Civil War Pension File of Jeremiah Shumaker

SC 117.787
Unit: Private, Company F, 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
Enlisted: 10 July 1861, Monticello, Piatt Co, Illinois
Discharged: 14 Aug 1863, Vicksburg, Mississippi
Physical Description: 5 feet 7 1/2 inches, dark complexion, gray eyes, dark hair

Documents:

(1) Certificate Of Disability For Discharge – 14 Aug 1863 – Vicksburg, Mississippi
Jeremiah Shumaker, private of Company F of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry Regiment was enlisted by Capt. Reuben Bowman of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment at Monticello, Piatt Co, Illinois, on 10 July 1861 to serve three years.  He was born in Jackson Co, Tennessee, and is now aged 29.  He is 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall with dark complexion, gray eyes, and dark hair, occupation when enlisting was a farmer.  The disability occurred while in the line of his duty at Holly Springs, Mississippi, on the 20th day of December 1862.  He was wounded in a Cavalry Charge, before which time he was an able bodied man.
Signed, I. Stickel, 1st Lieutenant, Vicksburg Station, 12 August 1863
"I certify that I have carefully examined the said Jeremiah Shumaker of Captain M.H. Musser’s Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of gunshot wound received in battle at Holly Springs, Mississippi, Dec. 20 1862.  The bullet lodging in the lower part of the spinal column and rendering him unable to ride or endure fatigue without pain from pressure and irritation in the neighborhood of nervous cords.  I think he is fit for the invalid corps."
Signed [unreadable], 2nd Illinois Cavalry Surgeon,
Discharged 14 August 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Signed M.H. Musser, Captain
The soldier to be addressed at the town of DeWitt, DeWitt Co, Illinois

(2) Declaration for Invalid Pension – 7 Feb 1871 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Jeremiah Shumaker, aged 36, resident of DeWitt P.O., DeWitt Co, Illinois.  He was a private in Company F commanded by Captain Melvin Musser in the 2nd Regiment Illinois Cavalry commanded by Colonel Hog.  He volunteered at Monticello, Illinois on 4 Jul 1861 for a term of 3 years and was honorably discharged at Vicksburg, Mississippi on 4 (sic) August 1863.  On 20 Dec 1862 "While engaged in Battle of Holly Springs, the rebels surrounded us and in fighting our way out he was shot with a musket ball in the spine of the back, the ball being in the spine yet – never having been removed.  Affiant says that in March 4th 1864 he again enlisted in the Mississippi Marine Brigade and when he did so the Captain who recruited him took his Discharge from the Cavalry service and he has never been able to find the same."
Since leaving the service he has resided at Dewitt Co, Illinois and his occupation has been a farmer.  He makes declaration for the purpose of being placed on the Invalid Pension Roll under the Act of Congress approved 14 July 1862.
Signed: Jeremiah Shumaker
Witnesses: Fletcher C. Taylor and Michael Denison

(3) Adjutant General’s Office – 20 Apr 1871 – Washington, D.C.
According to the rolls on file Jeremiah Shumaker was enrolled 30 Jul 1861 at Monticello as a private.  For the months of November and December 1862 he is reported wounded at Holly Springs, Mississippi, on 20 Dec 1862.  The roll for July and August 1863 reports him discharged for disability on 14 Aug 1863.

(4) Declaration for Arrearages of Pension – 4 Mar 1879 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Jeremiah Shumaker, aged 45, resident of DeWitt, DeWitt Co, Illinois, was granted a Pension Certificate payable at the agency at Springfield, Illinois dated 2 ???? "that under the limitations of the then existing laws, he was denied a pension from the date of discharge of " Vicksburg August 14th 1863 of wounds "and believing he is entitled to the same under the act of Congress, approved January 25, 1879, makes this declaration in order to secure the arrears accrued thereunder."
[Note: This document is very faint and difficult to read.  The quoted sections are the printed matter between the blanks which were filled in with faint ink.]
Signed: Jeremiah Shumaker
Witnesses: Charles Richter and John Ferguson

