Additional evidence, underlined by hand in the original
and shown as underlined in this transcription, is requested.
The date stamp on the back indicates when it was returned
to the Pension Office; this is the one document in the
set where the appropriate back may not be properly attached,
but it appears to be. The underlining may be the work
of the attorney Kellogg, instructing the local authorities
in what is specifically needed. Presumably he sent a
letter as well, but such was never sent to the Pension
Office.
Navy, Old War, and Bounty Land Division R. W. D. [initials uncertain]
Service Pension, War of 1812 or Bounty Land Claim.
Department of the Interior,
Pension Office,
Washington, D.C., February 13th, 1879.
Sir,
In the claim of Sarah Walker as the
widow of Edward Walker for a pension
under act of March 9, 1878, No. 32556proof
of her marriage to the soldier is required.
You are informed that proof upon this point is
of value in the following order:
1. A certified copy of the town, county, or other
public record, or the sworn copy of a church record.
2. An affidavit of the officiating clergyman
or magistrate.
3. Testimony of two or more eye-witnesses of
the ceremony.
4. Affidavits of children whose ages would show
the date of marriage or commencement of cohabitation.
5. A copy of family record, sworn to by custodian,
certified by the magistrate to be correct, and
that the original appears to be genuine. When
this class of evidence is furnished it must be
shown by whom and when the record was made, and
the date of the Bible, or other book, in which
the record is made, must be given, and it should
be corroborated by other evidence of at least
as high order of the 6th class.
6. The testimony of two or more witnesses who
know the parties to have lived together as husband
and wife from the date of their alleged marriage,
the witnesses stating the period during which
they knew them thus to cohabit.
Witnesses under the 2d, 3d, 4th, and 6th classes
of testimony must state the circumstances or cotemporaneous
events by which they are enabled to fix the date
of the marriage, and the witnesses should state
their ages at the time they testify.
XBefore any of the lower classes of
evidence can be accepted, it must be shown by
competent testimony that none higher can be obtained
If the claim is for service pension under the
act of February 14, 1871, marriage must be proved
at a date prior to February 17, 1815.
If the claim is for service pension under either
the act of February 14, 1871, or March 9, 1878,
proof will be required to show whether the
claimant has again married since the death of
the soldier on whos services the claim is made.
The fact and date of death of soldier must
be proved.
The credibility of all witnesses must be certified
to by the magistrate before whom their testimony
is executed, and the magistrate and all witnesses
must state whether they have any interest in the
claim.
If the claim is for Bounty Land, widowhood at
the time of making the application must be proved.
Return this Circular with the evidence.
Very Respectfully, J A Bentley
Commissioner.
[To:] J. S. Kellogg, Esq.
P. O. Box 717
Washington D. C.
