Civil War Pension File of Lawson J. Vannote
XC 2.626.156
Unit: Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enlisted: 2 Aug 1862 – Santa Anna, DeWitt Co, Illinois
Discharged: 22 May 1865 – Chicago, Illinois
Description: height 5 feet 1 inch; complexion fair; eyes blue; hair dark
Documents:
(1) Declaration for Original Invalid Pension – 25 Feb 1880 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Lawson J. Vannote, aged 38, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states he is the identical
Lawson J. Vannote who enrolled on 2 Aug 1862 in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry commanded
by David Lowry. : He was honorably discharged at Chicago, Illinois, on 22 May 1865.
While in the service and in the line of duty he received the following disability: chronic diarrhea
contracted at Woodsonville, Kentucky, about July or August 1864 which was treated by the Regimental
Surgeon. He was finally sent to the General Hospital at Marietta, Georgia, and was afterwards
with his regiment and later was treated in the General Hospital at Nashville, Tennessee, the General
Hospital at Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Dis Merci Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, where he was discharged.
He has resided at Farmer city, Illinois, since leaving the service. He was a farmer when
enrolling in the service.
Signed: Lawson J. Vannote
Witnesses: R. A. Lemon, W. M. Weedman
(2) General Affidavit for any Purpose – 7 Mar 1881 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Affiant states he was treated by the Regimental Surgeon Dr. J. Wright but upon application to the said
Surgeon he says he does not remember treating him for such disease the time being so long and having the
entire regiment to look after. Therefore I cannot obtain his affidavit. I cannot procure the
affidavit of Physicians except for Dr. J. W. Woodward, Dr. J. Clouser and Dr. M. L. Reed. I have
tried to obtain the affidavit of Dr. R. Farnoy? of Pike Co, Mo., but he says he does not now remember of
having treated me. The reason I have not been able to be treated oftener was on account of lack of
funds to pay the physician. His Post Office is Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois.
Signed: Lawson J. Vannote
(3) General Affidavit – 2 Jan 1884 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
In the matter of an increase of pension No 239331 of Lawson J. Vannote, late Private in Company I, 107th Regiment
Illinois Volunteers, personal appears Preston Jones, aged 53, and J. H. Sprague, aged 38, residents of Farmer City,
DeWitt Co, Illinois. They have been acquainted with the claimant for several years and that within the last
year the said Vannote has been a great sufferer from diarrhea to such an extent that in their opinion he is
incapacitated from performing any kind of regular manual labor.
Signed: Preston Jones, J. H. Sprague
(4) Circular, Department of the Interior – 15 Jan 1898 – Washington, D. C. – filled out by Lawson J. Vannote, 5 Jul 1898
· Maiden name of wife: Margaret J. Lewis
· Date, place of Marriage: 13 Jun 1865 – Mt. Pleasant, Illinois by Isaac Danner JP
· Record of marriage: In County Clerk's office
· Previously married: No
· Living children: None
(5) Declaration for Pension – 20 Feb 1912 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Lawson J. Vannote, aged 70, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, Private of Company I, 107th Illinois
Volunteer Infantry, discharged 22 May 1865, Chicago, Illinois, states he was born 17 Feb 1842 at Santa Anna, now
Farmer City. Since leaving the service he has been living in Illinois. 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.
Signed: Lawson J. Vannote
Witnesses: R. S. McBride, H. S. Farmer
(6) Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 29 Feb 1912 – Washington, D. C.
Request to the Adjutant General’s Office for the personal description of Lawson J. Vannote. Reply dated
2 Mar 1912: Age 70; height 5 feet 1 inch; complexion fair; eyes blue; hair dark; place of birth, Dewitt Co, Illinois.
(7) Declaration For Pension – 21 May 1912 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Lawson J. Vannote, aged 70, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois. At the time of enlistment he was described as
height 5 feet, complexion fair, color of eyes blue, and color of hair dark. His occupation was farmer. He was
born 17 Feb 1842 at Mount Pleasant, Illinois. He makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension
roll of the United States under the provision of the Act of 11 May 1912.
Signed: Lawson J. his( X) mark Vannote
Witnesses: W. E. McDonald, J. C. Richards
(8) Circular, Department of the Interior – 2 Jan 1915 – Washington D.C. – filled out by Lawson J. Vannote, 9 Jun 1915
· Date and Place of Birth: 17 Feb 1842, DeWitt Co, Illinois
· Name of Organization: Co. I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
· Post Office at time of Enlistment: Santa Anna, DeWitt Co, Illinois
· Full name of wife: Margaret J. Lewis
· Marriage: 13 Jun 1865, by Isaac Danner
· Record of Marriage: Clinton, Illinois, the county seat
· Wife's previous marriage: “she was never maried till I marid her.”
· Living with wife? Yes “thire has bin no separation”
· Names of children, living or dead: none
(9) Certificate of Record of Marriage – 10 Nov 1926 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
I, Donald J. Morris, Clerk of the County Court of said County, hereby certify that Mr. Lawson J. VanNote was
married to Mrs. Missouri Jane Neal, in said county on 17 Dec 1918 by John Bedinger, County Judge.
