Scott County Arkansas
Civil War Pension Application
WILLIAM FRANKLIN CATES, USA
Contributed by Carolyn Hanna
DECLARATION FOR ORIGINAL INVALID PENSION
State of Arkansas, County of Scott, ss:
On this 13th day of July A.D. one thousand eight hundred
and eighty 6, personally appeared before me, a clerk of the
Circuit Court a court of record within and for the County
and State aforesaid William F. Cates aged 57 years, a resident
of the town of Boles, County of Scott State of Arkansa who,
being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the
identical William F. Cates who was enrolled on the 23rd day
of August 1862 in Company "G" of the 8" Regiment of Mo. Cav. Vols.
commanded by Capt. H. Garrison and was honorably discharged at
Little Rock, Ark. on the 20" day of July 1865; that his personal
description is as follows: Age, 57 years; height 6 feet 2 inches;
complexion Light; hair brown; eyes blue. That while a member of
the organization aforesaid, in the service and in the line of duty
at Springfield, in the State of Missouri on or about the first day
of October 1862 he cut three fingers from his hand while cutting
a piece of timber. He claims pension for loss of 3 fingers from
Left hand. That he was treated in hospitals as follows: Regimental
Tent used for Hospital. That he has never been employed in the
military or naval service otherwise than as stated above. That since
leaving the service this applicant has resided in the State of
Missouri, in the State of Arkansas, and his occupation has been
that of a Farmer. That prior to his entry into the service above
named he was a man of good, sound physical health, being when
enrolled a Farmer. That he is now much disabled from obtaining
his subsistence by manual labor by reason of his injuries, above
described, received in the service of the United States; and he
therefore makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed
on the invalid pension roll of the United States.
He hereby appoints, with full power of substitution and
revocation, A.B. Webb, of Washington, D.C., his true and lawful
attorney to prosecute his claim. That he has never received nor
applied for a Pension. That his Post-Office address is Boles,
County of Scott, State of Arkansas.
Wm. F. Cates
Attest: John Hauthorn
A.E. Goolsby
Southern Div.
A.C.K. Ex'r.
No. 580,577
Wm. F. Cates
G. 8 Mo. Cav.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Pension Office,
Nov. 30th, 1886
Sir:
I have the honor to request that you will furnish from the
records of the War Department a full Report as to the service,
disability and hospital treatment of William F. Cates, who, it is
claimed, enlisted Aug. 23, 1862, and served as a Private in Co. G,
8 Reg't. Mo. Cav; also in Co. [blank] and was discharged at Little
Rock, Ark., July 20, 1865.
While serving in Co. G, 8 Reg't. Mo. Cav., he was disabled
by loss of three fingers left hand at Springfield, Mo. Oct. 1,
1862 also [blank] and was treated in hospitals of which the names,
location, and dates of treatment are as follows: Regimental Surgeon,
and Regimental Hosp'l.
Very respectfully,
John C. Black, Commissioner
The Adjutant General, U.S. Army.
Proceedings of a General Court Marhsal which convened at the
HdQrs. of the 8th Mo. Cav. Vols. by virtue of Special Order No. 7
and of which Maj. J. Teed of the 8th Mo. Cav. Vols. was President.
The accused, Private Wm. F. Cates, Co. "G", 8th Mo. Cav.
Vols. was arraigned on the following Charge and Specification.
Charge Desertion
Specification, In this that the said William F. Cates a Private in
Co. "G" 8th Mo. Cav. Vols. having been left sick at Springfield, Mo.
on or about the 4th day of December 1862 under charge of Dr. Ebert,
did on or about the 28th day of January 1863, leave said sick camp
[at] Springfield Mo. with no leave from Dr. Ebert the officer in
charge thereof with the intention thereby of abandoning the service,
and did remain absent from his command, untill he was apprehended
by the authorities of Springfield, Mo., at his home in Greene County
Mo., on the 7th day of February 1864, and was by them remanded under
arrest to his command, then at Duvalls Bluff, Arkansas, which he
rejoined on the 19th day of March 1864.
To which Charge and Specification, the accused pleaded as
follows:
To the Specification "Not Guilty"
To the Charge "Not Guilty"
The Court having maturely considered the evidence adduced
find the accused, Private William F. Cates, Co. "G" 8th Mo. Cav.
Vols., as follows:
Of the Specification "Guilty"
Of the Charge "Guilty"
Special Orders,}
No. 131.}
WAR DEPARTMENT,
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, March 17th, 1865.
