Civil War Pension File of Preston Jones

WC 765.116
Unit: Private, elected Corporal 20 Dec 1862, promoted Sergeant 1 Sep 1864 – Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enlisted: 14 Aug 1862 – Mt. Pleasant (now Farmer City), Santa Anna, Illinois
Discharged: 21 Jun 1865 - Salisbury, North Carolina
Physical Description: Height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, fair; eyes, blue; hair, auburn

Documents:

(1) Declaration for Original Invalid Pension – 23 Apr 1884 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Preston Jones, aged 53, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, Post Office Farmer City, declares that he is the identical Preston Jones who entered the service on 14 Aug 1862 as a Private in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry commanded by Capt. E. L. Waller.  He was discharged 21 Jun 1865 at Salisbury, North Carolina.  His current description is: age, 53; height, 5 feet, 8 inches; complexion, fair; hair, auburn; eyes, blue.  While a member of the organization, in the service and in the line of duty near Kennesaw Mt., Georgia, on or about 2 Jun 1864 his heart and lungs were affected by over exertion and exposure.  He was treated by the regimental surgeon.  He has not been employed in the military or naval service otherwise than as stated.  Since leaving the service he has resided in the states of Texas and Illinois and his occupation has been that of a farmer.  Prior to his service he was a man of good, sound, physical health and when enrolled he was a farmer.
Signed: Preston Jones
Witnesses: Andrew J. McBride and Thomas Gardiner

(2) Department of the Interior, Pension Office – 26 May 1884
Request for a full report as to the service, disability and hospital treatment of Present Jones who enlisted 14 Aug 1862, and served as Sergeant in Company I, 107th Illinois volunteer Infantry.   He was discharged at Salisbury, North Carolina on 21 Jun 1865.

(3) War Department, Adjutant General’s Office – 21 Jul 1884 – Washington, D.C.
Summary of the service record of Preston Jones, Private, of Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  He is on the roll of the Company from enrollment to 31 Oct 1862, present, and so reported to 30 Apr 1865.  Mustered out with the company 21 Jun 1865 at Salisbury, N. C. as sergeant.  The report for May 1864 does not report him absent.  No evidence of alleged disabilities.  Regimental Hospital Records and Co. Morning Reports not on file.

(4) Declaration for Pension – 15 Feb 1907 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Preston Jones, aged 75, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, Post Office Farmer City, states he was enrolled at Santa Anna, Illinois on 14 Aug 1862 as a Private and was honorably discharged at Salisbury, N. C. on 21 Jun 1865.  His personal description at the time of enlistment was: height, 5 feet, 8 inches; complexion, fair; color of eyes, blue; color of hair, auburn.  His occupation is farmer.
He was born 12 Nov 1831 at Tazewell Co, Tennessee.  Since leaving the service he has lived at Farmer City, Illinois, until 1874; Grayson Co, Texas, until 1877; Clay Co, Texas, until 1880, then Farmer City, Illinois, to the present time.  He has previously applied for a pension, Certificate #969404.  He makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll under the provisions of the act of February 6, 1907.
Signed: Preston Jones
Witnesses: J. B. Nowlin & E. A. Dewey

(5) Personal Letter of Marshall Hurley – 30 Jun 1913 – Farmer City, Illinois
Letterhead on stationery: "Illinois Division, Sons of Veterans, U.S.A., Office of Council."
"To the Hon. comisioner of Pensions.  Preston Jones Pension certificate No 969.404 Died June 27th 1913 [and] leaves a widow entitled to a Pension.  Please send Blank application to Laura A. Jones the widow of soldier to Farmer city Illinois, and oblige Marshall Hurley."

(6) Certificate of Record of Marriage – 19 Jul 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Preston Jones was married to Miss Laura A. Riggs in said county on 10 Nov 1867 by Rev. Washington Crandall.
Signed E. F. Campbell, County Clerk, by Mae Tracey, Deputy

(7) Certificate and Record of Death – 21 Jul 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Preston Jones, male, white, married, born Tazewell, Tenn, 12 Nov 1831, aged 82y 4m 15d, died on 27 Jun 1913 at/about 10:30 am at Farmer City, DeWitt Co.  "Last Occupation - farmer all his life."  Buried at Maple Grove, 29 Jun at 2:30 p.m.  Undertaker: Stensel Bros. of Farmer City.  Cause of death was Interstitial Nephritis.  Signed J. H. Ziegler, MD.  Father: John Jones, born Virginia.  Mother: born Tennessee.  The informant was Marshall Hurley, Farmer City.

