Cocke County, Tennessee
Rhoda (Welcome) Huskey
Civil War Widow's Pension

Names mentioned: Welcome Huskey, Rhoda Valentine Huskey, son Welcome Huskey, William Lindsey, FL Emert, Henry Huskey, James Noe, William Valentine, Robert Valentine, Noah Murr, Cary Dennis, Sarah Wilson, Elizabeth Valentine, Elizabeth Smith, William Baxter, Henderson McMahan, William R McGaha, JI Waters, PA Valentine.

Original records may be found online through various genealogy databases, or by requesting copies of military records in government archives.

Abstracted and submitted by Bruce Price

Welcome Huskey served as a private in Co G, 2nd Tenn Cavalry. He enrolled 9/16/1862 and died in the hospital in Nashville of erysipelas (an acute bacterial skin infection) on 12/31/1862. Another report said he died of typhoid fever.

Welcome Huskey and Rhoda Valentine married 4/01/1849 She married Welcome Huskey at William Lindsey's in Sevier County on 4/01/1849. They were married by FL Emert, a JP. They had two children: Welcome, born 12/21/1862, and Henry [calculated birth year abt 1852].

On 1/6/1866, Rhoda filed her declaration for a widow's Army pension at age thirty-seven. She went to Sevierville to file the paperwork but lived in the 10th Civil District of Cocke County. At this time her son Henry, age 14, was living with James Noe near Morristown in Jeffferson County and son Welcome, age 3, lived at home with her. William Valentine and Robert Valentine, residents of the 3rd District of Sevier County and the 10th District of Cocke County, witnessed Rhoda's signature.

On 3/21/1867 in Cocke County, Elizabeth Smith swore that she was midwife at the birth of Welcome Huskey, son of Welcome and Rhoda Huskey. Henderson McMahan and William R McGaha witnessed her signature.

On 3/27/1868, Sarah Wilson and Elizabeth Valentine swore under oath that on 12/21/1862 in Cocke County, they were present and witnessed the birth of a male child of Rhoda Huskey, that the child is living, and that the said Welcome Huskey was the father of the child, and that the child is called by name "Welcome". They also stated that Elizabeth Smith, who officiated as midwife, had left the country and they did not know where she was. Robert Valentine and William Baxter witnessed their signatures.

Rhoda remarried to Noah Murr on 8/17/1871 by Cary Dennis, a JP.

On 11/29/1902, Rhoda Huskey reapplied for a pension, having divorced Noah Murr on 2/24/1897. JI Waters and PA valentine witnessed her signature.

Rhoda died 2/23/1907.