(Extract)
3. The unexpired portion of the sentence of a General
Court Martial, in the case of Private William F. Cates, Company
"G," 8th Missouri Cavalry, is remitted. He will be released from
confinement at the Military Prison, Little Rock, Arkansas,
(where he is now supposed to be,) and returned to duty with his
regiment.
The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the
Necessary transportation.
By order of the President of the United States:
E.D. Townsend,
Assistant Adjutant General.
Official:
[Signed] E.D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant General
C.O. 8th Missouri}
This Dept. of Arkansas}
Special Orders,}
No. 131}
WAR DEPARTMENT,
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, March 17th, 1865.
(Extract)
3. The unexpired portion of the sentence of a General
Court Martial, in the case of Private William F. Cates, Company
"G," 8th Missouri Cavalry, is remitted. He will be released from
confinement at the Military Prison, Little Rock, Arkansas, (where
he is now supposed to be,)and returned to duty with his regiment.
The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the necessary
Transportation.
By order of the President of the United States.
E.D. Townsend,
Assistant Adjutant General.
Official:
[blank]
Assistant Adjutant General
Lieut. Col. Breck
USS OB No 40 DEA1865
War Department A.G. Officer
Washington, March 17, 1865
Lincoln, A., President
By E.D. Townsend
Asst. Adjt. General
Special Order No. 131.
Remits the unexpired portion of the sentence of a General Court
Martial in case of Private Wm. F. Cates, Co. "G" 8th Mo. Cav.
Orders his release from confinement, and that he be returned
to duty with his Regiment.
[Stamped:] Received Mar 30 1865, Hdqrs. Dist. East Ark.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Adjutant General's Office,
Washington, Mch. 14, 1887
Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions.
William F. Cates, a Private of Company G, 8th Regiment
Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, was enrolled on the 16 day of
August, 1862, at Springfield, Mo. for 3 yrs., and is reported:
Present on Muster in Roll of Co. dated Sept. 15/62, Roll to
Oct. 31/62, present, Nov. & Dec/62 Absent sick at Springfield
Mo. since Dec 14/62. Subsequent Rolls to April 30/64, Absent
Without leave since Jan 28/63. May & June/63 Left camp Straggler
Springfield Mo. without leave Jan 28/63. Reported Deserter since
April 30/63; Dropped from subsequent Roll until May & June/64
Reports present. In arrest for desertion since March 19/64.
July & Aug/64 absent with remark: Expatiating his crime for
desertion in Little Rock Penitentiary. Subsequent Rolls to Feby
28/65 absent. Sent to Mil. Prison Little Rock Ark. July 28/64.
R.C. Drew,
Assistant Adjutant General
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
State of Ark; County of Scott, SS:
In the matter of Wm. F. Cates. On this 29 day of Oct. A.D.
1890, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in
and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer
oaths, J.J. Overton, aged 72 years, a resident of Boles in the
County of Scott and State of Ark. whose Post Office address is
Boles, Ark. and W.D. Draper, aged 53 years, a resident of Boles
in the County of Scott and state of Ark. whose Post Office
address is Boles, Ark., well known to me to be reputable and
entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in
relation to aforesaid case as follows: have ben acquainted with
him 18 years he has lost 3 fingers from one hand and the end off
the other has the piles, bad lungs, badley affected.
We further declare that we have no interest in said case
and are not concerned in its prosecution.
J.J. Overton
W.D. Draper
CLAIMANTS AFFIDAVIT
State of Arkansas, County of Scott, SS:
In the matter of pension claim of William F. Cates, late
of Co. "G" 8th Reg't. Mo. Cav'y.
On this 21st day of October A.D. 1892, personally
appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for the
aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths,
William F. Cates, aged 63 years, a resident of Boles in the
County of Scott and State of Arkansas whose Post Office address
is Boles, Scott County, Ark., well known to me to be reputable
and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn declared in
relation to said case as follows: That he first contracted
disease of heart as well as he can remember about the 15th
day of September 1871, and that he first contracted disease of
liver about the 1st day of February 1865 and that said disability
[illegible] and that said disabilities are to the best of
claimants knowledge and belief of a permanent character, and
that both [illegible] diseases were contracted prior to Aug.
27, 1890.
