DEPOSITION M
Case of David H. Savage, No. 291007

On this 18th day of November, 1884, at McConnelsville, County of Morgan, State of Ohio, before me, John A Carr, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Thomas J Fouts, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories to him during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says:

Q. Please state your age, occupation, postoffice address, and relationship to claimant.

A. I am in my 65th year; cooper by trade; McConnelsville Morgan Co, Ohio, a brother-in-law of claimant.

Q. When did you form Mr. Savage's acquaintance?

A. I have known hiim since he was a boy.

Q. What means had you of knowing his physical condition for the three years preceeding his enlistment in 1861?

A. I worked with him at coopering, during those years.

Q. What disease or ailment did he then complain of?

A. There was nothing ailing him them. He was a stout hearty young fellow. That was in Hooksburg, this county.

Q. How soon after his return from the army did you see him and what was his condition at that time?

A. They brought him to our house from the boat when then brought him home from the army. He was sick.

Q. What was the matter with him?

A. For one thing he was nearly blind, and he had diarrhoea. I did not know of anything else.

Q. What caused his blindness?

A. I supposed it was from measles. He had the measles very bad in the army - as they wrote home. I did not expect he would ever see again. His eyes were red and inflamed.

Q. How long did the diarrhoea continue?

A. I do not believe he got rid of it inside of a year. He got over the diarrhoea - but it was about three years before he could do any work - on account of his eyes; He had something the matter with his heart.

Q. When did you first know him to suffer from any heart trouble?

A. I don't have an ideat that it was over three years. It was as soon as he went to work. I worked with him and he would give out.

Q. What makes you think it was heart trouble?

A. His heart would beat a good deal, and people called it heart disease then; that was all I knew of it. He would get weak and he would have to sit down.

Q. What part of a man's work could he do each year?

A. He got so near blind that he could not do "tight-work" - which is the better, finer kind of coopering. We would "scribe" out a circle and shave the headings of the barrels to that circle, but he got so he could not do that, and had to work on rougher work, did not pay near so well. He could not do more than half work - has not been able to do more than that any year since. This was on account of his eye-sight failing.

Q. Did his other trouble disable him any?

A. I do not know but his heart troubled him. His heart would flutter, and he would have to sit down to rest, so he could not do as much work.

Q.

A.

his mark
Thomas J + Fouts
deponent

witness to mark:
L E Dodd
David H Savage

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 18th day of November 1884, and I certify that the contents were fully make known to deponent before signing.

John A Carr
Special Examiner.

Updated on Saturday, 08-Sep-2018 16:08:41 MDT