William Cate’s Civil War Southern Claims Commission File — Deposition of Thomas A. Cowan
Additional Testimony for the Commissioners of Claims at Washington
Claim of William Cate of Bradley county, Tennessee no. 15.774 and 20702
Deposition of Thomas A. Cowan
Aged 26 years. I am the son of John N. Cowan, deceased, and reside on his farm with my mother since his death. This farm is broadside adjoining the farm of the claimant and I am not related to the claimant and have no interest in his claim. I am the oldest living child of my deceased father.
My father was a rebel in the late war, and I know that he always regarded the claimant as a Union man and I hever head him speak of him in any other way than as a Union man and I have heard him speak of him often.
I am satisfied that the rebels of our neighborhood all regarded him as a Union man.
Question by the claimant – Does Mr. Leonard Carrouth’s farm join yours and how near does he live to you and when did he move to that place?
Answer – Our farms join. Our houses are not a quarter of a mile apart. He moved to that place to the best of my recollection in the spring of 1865. Mr. Carrouth’s place also joins the claimants farm.
Question – Do you know how the said Carrouth regarded me after he came into my neighborhood – as to loyalty? Till he left?
Answer – My recollection is he always spoke of the claimant as a Union man. I don’t think he ever spoke of him in any other way as long as he lived here.
signed,
T.A. Cowan
before, John W. Ramsey – Spec. Comm.
Links to each section of the transcribed file:
- Introduction & Part VIII — Conclusion
- Part I — William Cate’s Claimed Losses
- Part II — Notes from the Office of the Commissioners of Claims
- Part III — Depositions Taken in 1875 Regarding Claimant’s (Cate) Loyalty
- Part IV — Opinion Submitted by John B. Brownlow, U. S. Special Commission
- Part V — Additional Testimony for the Commissioners of Claims at Washington
- Depositions:
William Cate ~ Joseph H. Davis ~ Leonard Carrouth ~ Capt. A. E. Blount ~ John A. Steed ~ J. F. Larrison ~ Mrs. Sidney Henderson ~ Col. D. M. Nelson ~ Samuel Grigsby ~ Andrew J. Maples ~ John A. Hague ~ Herman Foster ~ Thomas L. Cate ~ James McGhee ~ Thomas Rains ~ D. B. Oneal ~ Thomas A. Cowan ~ C. L. Hardwick ~ Joseph Calloway ~ J. C. Steed ~ Joseph R. Taylor ~ William W. Wood(s) ~ James H. Brown ~ James S. Robertson ~ John H. Craigmiles ~ John H. Parker ~ John McReynolds ~ John W. Witcher
- Depositions:
- Part VI — Summary of All Evidence for and Against Cate’s Loyalty
- Part VII — Opinion of Witnesses by John W. Ramsey
- Part VIII — William Cate’s Letter to Judge A. O. Alder
The information in these articles was formerly linked from Bradley County TNGenWeb to a site owned by Danny Roy Williams at Geocities. The site was last available in 2009. It is available through the Internet Archive here. No copyright infringement is intended.