Widow's Declaration for Army Pension.
State of Tennessee | SS.
Shelby County.
On this 27 day of March 1867, before me, (1) U S Commissioner of the (2) Dist West Tenn, personally appeared Mrs. (3) Catharine Tyson aged 25 years, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that her Post Office address is (4) Memphis in the State of Tennessee and that she is the widow of (5) Jerry Tyson who was a (6) Private in Company (7) A commanded by Captain C. Evaneau in the (8) 11 Regiment of (9) USC Inft Volunteers, and who (10) was killed at Fort Pillow on or about the 12 day of April 1864, by reason of (11 killed at the massacre at Fort Pillow at that time, and that she cannot produce the evidence of any one who saw him killed or seen him after death.
That she was married to said (5) Jerry Tyson on the 15 day of March A. D. 1862, at Jackson Tenn by one [left blank] a minister; that her name before her said marriage was Catharine Epsom; and she states that she believes there is no public record of her said marriage that they were slaves at the time and married according to the customs of slavery and can only prove said marriage by witnesses present at the ceremony that her husband the aforesaid (5) Jerry Tyson died or was killed on the day above mentioned, and she has continued a widow since that date, and has not abandoned the support of any one of the children above named, nor permitted any of the same to be adopted by any other person or persons as his, her or their child.
She further states that at his death, her said husband left surviving him only the following named child [left blank] who w[left blank] then under the age of sixteen years; that said child [left blank] reside [left blank] at [left blank] and at the date of this declaration w[left blank] of the age herein stated, viz: (12) [left blank]
That she lived with said husband at his wife until he died or was killed as stated above, and has remained a widow up to the present time, and that she had no children by said husband.
She also declares that she has not in any manner been engaged in or aided or abetted the rebellion in the United States, and that she is not now in receipt of a pension under any act of Congress.
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the pension to which she may be entitled under the provisions of the act of Congress, approved July 14, 1862, and hereby constitutes and appoints CHARLES C. TUCKER, of Washington, D. C., her attorney, with power of substitution to prosecute her claim and procure a certificate; hereby authorizing and empowering her said attorney to do all necessary and lawful acts and things whatsoever in the premises, except drawing the money, which will be hereafter provided for, and revoking and countermanding all former authority that may have been given for the above specified purpose.
Attest
T L Dean
C E Bent
(13) Catharine Tyson
<her X mark>
Sworn to, subscribed and acknowledged before me, the day and year first above written; and also, personally appeared Susan Roan a resident of Memphis Tenn & Ann Long a resident of Memphis persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, who being duly sworn according to law, declare that they are personally acquainted with Mrs. Catharine Tyson who has made and subscribed the foregoing declaration in their presence, and were acquainted with her and her husband before he entered the military service of the United States, and know that they lived together as man and wife and were so reputed and acknowledged by those who knew them. That she is the widow of the identical (5) Jerry Tyson who performed the military service mentioned in said declaration, and has remained a widow since his death, and they believe that all the statements made by her in the foregoing declaration are true. That their knowledge of the identity of her husband with the soldier, and of their marriage, was derived from seeing them married at the time & place above named and knew they lived together as man & wife until he was killed and that she has remained a widow since his death and was reliably informed by his comrade & blieve he was killed as stated above
And they further state that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.
Attest
T L Dean
C E Bent
(14) Susan Roan
<her X mark>
Ann Long
<her X mark>
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 27 day of March, 1867; and I hereby certify that I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim. and that the above was read over & explained to both claimnt & witnesses before signing
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my official seal.
H. E. Hudson
U S Commissioner DWT
