by Danny Williams

Introduction

If you love Civil war history or finding information on your ancestors in Bradley County, Tennessee, you’ll enjoy these transcribed files on William Cate’s claim against the Union taken in the years 1872-1876. I have deciphered and tried to put in a reasonable order two hundred handwritten pages that provide an insight on the lives of many citizens in Bradley County during the Civil War including my ancestor — Captain James H. Norman. Most people mentioned lived in Cleveland, Tennessee, or just north thereof. I make no opinions of any persons contained in this U.S. archive file which includes some rather interesting testimony taken from the below list of people and who speak of many others who lived in that area through and shortly after the Civil War.

William Cate, Joseph H. Davis, Leonard Carruth, Capt. A.E. Blount, John A. Steed, J. F. Larrison, Mrs. Sydney Henderson, Col. D. M. Nelson, Samuel Grigsby, Andrew J. Maples, John A. Hague, Herman Foster, Thomas L. Cate, James McGhee, Capt. Thomas Rains, D.B. Oneal, T.A. Cowan, C.L. Hardwick, Joseph Calloway, Justus C. Steed, Joseph R. Taylor, William Wood, James H. Brown, James S. Robertson, John H. Craigmiles, John H. Parker, John McReynolds, John W. Witcher, Jesse H. Gaut, John C. Gaut, Pleasant M. Craigmiles, Col. J. B. Boyd, Ainsworth E. Blunt, J.F. Campbell, William H. Low, W.(S.?) Montgomery, Meredith M. Legg, James F. Leeper, Captain W.L. Cate, Anthony Carter, James H. Swan, James A. Hassel

An Act of Congress of March 3, 1871, was intended to reimburse Union supporters who had suffered losses inflicted from the Union Army during the Civil War. People asking for reimbursement had to prove their case against the Union, prove their loyalty to the Union, and provide witnesses supporting their claim. Twenty-two thousand claims were made, but less than a third were paid. Only those who could prove unquestionable loyalty and proof of loss were even considered.

Conclusion

This case was ultimately closed on behalf of William Cate.  Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to tell from the papers I received from the Archives the amount he was awarded.

If you found this site interesting, would like to add something or know something on my Norman family, please email.

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
• 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.