Cass County Letters, Poems, Pension Papers, etc.

John S. Harper's civil war pension file. John S. Harper lived in Cass County, Illinois and married Hannah V.
Capper there in Nov 1860.  John S. Harper was involved in printing and publishing when he enlisted in the civil war, but due to severe sunstroke while a soldier, he was not able to do much of this type of work thereafter.

January 1863
Army of the United States, Certificate of Disability for Discharge John S. Harper, a Private of Captain Henry D. French's company G of the Seventy Second Regiment, Illinois of United States Infantry, Volunteers,  at Chicago, Illnois on the 29th day of July   1862 to serve three years.  He was born at Maysville in the State of Kentucky; is twenty nine years of age; five feet six and one half inches high; dark complexion, grey eyes,  brown hair, and by occupation when enlisted a printer.  During the last two months the said soldier has been unfit for duty sixty days.  While at Cairo, Illinois Sept 1, 1862 while in the line of duty was taken by sunstroke rendering him insensible eight hours and eventually with partial hemiplegia and slight mental aberration,
totally and permanently disqualifying him for the performance of military duty.   Signed, Wallace M. Purcell, M.D. Soldier discharged this sixth day of Jan'y, 1863 at Cairo, Illinois.

Nov 1863
Claim for Invalid Pension approved for $8. per month, based on Hemiplegia due to Sunstroke; disability total. Pensioner's Post Office address:  Galesburgh, Knox County, Illinois

Feb 1880
State of Illinois, Cass County
Virginia, Illinois
Letter from  J.J. Berice (or Burice? )
This is to certify that I have knows Mr. John S. Harper for nearly twenty years.  My first acquaintance with him was after he was discharged from the 72nd Vol's.  He has been an editor and publisher during almost the entire time since and has been a very prominant man and leader in the Republican party.  I am knowing to the fact that he has been disabled from the time of his discharge to the present time, in the summer months more seriously than in the winter, and at no time has he been able to do manual labor.   Having been engaged in his office in various capacities, I have had good chance for observation and believe that his affliction is caused by the sunstroke received while in the line of duty in the army, as a soldier.  It is my opinion that he has
injuries not only in the body but the mind as well among the indications of which may be named loss of memory, nervousness, excitability and a failure to connect words and sentences in writing and public speaking, all of which I attribute as the result of the injury alluded to.  His bodily sufferings are severe pain in the head, back and side, dizziness of vision, frequent spells of vertigo.  I have known him to be compelled frequently to use cold water packs on his head and he has often been unable to attend to any business whatsoever.  At no time has he been able to perform manual labor.   Signed:  J.J. Burice ?,  Formerly Editor New Era, Chandlerville and Jeffersonian, Virginia.

March 1880
State of Illinois, Cass County
Letter from George Plahn ?
In the matter of the application of John S. Harper Personally appearing, George Plahn being first sworn on oath says that
he is a resident of the city of Virginia in Cass County, and states that he is now and has been engaged in merchandising in said County for 25 years; that he is now and has been acquainted with John S. Harper since the year 1860; that at the time of his first acquaintance, the said John S. Harper was engaged in the profession of printing and publishing in the City of Beardstown in said County; that he was at that time physically sound and fully capable of carrying on and performing the necessary labor incident to said occupation as printer and publisher. That he has since the year 1863 been disabled and physically unfit for
the profession of printer and that said physical disability in the opinion of this affiant is of such a nature and character to whooly
unfit the said Harper to carry on with any occupation requiring physical health and strength.   Signed,  Geog. Plahn ?

Jan 1898
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
To:  John S. Harper,  LeRoy, Illinois
Sir, will you kindly answer at your earliest convenience the questions enumerated below:
Are you a married man, if so, state your wife's full name and her maiden
name:  Yes.   Mrs. Hannah V. Harper ;  Hannah V. Capper
When/Where were you married and by whom:  In Beardstown, Illinois Nov 8,
1860, Judge Wiles
Have you any children living, if so state their names and dates of
birth:  Two children both dead.  J.M.C. Harper died October 1883;
Charles Harper died in infancy in 1873.    Signed,  John S. Harper

November 1907
State of Illinois,  McLean County
Medical Affadavit by E.E. Sargent, M.D.
I have been in the practice of medicine for fourteen years and have known the applicant well during this time. I have called upon and treated him at various time for severe pains in his head.  The last visit was one and a half years ago at which time the applicant became dizzy on the street and fell to the sidewalk. He suffered greatly with pains in frontal and back portions of the head and was confined to the house and bed for a few days...His memory is failing and at times he becomes ver absentminded about his daily duties. In his talking, he fails to find words properly to express himself on many occasions.  I regard him wholly unable to perform any manual labor and he is at times unable to perform his office duties.  All of this is in my opinion a
result of the sunstroke.
Signed, E.E. Sargent, M.D.