Signed Harold H. Morris, County Clerk, J. C. Case, Deputy
(10) Standard Certificate of Death – Filed 16 Dec 1925 – State of Illinois
· Place of Death: Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois
· Name: Jack Lawson VanNote
· Length of residence in city where the death occurred: 84 years
· Male, White, Married – Wife: Jane Vannote
· Date of Birth: 17 Nov 1841 (sic, all other pension papers give 1842)
· Age: 84y 0m 27d
· Occupation: Old Soldier
· Birthplace: Farmer City, Illinois
· Father: Alexander Vannote, born New Jersey
· Mother: Anna Thompson, born New Jersey
· Informant: Mrs. J. D. Vannote, Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois
· Date of Death: 14 Dec 1925
· Cause of Death: “Don’t know unless due to the infirmities of age”
· Doctor: M. C. McIntire, Farmer City, Illinois
· Burial: 16 Dec 1925, Green Leaf
· Undertaker: H. M. Stensel, Farmer City, Illinois
(11) Declaration Of A Widow For Accrued Pension – 20 Aug 1926 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Missouri Jane Vannote, aged about 70, born May 10th about 1857 at Pickaway Co, Ohio, Post Office Farmer City,
Illinois, states she is the widow of Lawson J. Vannote who served in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry,
Civil War, who was a pensioner by Certificate No. 239331. The last payment of his pension was made 4 Dec
1925. He died 14 Dec 1925. She was married under the name Missouri Jane Neal to the said pensioner
at Clinton, Illinois, on 17 Dec 1918 by John Bedinger. The first wife of Lawson J. Vannote was named Margaret
Lewis Vannote and she died at Farmer City, Illinois, on 14 Mar 1917. Missouri Jane Vannote was first married
to John A. Lewis and he died at Farmer City, Illinois, on 24 Apr 1896. She was then married to Burnice Frances
Neal and he died at Farmer City, Illinois, 28 Oct 1916.
Signed: Missouri her (X) mark Jane Vannote
Witnesses: Gurledine Shelley, George B. Shere
(12) Declaration of a Widow for Original Pension – 19 Nov 1929 – McLean Co, Illinois
Jane Vannote, aged 68, born 16 May 1860 at Five Points, Ohio, Post Office 314 South Madison Street, Bloomington,
Illinois, declares she is the widow of Jack “Vanote” who enlisted 20 (sic, should be 2) Aug 1862 at Santa Anna,
Illinois, under the name Lawson J. Vannote in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was discharged
21 May 1865. He died 14 Dec 1925 at Farmer City, Illinois. She was married to the said soldier 17
Dec 1918 at Clinton, Illinois, by John Bedinger, County Judge, under the name Jane Neal. There are no
children by this marriage.
Signed: Jane her (X) mark Vannote
Witnesses: James H. Champion, Edwin M. Wales
(13) Declaration For Widow's Pension – 6 Jan 1930 – McLean Co, Illinois
Jane Vannote, aged 85, born 29 May 1844 at Five Points, Picaway Co, Ohio. She is the widow of Lawson J.
Vannote who enlisted 2 Aug 1862 at Farmer City, Illinois, in Company I, 107th Illinois Infantry and discharged
21 Jun 1865. He died 14 Dec 1925 at Farmer City, Illinois. They were married 17 Dec 1918. There
were no children. She is applying for a pension under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 3 Jul
1926.
(14) Affidavit Supporting Burial Claim – 14 Jul 1930 – Normal, McLean Co, Illinois
· Name of Deceased: Lawson J. VanNote
· Rank and Organization: Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Infantry
· Age of Deceased: 84 years
· Legal Residence at time of death: Farmer City, Illinois
· Date of Death: 14 Dec 1925 – Place of Death: Farmer City, Illinois
· Date of Burial: 16 Dec 1925 – Place of Burial: Farmer City, Illinois
· Undertaker: H. M. Stensel, Farmer City, Illinois
· Married, widowed or divorced: Married
· All Cash money left by deceased: none
· All amounts due and collectible at date of death: none
· Nature and value of all other personal property left by deceased: none
· All real property owned by deceased at date of death: none
· Actual value at date of death: none
· Total encumbrances thereon: none
· If property owned consists of house and land, state whether or not it was occupied or claimed
as the home of the deceased: none
· Total amount of debts contracted and owing the deceased: none
· Were the expenses of funeral, burial and transportation of the deceased entirely or in part
paid by a state or other political subdivision, beneficial society, lodge, union, fraternal organization or national
home for disabled volunteer soldiers: none
· Relationship to the deceased: widow
Signed: Mrs. L. J. VanNote her (x) mark
Witnesses: H. M. Stensel, Farmer city, A. Forbes, Normal, Illinois
Compiled Service Record, Lawson J. Vannote, Private, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, File Designation XC 2.626.156, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[NOTE: Jane apparently had difficulty determining her birth date. There are 3 different dates given in her declarations:
· Declaration of 20 August 1926 – aged 70, b. ca 1857
· Declaration of 19 Nov 1929 – aged 68, b. 16 May 1860
· Declaration of 6 Jan 1930 – age 85, b. 29 May 1844
Other sources for a birth date:
· 1880 US Census – aged 20 (b. ca 1860)
· 1900 Census – aged 40, b. May 1860
· Illinois Death Index – b. 6 May 1856 – d. 21 Mar 1942