TSLA RG 202 Military Records Roll # 110 Confederate Soldier Pension Application
Transcriber’s note: Gilford Jiles Blankenship (Gilford Jiles Blankenship was born October 13, 1840 and died October 20,1926. He was the son of BENNETT BLANKENSHIP AND CATHERINE HUDDLESTON. He is buried in the Blankenship Cemetery in Van Buren County.) He was a resident of White County, TN during the War. Company E, 25th Tennessee Infantry
Filed July 22, 1926 No. 16054
Status: Rejected
I, G. J. Blankenship a native of the State of Tennessee and now a citizen of Tennessee, resident at Pikeville in the County of Bledsoe in said State of Tennessee, and who was a soldier from the State of Tennessee, in the war between the United States and the Confederate States, do hereby apply for aid under the Act of the General assembly of Tennessee, entitled “An Act for the benefit of the indigent and disabled soldiers of the late war between the States, and to fix the fees of attorneys or agents for procuring such pensions and fixing a penalty for the violation of the same.” And I do solemnly swear that I was a member of Company E, 25th Tennessee Regiment in the service of the Confederate or United States, and that by reason of disability and indigence I am now entitled to receive the benefit of this Act. I further swear that I do not hold any National, State or County Office, nor do I receive aid or pension from any other State, or from the United States, and that I am not an inmate of any soldier’s home, and that I am unable to earn a reasonable support for myself and family. I do further solemnly swear that the answers given to the following questions are true:
Q. In what County, State and year were you born?
A. Halifax County, Virginia in 1840
Q. When did you enlist and in what command? Give the names of the regimental company officers under who you served.
A. Volunteered August 1861. In Captain D. M. SUTHARD’S command. Colonel SIDNEY STANTON, G. G. DIBREL was Lieutenant General, Major TIM WILLIAMS,Major General DICK SANDERS.
Q. In what battle or battles were you engaged in, and, if not wounded, state what disabilities did you receive if any?
A. SHILOH, PERRYVILLE, MURFREESBORO, CHICKAMAUGA. Was attacked with rheumatism.
Q. What was the precise nature of your wound or disabilities, if any?
A. Rheumatism in legs and right arm
Q. Were you incapacitated for service by reason of said wound or disability incurred?
A. Yes, went through with great suffering.
Q. Were you discharged from the army by reason of said wound or disability?
A. No
Q. If discharged from the army, where were you and what did you do until the close of the war?
A. This question was left blank because he was not discharged.
Q. What was the name of the surgeon who treated you?
A. Dr. Calbert
Q. How did you get out of the army, when and where?
A. Came home to see sick mother in November 1863 – At Campbell Station. (Knox County)
Q. Were you in prison? If so, state what prison and when released.
A. In prison at Sparta, Tennessee ten (10) days in 1863.
Q. Were you paroled? If so, when and where.
A. No
Q. Did you take the oath of allegiance to the United States of America?
A. Yes, at Kingston, Tennessee, November 1863.
Q. If so, when and under what circumstances?
A. In 1863. Forced to take it.
Q. Have you applied for pension before this? If so, about when?
A. Yes, about ten years ago. Papers reported lost.
Q. Are you married, or have you been married?
A. Yes
Q. If so, what is the size of your family living together?
A. I am living with my daughter, Mrs. J. M. Deweese.
Q. What are the respective ages of your wife and the children living with you?
A. My wife is 67 years old and lives with her grandchildren.
Q. To what sex do your children belong?
A. Four girls and three boys all married and have families of their own.
Q. In what business are you now engaged, if any, and what do you earn?
A. Not any business. Earn nothing.
Q. What estate have you in your own right, real and personal, and what is its actual cash value?
A. Not any
Q. What estate has your wife in her own right, real and personal, and what is its actual cash value?
A. Not any
Q. State the gross income of yourself and your wife from all sources for the past year. This must include all money received either from wages, rents or interest on loaned money, if any. Also family supplies raised or received from rents and used by your family.
