitled to more pension I should like to have it."
Signed: Edward Saddler X (his mark)
Winesses: Lillie M. Saddler and Jennie B. Cunningham

(14) Circular, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 2 Jan 1915 – filled out by Edward Saddler on 29 Mar 1915
   ·  Date and Place of Birth: 1827, Ireland
   ·  Name of organizations in which you served: Under Gen. Sherman in Georgia Campaign
   ·  Post Office at enlistment: Mt. Pleasant, DeWitt Co, Illinois
   ·  Wife’s full name: Emeline Jane Clearwater
   ·  When, where and by whom married: 1852, LeRoy, McLean Co, Illinois by Elder Warson.
      There is no official or church record of the marriage.
   ·  Was not previously married.
   ·  Wife not previously married.
   ·  Living with your wife: No, she died in 1901
   ·  Names and dates of all children, living and dead.  "Can not give dates of birth."  William Saddler; Elizabeth Ellen Saddler Reed; Charles A. Saddler; Sarah Saddler Howard; Elmer E. Saddler; Thomas S. Saddler; Etta May Saddler Keith; James N. Saddler; Frank A. Saddler
Signed: Edward Saddler X (his mark)

(15) Drop Notice – 11 Aug 1920
Edward Saddler, Certificate No. 553351, Company I, 107th Illinois Infantry, last paid to 4 Jul 1920 at $50, has been dropped from the roll because of death, 21 Jul 1920.

Compiled Service Record, Edward Saddler, Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, File Designation SC 553.357, National Archives, Washington D.C.