Civil War Pension File of John W. Clearwater
SC 876.986
Unit: Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enlisted: 2 Aug 1862 – Farmer City, Illinois
Discharged: 21 Jul 1865 – Salisbury, North Carolina
Physical Description: Height; 5 feet, 9 inches; Complexion, fair; Eyes, hazel; Hair, light
Documents:
(1) Declaration For Invalid Pension – 14 Oct 1892 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, aged 61, resident of Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana, declares that he
enrolled on 2 August 1862 in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably
discharged at Salisbury, North Carolina, on 21 July 1865. He is now unable to earn a
support by manual labor due to rheumatism of hips, left side and lumbago, impaired eye sight,
corns on feet, and dyspepsia. He has not previously applied for a pension and he has
not been employed in the military or naval service otherwise than stated. He makes
this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll of the United States
under the provisions of the Act of 27 Jun 1890.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters
Witnesses: J. A. Hughes & L.J. Place
(2) Military Service – 14 Dec 1892 – Washington, D.C.
Verification that John W. Clearwater enlisted 2 Aug 1862 in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer
Infantry, and was discharged 21 Jul 1865 at Salisbury, North Carolina.
(3)General Affidavit – 18 Jan 1893 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, aged 61, Post Office Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana, declares that he never
served in the military or Navy during the war of the rebellion of 1861-1864. He did not serve
in any other name in any other company or regiment than in Co I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Regiment
and then under the name of John W. Clearwaters.
Signed John W. Clearwaters
(4) General Affidavit – 18 Jan 1893 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
Quincy A. Clearwaters, aged 30, post office Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana, states he has resided
with the claimant during the past five years and knows of his own personal knowledge that during
that time the claimant has been more or less afflicted with rheumatism of the hips and left side,
lumbago, impaired eyesight, corns on his feet, and is severely afflicted with dyspepsia. He
does not consider the claimant to be an able bodied man. He is not able to do manual labor
on account of these ailments, but is able to do chores and a small amount of light labor. His
disabilities were not contracted through vicious habits.
Signed Quincy A. Clearwaters
(5) General Affidavit – 20 Jan 1893 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
James Harlan, aged 57, post office Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana, states that he has resided
within one-fourth of a mile from the applicant ever since boyhood. He has often heard him
complain of rheumatism in his hips and side, and knows that he is partly troubled with a weak
back, has poor eyesight, and is a sufferer from dyspepsia. He is also troubled with his
feet and in getting shoes or boots he has to exercise great care or he cannot wear them.
In his present condition, from effects of the above ailments, he is not able to do hard manual
labor. He has not been able to plow for several years. He can do light labor such
as chores. He is a man with no bad habits. His disabilities are not a result of
vicious habits.
Signed: James Harlan
(6) General Affidavit – 16 Mar 1894 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, aged 62, post office Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana, states he contracted
rheumatism, lumbago, impaired vision and dyspepsia during his time of service extending from 2
Aug 1862 to 21 Jul 1865. That he has been more or less troubled with these disabilities
ever since his discharge from the Army, and for the past ten years or more he has been unable
to do manual work of any kind.
The above affidavit was written from the oral statement of the affiant.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters
(7) Request for Military and Medical History – 8 Aug 1894 – Washington, D.C.
James W. Clearwater, Captain Waller’s Co, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry,
was enrolled 2 Aug 1862 and mustered out with the Company 21 Jun 1865. He held the rank
of Private.
The rolls show him present except for the following:
· 21 Oct 1862 – at Santa Anna, Illinois – sick
· 31 Dec 1862 – same
· 28 Feb 1863 – absent with proper authority, sick.
· 31 Dec 1863 – left sick at Knoxville
· 7 Dec 1863 – with proper authority, Ills, home to 31 Oct 1864
· 20 Feb 1865 – absent in [unreadable]
· 30 Apr 1865 – same
Personal Description: age, 29 years; height; 5 feet, 9 inches; complexion, fair; eyes, hazel; hair, light; born Vermillion Co, Indiana; occupation, farmer.
The medical records show him treated as follows:
· Sep 30 to Oct 8, 1863 - [unreadable] returned to duty
· Dec 22, 1863 - typho-malaria fever
· Dec 23, 1863 to Jan 31, 1864 - typhoid fever
· Jan 27 to Mar 11, 1864 - typho malaria fever
· Mar 12 to Apr 3, 1864 - no diagnosis
· Apr 15 to 18, 1864 – chronic diarrhoea
· Apr 18 to May 5, 1864 – chronic diarrhoea
· May 6 to Oct 1, 1864 – chronic diarrhea
· Furloughed Nov 1, 1864, returned Nov 12, 1864, and returned
to duty Nov 22, 1864.