Wm. F. Cates
DECLARATION FOR WIDOW'S PENSION
State of Arkansas, County of Scott, SS:
On this 21 day of October A.D. one thousand eight hundred
and ninety six personally appeared before me E.L.E. Beauchamp,
a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State
aforesaid Lydia Cates, aged 63 years, a resident of Scott,
State of Arkansas, who, being duly sworn according to law,
declares that she is a widow of William F. Cates, who enlisted
under the name of William F. Cates at Springfield, Greene County
Missouri on the 16 day of Aug. A.D. 1862 in Co. "G" 8 Mo. Cav.
and served at least ninety days in the late war of the
rebellion, who was honorably discharged July 20, 1865 and died
Sept. 30, 1896, that she was married under the name of Lydia
Mankin to said William F. Cates on the 14 day of August A.D.
1850 by Rob Gaimeson at Sand Spring, Mo., there being no legal
barrier to said marriage no former marriage, that she has not
remarried since the death of said William F. Cates, that she is
without other means of support than her daily labor; that names
and dates of birth of all children now living under sixteen years
of age of the soldier are as follows: No children under the age of
16 years. That she has not heretofore applied for pension, sold's.
app'l. #580,577. That she makes this declaration for the purpose
of being placed on the pension roll of the United States under
the provisions of the act of June 27, 1890.
She hereby appoints A.B. Webb of Washington, D.C. her true
and lawful attorney to prosecute her claim; and she hereby
promises and agrees to pay her said attorney the sum of ten ($10)
dollars for his service herein, which sum she authorizes and
requests the Commissioner of Pensions to pay out of the pension
which may be granted her under this application. That her Post
Office address is Boles, County of Scott, State of Arkansas.
Lydia Cates
Attest: G.M. Goodner
Wilburn Smith
State of Arkansas, County of Scott, ss:
Sworn to and subscribed before me this day by the above
named affiant, and I certify that I read said affidavit to said
affiant, including the words [blank] erased, and the words [blank]
added, and acquainted them with its contents before they executed
the same. I further certify that I am in nowise interested in said
case, nor am I concerned in its prosecution; and that said affiant
are personally known to me and that they [are] credible person[s.]
Geo. M. Goodner
Justice of the Peace
I, Thos. M. Duncan, Clerk of the County Court in and for
aforesaid County and State, do certify that Geo. M. Goodner Esq.
who has signed his name to the foregoing declaration and affidavit
was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace in and for said
County and State, duly commissioned and sworn; that all his official
acts are entitled to full faith and credit, and that his signature
thereunto is genuine.
Witness my hand and seal of office, this 6 day of Nov, 1896.
Thos. M. Duncan,
Clerk of the Circuit Court.
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
State of Arkansas, County of Scott ss:
In the matter of Mrs. Lydia Cates, widow of William F. Cates,
deceased, Co. "G" 8th Reg't Mo Cav. Vols:
On this first day of June, A.D. 1897, personally appeared
before me, a Clerk Circuit Court in and for the aforesaid County,
duly authorized to administer oaths, William Mankin, aged 67 years,
whose Post Office address is Boles, Scott County, Arkansas, who,
being duly sworn, declared in relation to said case as follows:
also personally appeared on same day P.F. Mankin, aged 63 years,
whose post-office address is Boles, Scott County, Arkansas, who,
being duly sworn, declared in relation to said case as follows:
That they each of the above named affiants were each personally
acquainted with the soldier William F. Cates, and the claimant
Mrs. Lydia Cates for several years prior to their marriage, and
that affiants know of their own personal knowledge that neither
the said William F. Cates nor the said Lydia (Mankin) Cates had
ever been previously married prior to their marriage; Affiant
William Mankin states that he cannot remember now how many years
he was acquainted with the soldier William F. Cates prior to his
marriage to his sister the claimant Lydia Cates, but that it was
a number of years, and that he, affiant, William Mankin lived near
said soldier William F. Cates for a number of years prior to his
marriage to the claimant Lydia Cates, and knew said soldier
personally and saw him frequently, and knows that if said soldier
had ever been previously married the fact would have been known
to him affiant William Mankint. Affiant William Mankin further
states that the claiment Lydia Cates is his sister, that he was
present when she was married to the soldier William F. Cates,
and therefore knows of his own personal knowledge that she had
never been previously married before she was married to the soldier
William F. Cates.
Affiant P.F. Mankin states that the claiment Lydia Cates
was raised within about 20 or 25 miles of where she affiant
P.F. Mankin lived in Missouri, and that affiant P.F. Mankin
was personally acquainted with the claiment Lydia Cates about
3 years before her marriage to the soldier William F. Cates,
during which period of three years said claiment lived only
about one and a half miles from the residence of affiant P.F.
