Civil War Pension File of Shelby A. Huddleston

WC 25.352
Unit: Private, Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enlisted: 13 Jul 1861 – Clinton, Illinois
Mustered in: 5 Aug 1861 – Decatur, Illinois
Description: height, 5 feet 11 inches; hair, dark; eyes, dark; complexion, dark
Died: 30 Sep 1861 – Paducah, Kentucky

Documents:

(1) Declaration – 27 Dec 1861 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston, aged 25, resident of Mount Pleasant, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states she was the wife, and now the widow, of Shelby A. Huddleston, deceased, who was a private in Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  Her said husband died at Paducah, Kentucky, on 30 September 1861, being at the time of his death in the Service of the United States.  She was lawfully married to the said Shelby Huddleston at Mount Pleasant on 11 April 1857 by David White, a Preacher of the gospel, and is now a widow.  Her name before marriage was Rebecca Lemming.  She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining any pension or allowance of half pay in the future by reason of her late husband’s service and death under any existing law of Congress applicable to her case.  His age was 32 years.
Signed: Rebecca Huddleston

(2) Affidavit – 27 Dec 1861 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Affidavit of Albert Dodson and James A. Spicer stating they were present when Rebecca Huddleston made her declaration.  They know that she and the late Shelby A. Huddleston lived as man and wife and that their marriage was never called in question.  The said Rebecca Huddleston is now a widow. 
Signed: Albert Dodson & James A. Spicer

(3) Certificate of Marriage – 25 Jan 1862 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Handwritten copy of the license and return.  On 11 April 1858 [note in Rebecca’s Declaration of 27 Dec 1861, she stated the marriage date as 11 April 1857] Shelby A. Huddleston and Rebecca C. Leming were married by David White.
Signed: John A. McGraw, County Clerk pro tem

(4) Statement of Service – 20 Mar 1862 – 1st Camp from Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee
Shelby A. Huddleston, Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteer Regiment, enlisted at Clinton, Illinois on 13 Jul 1861, and was mustered into the service of the U.S. by Col. Simonson at Decatur, Illinois, on 5 August 1861.  He was born in McLean Co, Illinois, by occupation a farmer.  He was 30 years of age, his height 5 feet 11 inches, his hair dark, eyes dark and dark complexion.  He died from fever contracted in the service of the U.S. at Paducah, Kentucky, on 30 Sep 1861.
Signed: 1 Lieut M. Danison, Co C, 41 Reg. Ill.

(5) Power of Attorney – 31 Oct 1862 – McLean Co, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston, a resident of DeWitt Co, Illinois, widow of Shelby A. Hutchinson (sic, should be Huddleston), private in Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteer Regiment, makes, constitutes and appoints Ebenezer H. Rood of McLean Co, Illinois, her attorney in fact.  And with power of substitution to prosecute her claim for a pension under the law of July 14, 1862.  “And to do any and all the other acts necessary to the establishment of this claim as fully in every respect as I might or could do if personally present.”
Signed: Rebecca Huddleston
Witness: Thomas Tell

(6) Affidavit – 31 Oct 1862 – McLean Co, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston, a resident of DeWitt Co, Illinois, aged [blankl], makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Act of Congress approved 14 July 1862.  She is the widow of Shelby A. Huddleston, Private in Company C, commanded by Capt. Conklin in the 41st Illinois Volunteer Regiment, who died at Paducah, Kentucky, on or about 30 Sep 1861 while in the line of duty.  She was married to said soldier 11 Apr 1858 at Mount Pleasant.  She has remained a widow and is now a widow.  “She also declares that she is not in any manner been engaged in or aided or abetted the rebellion in the United States.”
Signed: Rebecca Huddleston
Witnesses: Mary Rue, Caroline Johnson