March 1911
State of Illinois, McLean County
Widow's Declaration for Pension
Personally appeared,   Mrs. Hannah V. Harper, aged 80 years, a resident of the city of LeRoy, County of McLean, State of Illinois, who being duly sworn, declares:   that she is the widow of John S. Harper; that she was married under the name of   Hannah V. Capper to the said John S. Harper on the 8th day of November 1860 by Judge Wiles at Beardstown,
Ilinois.  That there were no former marriages.  That the said soldier died Feb 12, 1911; that there are no children living under sixteen years of age.   That her post office address is: LeRoy, County of McLean, State of Ilinois.       Signed,  Hannah V. Harper

February 20, 1911
State of Illinois, County of McLean
Affadavit of  Azarias Capper, in the matter of the pension claim of
Hannah V. Harper
Personally appeared, Azarias Capper, whose age is 72 years,  and whose post office address is Rockport, Missouri, who on oath states in relationship to the aforesaid case, that he is a brother of the said claimant Hannah V. Harper and knows of his own knowledge, that he know both before they were married which occured on or about Nov 8, 1860 at Beardstown, Illinois.  The affiant states that they lived together as husband and wife until the death of the soldier which occured Feb 12, 1911 at LeRoy, Illinois and that they had never been divorced. Signed,   Azarias Capper

March 1, 1911
State of Illinois, County of Menard
In the matter of the claim of Hannah V. Harper, widow of John S. Harper.  Personally appeared,  Courtney Ann Smith, whose age is 71 years and whose Post office address is Petersburg, Illinois, who states in relations to the aforesaid case;  that she is a sister of claimant, that she knew said claimant and soldier before they were married; and that neither were previously married; that they lived together as husband and wife until the date of the soldier John S. Harper, which occurred on Feb 12, 1911 at LeRoy, Illinois, and that the said Hannah V. Harper has not remarried since his death. Signed,   Courtney Ann Smith

Oct 20, 1916
Affadavit of Hannah V. Harper, of LeRoy, Illinois
To: Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Sir:  I am pensioned under certificate No. 719207 because of the soldier John S. Harper.  I am eight six years of age, having been born on March 26, 1830.  I am entitled to an increase in pension under the provision of the first section of Act of Sept 8, 1916.   Signed,  Hannah V. Harper,  Post Office Address:   LeRoy, Illinois

Oct 1919
To Chief, Finance Division
In the matter of the pension of Hannah V. Harper of Rockport, Missouri You are hereby notified that a check for $75. hs been returned to this office by the Postmaster with the information that the pensioner died Aug 5, 1919.
Respectfully,  Guy O. Taylor, Disbursing Clerk

NOTE:  Hannah V. Harper is buried at the same cemetery as Azarias Capper in Atchison County, Missouri.
The following info is abstracted from cemetery records and her obituary:

Note: Hannah is  buried in Linden Cemetery in Atchison County, Missouri near her brother Azarias Capper. Hannah V. Harper born Mar 24 1830 Ohio and died Aug 5, 1919 age 89 yrs. Her husband was John S. Harper and she was the daughter of Merideth Capper and Eliza Carter Capper. Note: Info from obit and coroners report.

Submitted by Candace Gravelle
P O Box 3
Albany, Oregon 97321

Henry Talkemeyer
Camp Oldenah Stockin? Tenn. Feb.5,1864

Dear Father: bros. and sisters. It is always a good pleasure to hear from youand find you all well and I thank God for keeping me well also. I left the place again. I am 20 miles east of Chattanooga. Dear father, in the direction of Knoxville and the Rebels across from us. We must go as the railroad goes. Dear father, I am in good spirits and I don't believe we will have to go much farther. The Rebels seem that they cannot win Dear father, Henry Meyer saw William Meyer near Chattanooga and talked with him and Henry Meyer is in good health.
Fritz Meyer gave me up (reported to home) That I was missing (presumed dead) on the 3rd of Feb. because he hadwritten me and recieved no answer I did not get the letter, probably because it was sent to Co. C instead of Co. E and I sent him a letter which he did not get. Herman Fricke came back but he is not here with me. Herman Duffelmeier and I are still together. It is good to hear from you. Henry Telkemeyer
Co E 115 Ill Vol Chattanooga Tenn.
Dear Brother in law your letter was recieved

Here is a copy of the first side of the letter from Frederick Nolden to his
brother Louis Nolden during the Civil War.
He was in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Translation:

" Little Rock,Ark, Sept 16,65

Dear brother Louis,

I did receieve your good wishes. And it pleased me that you had thought of me on Sept 3. As my thank you, I will send you a flag. I was very sad to hear that your eyes are in bad shape, however,I hope that you will soon feel better again. Just try to be a good man,dear Lucki. Soon I will come and visit you again, and then I'll tell you all the news. Now live well and I hope with God for a happy reunion with you. I would like to write a longer letter, but the mail leaves from here tomorrow, and I still need to write three other letters this evening to Andres Platner,Henry Nickel and Frank Sewald. Therefore I have to close now.
With warmest regards from your brother Fredrek.

The signature is highly embellished.
Louis translates to the German Ludwig,for which one of the nicknames is Lucki.
Two brothers Frederick Gerhardt Nolden and Louis Nolden of Beardstown,Cass,Ill.

Ginger Weston