Mankin, and that affiant PF. Mankin was also personally acquainted
with the soldier William F. Cates for upwards of about two years
before his marriage to the claiment Lydia Cates, and that affiant
was present and an eye witness to the marriage of soldier William
F. Cates and the claiment Lydia Cates, and that from what she knew
and heard of them both prior to their said marriage she affiant
knows that if either of them had ever been previously married the
fact would have become known to her and that she never heard or
knew of either of them having been previously married.
Affiants William Mankin and P.F. Mankin further state that
the above and foregoing affidavit and testimony was written down
by T.M. Duncan, Clerk of the Circuit Court, at Waldron, Arkansas,
on the first day of June, 1887, and only from the oral statements
of the affiants then and there made to the said T.M. Duncan, and
that in making said affidavit affiants were not aided or prompted
by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated
by some other person and not attached as an exhibit to their
testimony.
William Mankin
H.D. Price
P.F. (her X mark) Mankin
S.T. Poe
State of Arkansas, County of Scott, ss:
Sworn to and subscribed before me this day by the above
named affiants, and I certify that I read said affidavit to
said affiants, including all the words erased, and all the
words added, and acquainted them with its contents before they
executed the same. I further certify that I am in nowise
interested in said case, nor am I concerned in its prosecution;
and that said affiants are personally known to me and that
they [are] credible person[s.]
Thos. M. Duncan
Clerk Circuit Court
By S.K. Duncan, D.C.
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
State of Ark}
County of Scott} SS.
In the matter of the claim for W.F. Cates, personally came
before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State
aforesaid Dr. L.K. Robertson & Dr. W.L. Tolleson, person[s] of
lawful age, who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to the
aforesaid claim, as follows: I, L.K. Robertson have known W.F.
Cates for 18 years as his family physician and during that time
I know he was minus 3 fingers off of one hand. He had lost his
hearing when I first knew him to some extent and from a spell
of sickness he lost his hearing completely. He was a sufferer
from Rheumatism what time I knew [him.] I was with him during
his last sickness and of the opinion that Tuberculosis of the
bowels caused his death. My Post Office is Parks, Ark.
Boles, Scott Co., Ark., Oct. 13, 99.
I, Dr. W.L. Tolleson do certify that I have known W.F.
Cates for over 20 years and have been one of his Family
Physicians for that length of time and was [illegible] of
3 fingers off of his left hand and he had lost his hearing to
a considerable degree, was hard to converse with. I attended
him in his last illness. It was my opinion the cause of his
death was Tuberculousis of the lower bowels connected with
Rheumatism. I am not interested in the prosecution of this
claim. My Post office is Boles, Ark.
Dr. W.L. Tolleson
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
State of Arkansas}
County of Scott} SS.
In the matter of the claim for Lydia Cates, widow of Wm. F.
Cates Co. G - 8 Mo. Cav.
Personally came before me, a Justice of the Peace in and
for the County and State aforesaid William Mankin & John W.
Hawthorn, persons of lawful age, who, being duly sworn, declare in
relation to the aforesaid claim, as follows and that said witnesses
state that it is true that said injury was not caused by vicious
habits because he never had any such habits. And further, that
the said witnesses were personally acquainted and intimately
acquainted with soldier before the occurance of the loss of his
fingers of left hand. He had always been regarded as a truthful
and reliable person, and was of good habits. And hence they have no
reason to believe that his injury was caused by vicious habits.
I, J.F. Pinnick, being a near neighbor to said widow Mrs.
Lydia Cates and also not being an interested party entirely will
state that I had been intimately acquainted with said soldier W.F.
Cates for many years previous to his death. And I can freely state
that he was a man of good moral character and not addicted to any
vicious or immoral habits, and was a regular attendant at our Sat.
& Sunday Church Meetings (Free Will Baptist.) This I know from being
a brother in said church with him. And also, as being Church Clerk
for four years. Now I will say to you, if you please try to push
this work along as speedily as you can, as I know Mrs. Lydia Cates
is quite needy, being thrown on her own resources for so long a
time. And am well satisfied that she has a merited and deserving
claim.
J.F. Pinnick
Age 67 years, P.O. Boles, Ark.
Pictured above is the tombstone of William F. Cates in Buffalo Cemetery
in Scott County, Arkansas
Return to Scott County Civil War Records