(8) Affidavit – 21 Jul 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Charles W. Walton, aged 66, and Preston J. Walton, aged 58, both residents of Farmer City, Illinois, declare that Mary Jones, the first wife of Preston Jones, died on or about 8 Mar 1867, and was "laid to rest" in Camp Ground Cemetery near Farmer City, they being nephews of Mary Jones and her neighbors at the time of her death.
They also swear that they have been neighbors of Preston Jones and Laura A. Jones and that they lived together from the time of their marriage, 10 Nov 1867, until the death of Preston Jones which occurred 27 Jun 1913.  He was "burried" 29 Jun 1913, in Maple Grove Cemetery.
Signed: Charles W. Walton and Preston J. Walton

(9) Declaration for Widow’s Pension – 22 Jul 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Laura A. Jones, aged 62, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, declares she is the widow of Preston Jones who enrolled at Mt. Pleasant, now Farmer City, on 14 Aug 1862, as a private in Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged 24 Jun 1865.
She was married under the name of Laura A. Riggs to the said soldier near Farmer City on 10 Nov 1867 by Rev. Washington Crandall, M. of G.  She had not been previously married.  The said soldier was previously married to Mary Johnson who died 8 Mar 1867 near Farmer City and was buried at the Camp Ground Cemetery.
She has not previously applied for a pension.
Signed: Laura A. Jones
Witnesses: B. B. Bates and Dr. J. A. Nowlin

Also appearing Charles W. Walton and Marshall Hurley who attest that Laura A. Jones is the identical person she represents herself to be.
Signed: Charles W. Walton and Marshall Hurley

(10) Affidavit – 27 Sep 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Hetty Watson, aged 69, resident of Farmer City, states she has resided in said city or that locality all her life.
The affiant is well and intimately acquainted with Laura A. Jones, widow of Preston Jones, and states she understands that the said Laura A. Jones has applied for a widow’s pension.
The affiant knows that Laura A. Jones, formerly Laura A. Riggs, was never married prior to her marriage with Preston Jones which occurred on 10 Nov 1867, and she knows that they lived as man and wife until the time of the said soldier’s death.
She also knows that he was married to Mary Jones prior to his marriage with Laura A. Jones, but that the said Mary Jones died about the month of March 1867 at her home southwest of Farmer City.  The affiant attended the funeral of Mary Jones and "actually saw the dead body of the said Mary Jones."  Preston Jones was never married prior to his marriage with the said Mary.  He was never married but twice.
Signed: Hetty Watson

(11) Affidavit – 27 Sep 1913 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Dora O. Herrick, aged 60, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states she has resided in or contiguous to the said city all her life and that she is well and intimately acquainted with Laura A. Jones, widow of Preston Jones, deceased.
She has known Laura A. Jones almost all her life and knows that Laura A. Jones, formerly Laura A. Riggs, was never married prior to her marriage with Preston Jones.
The affiant states Preston Jones died in 1913 and knows that the said Preston Jones was never married but twice.  This affiant attended the funeral of Mary Jones and "actually saw the dead body of the said Mary Jones at the funeral of her, the said Mary Jones, and knew that the dead body which she saw was the dead body of the said Mary Jones, the first wife of the said Preston Jones." The affiant knows that Preston Jones later married Laura A. Riggs and that they lived together from that time forward until the death of Preston Jones.
"This affiant’s ancestors were intimately associated with the said Preston Jones and with his ancestors, and with this affiant through family traditions and hearsay from her father and other relatives knows positively aside from her own personal knowledge from the fact that the said Preston Jones was never married but twice, as above set forth."
"Affiant further says that she attended the funeral of the said Preston Jones and knows of his death, and viewed his dead body after his death."
Signed: Dora O.Herrick

(12) Letter – 29 Sep 1913 – Farmer City, Illinois
The letterhead reads Herrick & Herrick, Attorneys at Law.  From Laura A. Jones to the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington D.C., who states that she has procured the affidavits of Dora O. Herrick and Hetty Watson in compliance with the Commissioner’s letter asking for additional affidavits relative to the pension and she is enclosing them with this letter.
Signed: Laura A. Jones

(13) Drop Notice – 5 Nov 1918
Laura A. Jones was last paid at $25 to July 4, 1918 and is now dropped from the roll because of death, 28 Aug 1918.

Compiled Service Record, Preston Jones, Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Company I, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, WC 765.116, National Archives, Washington D. C.