A. Not any
Q. How have you derived support for yourself and family for the last five years?
A. By my labor until I was totally disabled.
Q. Do you use intoxicants to any extend?
A. No
Q. How long and since when have you been an actual resident of the State of Tennessee?
A. Eighty-one years.
Q. Have you an attorney to look after this application?
A. James Brady, Spencer, Tennessee
Witness my hand this 9th day of July, 1926
Signed: G. J. BLANKENSHIP (Gilford Jiles Blankenship was his full name) Rt. 3, Pikeville, TN
Witnesses: ISAAC BARNES, M. D. Pikeville, TN
W. P. SEXTON Rt. 4, Pikeville, TN
State of Tennessee, Bledsoe County
I, W. B. STEPHENS, Trustee of said County, certify that G. J. BLANKENSHIP and his wife are assessed with no acres valued at $ 0 and with no personal property. Witness my hand this 12th day of July 1926.Signed: W. B. Stephens, Trustee(If applicant and his wife have no property, the Trustees must so certify.)
State of Tennessee, Bledsoe County. Personally appeared before me R. E. LOYD, a Notary Public of said County, the above named G. J. BLANKENSHIP, the applicant, with whom I am personally acquainted, and having the application read and fully explained to him, as well as the statements and answers therein made, made oath that the said statements and answers are true.
Witness my hand and seal of office, this 13th day of July, 1926.Signed: R. E. LOYD, Notary Public
State of Tennessee, Bledsoe County.
Personally appeared before me FRANK S. FERGUSON, Clerk and Master of said County, the above named ISAAC BARNES, M. D., one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing application and who is a physician of good standing, and being duly sworn says that he has carefully and thoroughly examined G. J. BLANKENSHIP, the applicant and find him laboring under the following disabilities:
Cardiac Asthma, chronic Intestinal nephritis. He has a complete loss of left eye. He is physically disabled to attend to any kind of laborious work. He has been under my care and attention for ____ for 12 months.Signed: ISAAC BARNES, M. D.Witness my hand and seal of office, this 12th day of July, 1926.Signed: FRANK S. FERGUSON
State of Tennessee, White County.
Personally appeared before me FRANK TURNER, County Court Clerk, of said County, two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing application, with whom I am personally acquainted, and known to me to be citizen of veracity and standing in this community, and who make oath that they are personally acquainted with the foregoing applicant, and that the facts set forth and statements made in this application are correct and true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and that they have no interest in this claim, and that said applicant’s habits are good and free from dishonor. And JAMES CLOYD and I. A. HUTSON further made oath to the following facts touching the applicants service in the left blank army.
I, JAMES CLOYD, knew G. J. BLANKENSHIP, the applicant and know that he served in the Army for more than a two years and made a good soldier.
I, I. A. Hutson, knew G. J. Blankenship and know that he served in the Civil War as Confederate Soldier for more than one year.
Witness my hand and seal of office, this 9th day of July, 1926.
Signed: FRANK TURNER, County Court Clerk
Letter pertaining to his request for a pension:
I volunteered with the understanding that I would get furloughs each year but failed to get any. We were at Campbell’s Station near Knoxville (TN) wascalled to go to Richmond (VA) to reinforce Longstreet. Before going I went home to see my sick mother. Was cut off from my regiment by the Federals.Before I could get back to my Regiment they were captured. …. Helpless and ifthere is any thing for me. Would be glad to get it. I am eighty-six years old and am almost blind. Please let me hear from you at once. (Seems that part of this letter is missing.)
Yours as ever, G. J. BLANKENSHIP
Letter from the War Department
The Adjutant General’s Office Washington
July 27, 1926
Tennessee Board of Pension examiners, Nashville, Tennessee.
The records show that Gifford J. Blankenship, enlisted as Pvt., Co. E., 25thReg’t. Tenn. Inf., C. S. A. July 31st, 1861, at Livingston, Tennessee, also shown as Tullahoma and was promoted to Corp. July 1st. 1863, and on muster roll dated Apr. 6th 1864 (last on which borne), is shown Deserted Nov. 28,1863 near Knoxville, TN. Subsequent rolls on file cover the period from May1st, 1864 to Dec. 31st, 1864 but no record of his capture, parole or later service has been found. Signed: Brigadier General, Acting, The Adjutant General By G. N.
Letter dated September 3, 1926 to Gilford Blankenship regarding his pension application.
Mr. G. J. BLANKENSHIP
Pikeville, Tennessee
Dear Sir: The board has considered this case and disallowed it.
The Confederate War Records report that you enlisted July 31, 1861 and deserted November 28, 1863, went home see your mother, was captured and took the oath of allegiance, and was never in the army again. Such a record is not pensionable.
Yours truly, By order of the board, No signature
Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pattie Cochran
