Archive:Civil War Pension File, Bernard King Whitney
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Civil War Pension File of Bernard King Whitney
Widow, Mary A. Whitney, formerly the widow of Charles M. Tindall, PVT, Co. C, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry
Invalid Applic. # 406307 Cert. # 257051
Widow's Cert. # 361998
National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Bernard King7 Whitney (Samuel L.6, Jacob5, Benjamin4, John3, Benjamin2, John1).
Corporal, Company K, 30th Wisconsin Infantry.
On 19 June 1880 Bernard K. Whitney signed a Declaration for original Invalid Pension from Faribault County, Minnesota. He is fifty years old and a resident of Verona, Faribault Co., Minnesota. He entered the service on 3 December 1862 as a private in Company K, 30th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry commanded by Captain John Klatt. He was discharged at Madison, Wisconsin on 11 July 1865 by order of the Adjutant General. His personal description is as follows: 50 years old; 5 feet 6 inches tall; with a dark complexion, dark hair, and blue eyes. While in the service and in his line of duty near Henderson, Minnesota in June of 1864 he was thrown from a wagon. Falling on his back, he received injury which has resulted in paralysis of his right side, right arm and leg, caused decay of the right testicle, and caused piles. Since leaving the service he has resided at Winnebago, Blue Earth County, and Verona, Minnesota. His occupation has been store clerk and lumber dealer. Prior to his service his occupation was farmer. He wishes a pension because he is now in part disabled.
An Examining Surgeon's Certificate dated 2 August 1882 from Winnebago, Faribault Co., Minnesota describes Bernard as 52 years old, 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a dark complexion. He is disabled for life due to paralysis of the right side, right arm and leg, destruction of testicles, and piles.
In an affidavit accompanying his application, Bernard testifies to his medical care. From April 1865 to the fall of 1868 he was treated by Dr. Bennett, at which time Bernard moved from his home near Tomah, Wisconsin to Winnegabo City, Minnesota, where he has been treated by Drs. Humes and Slagle. Bernard was admitted for a pension at a rate of eight dollars per month commencing 12 July 1865, and at twelve dollars per month from 3 March 1873.
On 5 July 1898 Bernard replied to an inquiry from the Bureau of Pensions. He is now a widower. He had been married 1 January 1854 at Seven Mile Creek, Wisconsin. He had not been previously married. He has three living children: Albion K., born 1 September 1855; Eugene H., born 21 June 1860; and Frank N., born 25 December 1872.
On 15 December 1908 the Adjutant General's Office provided information from Bernard's military records to the Commissioner of Pensions. In the record he is thirty-two years old, 5 feet six inches tall, with a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His place of birth is Phillips, Maine.
On 24 April 1891 from Faribault County, Minnesota Mary A. Tindall signed a Declaration for Widow's Pension. She is forty-eight years old and a resident of Winnebago City, Faribault Co., Minnesota. She is the widow of Charles M. Tindall, who enlisted on 4 October 1862 in Company C, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry as a private in Captain Lewis M. Buford's Company. He was honorably discharged 26 December 1864 and died 16 October 1865 at Kelly Station, Kentucky. She was married under the name Mary A. Orr to Charles M. Tindall on 8 April 1857 by J.M. Poe, Justice of the Peace, at Pilot Mound, Minnesota. She has not remarried since his death, and has no children under the age of sixteen. She appoints B. K. Whitney of Winnebago City as her attorney.
W. A. Billings, Clerk of the District Court of Fillmore County, Minnesota Territory provided a certified copy of the marriage record. On 8 April 1858 Charles M. Tindall was married to Mary Ann Orr. Both were of Fillmore County. It was signed by Joseph M. Poe, Justice of the Peace. The record was dated 13 April 1858.
