Widow's Declaration for Army Pension by Catharine Tyson, April 17, 1867

On this 17 day of April 1867, before me, (1) Clerk & Master of the (2) Chancery Court in and for the County and State above named, 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 Charles Everice in the (8) 11 Regiment of (9) U S C Infty Volunteers, and who (10) was killed at Fort Pillow Tenn on or about the 12 day of April 1864, by reason of (11) gun shot wound in head. Killed in battle

That she was married to the said (5) Jerry Tyson on or about the 15 day of July A. D. 1859, at Jackson Tennessee by one James Carr a Col Minister; that her name before her said marriage was Catharine Epsem; and she states that she believes there is no public record of her said marriage That they were married when slaves and according to the customs of slavery & she can only furnish the evidence of witnesses present at the ceremony as the person who married them is dead or gone to parts unknown, 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, all of which will more fully appear by reference of the proofs hereto annexed.

That she cannot furnish the evidence of either any officer of surgeon as to her said husbands death as they have all gone to parts unknown and the evidence of witnesses herto avowed is the best and only evidence that she can produce of his death.

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 TUCKER & SELLS of Washington, D.C., her attorneys, with power of substitution to prosecute her claim and procure a certificate; hereby authorizing and empowering her said attorneys 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 Daniel Anderson aged 43 and Susan Roan aged 25 yrs residents of Memphis Tennessee 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 long personal acquaintance from chilhood being fellow servants in same neighborhood before the war. And witnessed the marriage ceremony of claimt & deceased at the time & place herein stated and Daniel Anderson, says he was at the battle of Fort Pillow and was detailed to assist in burying the dead the next day after the battle, and recognized the body of deceased among the dead and helped bury him.

Attest T. L. Dean
C E Bent

(14) Daniel Anderson
<his X mark>

Susan Roan
<her X mark>