(8) Application for Reconsideration, Increase and Arrears – 4 May 1903 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, aged 72, resident of Dana, Vermillion Co, Indiana, declares he is a pensioner of
the United States enrolled at the Indianapolis Pension Agency at the rate of six dollars a month under
Certificate No 876,986 by reason of disabilities from Rheumatism of hips, left side and lumbago,
impaired eyesight, corns on feet and dyspepsia. He was a private in Company I, 107th Illinois
Volunteer Infantry. In addition to the above ailments he now has right inguinal hernia.
His original application was under the Act of 27 Jun 1890. He makes this application for the
purpose of having his original application reconsidered and his pension made to date from the filing
of the original application, which was 14 Oct 1892. His Post Office is Dana, Vermillion Co,
Indiana.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters
Witnesses: R. J. Hasty & S. V. Morgan
(9) [Application for] Increase Invalid Pension – Various Dates, 1903 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, Post Office Dana, Vermillion Co, Indiana. Rate of $12 per month, commencing
29 Aug 1903. Pensioned for total inability to earn a support by manual labor. Submitted for
approval 4 Dec 1903. Approved for rheumatism and disease of digestive organs (old). Lumbago,
impaired sight, corns, dyspepsia and right inguinal hernia (now), alleged May 6, 1903 and senility.
Reject claim under Act of March 6, 1896, no basis: Claimant was pensioned from date of filing original
declaration. Signed by two reviewers. Approved for rheumatism, disease of digestive organs
and senile debility. Disabilities permanent in character. Signed by Medical Reviewer and
Medical Referee.
(10) Declaration for Pension – 28 Feb 1907 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwater, aged 75, resident of Dana, Vermillion Co, Indiana, stated he enrolled at Farmer
City, Illinois, on 2 Aug 1862 as a private in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was
honorably discharged at Salisbury, North Carolina on 21 July 1865. He was born 3 Sep 1831,
Vermillion Co, Indiana. Since leaving the service he has resided in Vermillion twp, Vermillion
Co, Indiana. He makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the Pension Roll of
the United States under the provisions of the Act of 6 Feb 1907. His Post Office is Dana, RFD
No. 1, Vermillion Co, Indiana.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters
Witnesses: S. B. Davis & Errod Canady
(11) General Affidavit – Received by the Pension Office 27 Jun 1907 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W. Clearwaters, aged 75, resident of Dana, RFD #2, Vermillion Co, Indiana, declared that his
father, John Clearwaters, and his mother, Mary Clearwaters, told him he was born 2 Sep 1831.
His father daily read out of the old Bible and had family prayers. His father and mother
often pointed out to him the names of themselves and his brothers and sisters in the old Bible
and his father said he wrote them down himself in the Family Record. When his mother died
he received said Family Record and has it now just as it was when he got it from his mother.
He knows his father’s handwriting well and the record of his own birth is "John W.
Clearwaters was born September the 2, in the year of our Lord 1831." There are no
signs or evidences of erasure or alteration in the Bible and the affiant is certain the record
is a true record of his age.
(12) Reissue act of February 6, 1907 – July 1907 – [Indianapolis, Indiana]
The claimant is John W. Clearwaters, age over 75, Post Office RD No 2, Dana, Vermillion Co,
Indiana. He was pensioned at $12 a month under the Act of 27 Jun 1890. Reissue to
allow under the Act of 6 Feb 1907 at the rate of $20 a month, commencing 4 Mar 1907.
(13) Declaration For Pension – 30 May 1912 – Vermillion Co, Indiana
John W, Clearwaters, aged 80, resident of Vermillion Co, Indiana, declares that he enrolled at
Farmer City on 2 August 1862 as a private in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and
discharged at Springfield, Illinois 21 Jun 1865. He was born 1 (sic) Sep 1831. His
place of residence since leaving the service was his home southwest of Newport, Vermillion Co,
Indiana and has been there ever since. His Post Office is Dana, R R No 2, Vermillion Co,
Indiana.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters
Witnesses: N. M.Jones and Bloomer Helt
(14) Circular, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 2 Jan 1915 – Washington D.C.
· Date and Place of Birth: 2 Sep 1831, Newport, Vermillion Co, Indiana
· Name of organization in which you served: Second Brigade, 2 Division, 23rd Corps, 107th Regiment, Illinois
· Post Office at enlistment: Mount Pleasant, now Farmer City, Illinois
· Wife full name and maiden name: Rachel Perlina Clearwaters – married
28 Mar 1855. Wife and children died before enlistment. Have not been married since.
Signed: John W. Clearwaters.
(15) Drop Notice – 1 Nov 1915
John W. Clearwaters, last paid at $30 a month to 4 Aug 1915, has been dropped from the roll
because of death, 28 Aug 1915.
Combined Service Record, John W. Clearwaters, Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, SC 876.986, National Archives, Washington D.C.