THE CASTO AFFIDAVITS, STONE PRAIRIE HOME GUARD

THE CASTO AFFIDAVITS, STONE PRAIRIE HOME GUARD

THE CASTO AFFIDAVITS

Affidavit of March 16, 1898

State of Missouri
Barry Co.

Sworn Statement from John Casto,

I, John Casto, enlisted as a volunteer under Captain John Sexton on Stones prairie Barry Co. Mo. on the 3 day of May 1861.

John Carson was our Lieutenant, Carson was captured about the 4th of June and cut to pieces, consequently made no report of our service. [Note 1.]

We elected Dupe (?) Johnson as our Lieutenant after the death of John Carson. [Note 2.]

Our co. being weak we joined Siegel and Sweeny, were sworn in regularly. We scouted daily and made our reports daily. We had no tents or bed so we lay upon the bear ground at night and during my service I contracted a very bad cold which terminated in the loss of my hearing in right ear. When I inlisted I was sound in every particular.

We were disbanded in green co. near Wilson Creek battle ground, on the 9 or 10 of aug. 1861.

this 16 day of March 1898

his
John X Casto
mark

witnesses N. C. Brown
J. D. Taler

State of Ark
Benton Co.

Sworn & subscribed to before me a Notary Public in and for Benton Co. Ark This 16 day of March 1898

F M Marr N. P.

Commis. Ex. June 13 1900

Affidavit of July 31, 1899

So Div
orig N 1204490

John Castro Indipt Co Stone Prairie Mo Home Guard

In the above entitled claim for orig Sur Pension personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the county of Searcy and Sate of Ark John Castro who bein dully sworn peposes and sais that he was bornd in the State of virginna March the 25 1805 and at the age of 14 years moved to the state of ohio and served an apprentice as Blacksmith at galipoluce galio co [Gallipolis, Gallia County]. in the year 1883 moved to the state of Missouri and lived in Barry county at the commencement of the Rebelion and on the 5 day of May 1861 he vol in capt John Sexton co. Lieut John Carson had care of the co Records and he was captured and killed sometime in the month of June. we then elected DuP Johnson as 1st Lieut to fill the place of Lieut Carson deceased. we had then served 2 months and one month later on august the 6 we were discharged. it durin this servis that he contracted the deafness as they were wholly unsupplied with camp equipage and had to lye on the ground with out either bed or cover. the nights cold and damp. that he taken cold in the head and it resulted in deafness in the right ear and partial in the left and after he was discharged he returned to to his home in Barry county Casville Mo and was taken prisoner by capt suttle of the Confederate army. was kept under guard and caused to do some blacksmithing for them about 10 days. they their paroled me and he then went home and staid about 10 days. he then left and went to Ft Scott Kan where was stationed some U S troops and staid there until the nex spring 1862 he then left Ft Scott Kansas and went to green county Mo and remained there until 1863 when he joined Co B 72 E. M. M. Capt Harts was his capt. Shepard was col. Holland was gen. he remained in that servis until 1864 and was disbanded. he then returned to his family in green county Mo wilson creek Po [post office] and remained there about 2 years then moved to Larrence co chesapeak Post and lived there until 1894 and then moved to witts springs searcy county ark. it was while living at chesapeak Larrence co Mo he had the first Physician Dr Means who was his first and only Dr he ever used. he [Dr. Means]lives at Marionsville Mo. the reason he [Casto] can not furnish the affidavit of his capt is that he is ded and if there is any of the comrades that was with him the servis he dose not know who they are nor wher they live.

he further declares that his Post office adess is witts springs searcy co ark

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31 day of July 1899

Affidavit of December 4, 1900

I John Castro being sworn acording to law make statement upon oath that I enlisted in John Sexton's co. independent home guards of Mo. on 5th day of May 1861 that I served about 95 days, we were without shelter or suitable bedding, it was during this service lost my hearing

I wanted to join 24 Mo. but on account of bad hearing they would not take me then I offered to go with John Sexton to 6th Kansas and he refused me on account of my bad hearing. My hearing has gradually got worse until now I am almost totally deaf.

This 4th day of Dec. 1900

his
John X Casto
mark

J. L. McAtee
G. C. Bates witnesses to mark

NOTES

(1) According to Carson family tradition, John W. Carson was not killed in June 1861 while serving with the SPHG, but in May 1862 at his home near Gadfly. He may have been captured and released while serving with the SPHG. Information from Scott Carson, a descendant of John W. Carson.

(2) Uriah P. Johnson is shown as Lieutenant on the company roster. John Carson is shown as a sergeant.

(3) At the time of his pension application, John Casto was in his 90s. A doctor who examined him on behalf of the pension agency believed his deafness was a result of old age. His pension claim was denied.

(4) In the second affidavit, I added periods between sentences for the sake of clarity.

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