(5) Inability Affidavit – 12 Mar 1895 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Jeremiah Shumaker, resident of Clinton, DeWitt Co, Illinois, Post Office Clinton, states he is unable to comply with the requirements of the Pension Office as to the affidavit of more comrades showing when, where and under what circumstances he incurred rupture, the reason being that there were but two comrades that knew of said rupture and one of them, John R. Bushee, is dead and has been dead for about ten years.  "This affidavit was written by J. F. Case in his office in Farmer City, Ills., March 12th 1895 in the presence of this affiant and from his oral statements then and there made and without any promptings from any other person or persons either oral or written." It is requested that the testimony of Arrod Knight and others be accepted in lieu of other testimony.
Signed Jeremiah Shumaker

(6) General Affidavit – 25 Jan 1898 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
"This blank can be used for affidavit of one witness or for two witnesses having knowledge of the same facts."
Affidavit of Robert H. Flood states that he has been personally acquainted with Jeremiah Shumaker for 41 years.  He knew him before the war and does not believe that any man could have done the hard work of feeding cattle with shock corn and at the same time being afflicted with rupture or hernia.
Affidavit of Samuel Myers and George Miller, respectively 66 and 69 years old, both residents of DeWitt County, Illinois.  [the rest of the affidavit is missing]

(7) Circular, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 15 Jan 1898 – filled out by Jeremiah Shumaker on 4 Jul 1898
· Wife’s name and maiden name: Lucy Shugers Shumaker Davinport
· Married: 28 Jan 1892 – Clinton, Illinois, by Austin J. Richey
· Name of former wife: Alma Lutitia Bently – Died 25 May 1884
· Living Children: M. A. Shumaker, b. 29 Jan 1872; C. M. Shumaker, b. 2 Dec 1873; M. I. Shumaker, b. 25 Jan 1876; L. E. Shumaker, b. 30 Jul 1878; H. D. Shumaker, b. 11 Nov 1882

(8) U. S. Pension Agency – 14 Feb 1899 – Chicago, Illinois
Drop Notice.  Jeremiah Shumaker, who was last paid at $10 to 4 January 1899, has been dropped from the pension rolls because of death.

(9) Widow’s Application for Pension – 13 Jul 1900 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Lucy S. Shumaker, aged about 63, resident of Lane, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states she is the widow of Jeremiah Shumaker who died at Lane, Illinois, on 11 Feb 1899 of disease.  He belonged to Company F, 2nd Illinois Cavalry Volunteers.  She was married under the name of Lucy Henson to Jeremiah Shumaker on 28 Jan 1892 by Austin Richey at Clinton, Illinois.  She had obtained a divorce in August Term of Circuit Court in 1886 at Clinton before marrying Shumaker.  She has remained the widow of Jeremiah Shumaker and there are no children.  She claims a pension under the Act of 27 Jun 1890.
Signed: Lucy S. Shumaker
Witnesses: Sophronia Hibbard and E. B. Hibbard

(10) Certificate of Record of Marriage from Weldon Ward, Clerk of DeWitt County Court, stating Jeremiah Shumaker was married to Mrs. Lucy Henson in DeWitt Co, on 28 Jan 1892.

(11) Department of the Interior: Bureau of Pensions – 8 Jun 1902 – Washington D.C.
Form letter request for information pertaining to the claimant’s marriage to the soldier, information about previous marriages, testimony of credible witnesses showing the claimant lived with the soldier to the date of his death, and testimony that she has not remarried.

(12) Affidavits – 16 Jun 1902 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
· Affidavit of Lucy Shumaker stating she was previously married to J.M. Henson and was divorced from him in August 1885.  [Note: In her Widow’s Application For Pension she stated she was divorced in August 1886.]
· Affidavit of Mary C. Bennett stating she was acquainted with the said parties and that the claimant was not divorced at the time of his death.
· Affidavit of Nannie Graham stating she was acquainted with the said parties and that the claimant was not divorced at the time of his death.
· Affidavit of Mary C. Bennett stating the said Lucy S. Shumaker has not remarried since the death of the soldier.

(13) Accrued Pension: Act of 2 Mar 1895 – 29 Jan 1904 – Western Division
Certificate No. 117.787 last issued 30 Nov 1897 to Jeremiah Shumaker under the Act of 14 Jul 1862, who died 9 Feb 1899.  Claimant, Lucy Shumaker, widow, of Lane, DeWitt Co, Illinois, submitted for admission 19 Jan 1904 and approved.  The accrued Pension Certificate and Order was issued 29 Jan 1904, payable to the widow.

Compiled Service Record, Jeremiah Shumaker, Private, Company F, 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, File Designation SC 117.787, National Archives, Washington, D.C.