(7) Affidavit – 19 Dec 1862 – McLean Co, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston states “that she has never directly or indirectly aided or abetted or taken any part in any rebellion against the authority of the United States and particularly not taken any part in the rebellion now in progress of the so-called Confederate states – but has ever been and ever will remain a true and loyal citizen of the United States of America.”
She has children born in her wedlock with Shelby A. Huddleston and of whom the said Shelby A. Huddleston is the father -
   ·  Mary Susan Huddleston, born 21 Nov 1858
   ·  Emma Jane Huddleston, born 27 Mar 1860
   ·  Lydia Allen Huddleston, born 5 Apr 1861
She further states she was married to the said Shelby A. Huddleston on 11 Apr 1858 and that if any different date is mentioned in her former declarations it is a mistake, either of hers or of the party taking down her testimony and is purely accidental.  Her Post Office address is Santa Anna, DeWitt Co, Illinois.

(8) Affidavit – 14 Jun 1864 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
John Conklin, of lawful age, a resident of DeWitt County, states that from about the 5 August 1861 up to about 17 Mar 1862, he was Captain commanding Co. C, 41st Illinois Volunteers.  Shelby A. Huddleston, deceased, was a private of the said company and the affiant knows of his own knowledge that Shelby A. Huddleston died in the Service of the United States during the fall of 1861 of a disease called typhoid fever, which disease the said deceased contracted while in the service and in the line of his duty.
Signed: John Conklin

(9) Declaration of a Pensioned Widow for Increase of Pension – 14 Aug 1874 – McLean Co, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston, aged 41, resident of Normal, McLean Co, Illinois, widow of Shelby A. Huddleston, has been granted a pension of $8 a month in accordance with a certificate numbered 25352, bearing date 27 June 1864.  Children yet surviving –
   ·  Mary S. Huddleston, born Nov 1858
   ·  Emma J. Huddleston, born 1860
   ·  Lydia A. Huddleston, born 1862 [Note: different date than previous affidavit]
She hereby appoints Ezra M. Prince her attorney.
Signed: Rebecca Huddleston
Witness: Geo. A. Cranston

(10) Increase of Widow’s Pension – n.d. – n.p.
Form filled out for the Springfield Agency. Rebecca Huddleston, widow of Shelby A. Huddleston, resident of Normal, McLean Co, Illinois.  Her attorney is Ezra M. Prince.  The rate of pension, $8 per month, commencing 30 Sep 1861, and two dollars per month for each of the following children commencing 25 July 1866:
   ·  Mary Susan, born 21 Nov 1858 – will be sixteen on 20 Nov 1874
   ·  Emma Jane, born 27 Mar 1860 – will be sixteen on 28 (sic) Mar 1876
   ·  Lydia Allen, born 5 Apr 1862 – will be sixteen 4 Apr 1878

(11) Department of the Interior Letter – 25 Oct 1898 – Chicago, Illinois
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington.  “I have the honor to report” in the case of Rebecca Huddleston, widow of Shelby A., Co C, 41st Ills, Certificate 25352, that John Cusey, Post Office Farmer City, Illinois, was appointed as conservator on 14 Sep 1898, the pensioner having been adjudged insane.

(12) Drop Notice – 31 Mar 1902 – Chicago, Illinois
Rebecca Huddleston, widow of Shelby A. Huddleston, last paid at $12 to 4 Oct 1900, has been dropped because of death on 27 Mar 1902.

(13) Letter – 1 Nov 1957 – Miami, Florida
“For genealogical purposes I would appreciate a resume of records on my Great-Uncle, Shelby Allen Huddleston.”
Signed: Mrs. Clarita Huddleston Pardo

(14) Letter – 11 Dec 1957 – n.p.
Response of E. E. Johnson, Director, Claims Service, to the letter of Mrs. Clarita H. Pardo dated 1 Nov 1957, giving a summary of the service of Shelby A. Huddleston and suggesting her request for genealogical information be addressed to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Combined Service Record, Shelby A. Huddleston, Private, Company C, 41st Illinois Volunteer Infantry, File Designation WC 25.352, National Archives, Washington, D.C.