On 17 January 1893 Mary A. Tindall provided a deposition. She is 49 years old and a resident of Winnebago City, Faribault Co., Minnesota. Her husband had served in Company C of the 3rd Kentucky Cavalry, and had died in Christiana Co., Kentucky on 16 October 1865. They had been married 8 April 1858 in Fillmore Co., Minnesota. She was 17 years old, and he 23 or 24 then, and she has no children. Charles had worked as a carpenter in Fillmore County until after they married. They then moved to a farm seven miles west of Chatfield, Minnesota. They lived there until September, 1858 when Charles went to southern Illinois as a witness in legal proceedings, and then to Kentucky. He remained with his sister, Mrs. Dorinda Belk, in Edwardsville, Illinois until he enlisted. He wrote to her occasionally and sent her money. He did not explain why he didn't return to her or to send for her. He never wrote after his discharge, and she learned of his death from his sister, Mrs. Belk, who is now deceased. She said he had died the previous October of consumption at the home of his uncle, James Boyd, at Kelly Station, Christiana Co., Kentucky. Her husband had always been well, and assumes he contracted consumption in the service. After Charles left for Illinois, she moved to her father's home near Pilot Mound, Fillmore Co., Minnesota until about 1867 or 1868. She then removed to Chatfield, Minnesota for about 2 years, and then removed to La Crescent, Minnesota until 15 years ago when she came to Winnebago City.
Mary A. Tindall received a pension, and was last paid at twelve dollars per month to 4 April 1899, when she was dropped from the roll because of remarriage.
On 7 September 1908 from Martin Country, Minnesota Mary A. Whitney signed a Declaration of a Widow for Restoration of Pension. She is 67 years old and a resident of the Village of Truman, Martin Co., Minnesota. She was formerly pensioned as the widow of Charles M. Tindall, who died 16 November 1865 by reason of a wound or injury received in the service. Her pension had terminated because of her marriage to Bernard K. Whitney. Said marriage took place 4 April 1899 at Winnebago City, Minnesota. That said husband died 3 November 1908 at Truman, Minnesota. She did not remarry again after the death of Bernard K. Whitney.
On 24 February 1909 from Winnebago City, Faribault Co., Minnesota Mary provided an affidavit in support of her application. She owns a small cottage on about ¼ acre of land in the village of Los Gatos, California. She has contracted to sell the property for one thousand dollars, of which about one hundred has been paid. The person contracted with has defaulted on the payments and does not intent to fulfill the contract. She feels that rent for the property will not exceed five dollars per month over the expenses of owning the property. She has no other property other than a small amount of household goods. She has no income from any source, except if the California property is sold, she may realize six hundred dollars. The only person to whom she was married after the death of Charles Tindall was Bernard K. Whitney. They were married at Winnebago City on 4 April 1899. Bernard K. Whitney died at the village of Truman, Minnesota on 3 November 1909 (sic). He was buried at Winnebago, Minnesota (see commentary).
On 21 May 1909 from Chippewa Co., Wisconsin, in support of Mary's application, William and Rosetta Steese (sic) provided testimony in an affidavit. They are residents of Bloomer, Chippewa Co., Wisconsin, where they have resided for the last thirty years. They are 73 and 67 years old respectively. They were acquainted with Bernard K. Whitney since 1855 to the time of his death. Rosetta is Bernard's sister, and William his brother-in-law. They testify that prior to Bernard's marriage to Mary Whitney nee Tindall, the only marriage he had contracted in was to Miss Climina D. Hastings. They were married in January, 1854, and Climina died in April, 1898, prior to his marriage to Mary A. Tindall.
On 5 April 1909 Margaret Rouse, age 64, a resident of the village of Lakefield, Jackson County, Minnesota provided testimony in support of Mary's application. She is Mary's sister. She testified to the marriages of her sister, Mary.
On 23 July 1915 the Financial Division was notified that the last check made out to Mary A. Whitney had been returned by the postmaster at Winnebago, Minnesota. The postmaster notes that Mary is now confined in the Hospital for the Insane at St. Peter, Minnesota. On 1 November 1921 the Commissioner of Pensions was informed that Mary A. Whitney had died on that date at The Minnesota Soldier's Home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Commentary
Bernard King Whitney family burials at Riversides Cemetery, Faribault Co., MN.
The correct spelling of Rosetta & William's last name is Stees.
Living in Los Gatos, California in the 1900 census is Elijah Skinner Whitney and his wife Allaseba T. (French) Whitney from Maine via Minnesota. Elijah is the son of Ephraim and Nancy (Skinner) Whitney. Could they be the contractors for the sale of the Bernard Whitney property in Los Gatos?
Copyright © 2008, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group
