Archive:Civil War Pension File, Charles J. Whitney
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Civil War Pension File of Charles J. Whitney
Mother: Emeline Whitney
Mother's Application #425603, no certificate
The National Archive Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Charles J.8 Whitney (Joseph Ingram7, Jabez6, Phineas5, Isaac4, Nathaniel3, Benjamin2, John1).
Company A, 137th Illinois Infantry
On 10 Jun 1890 from Adams County, IL, Emeline W. Whitney signed a Declaration for an Original Pension of a Father or Mother. She is seventy-five years old and the mother of Charles J. Whitney, who enlisted at Quincy, Illinois on 10 May 1864 in Company A, 137th Illinois. He died of pneumonia in the hospital in Kansas City on 10 Dec 1886. He left neither widow nor child under sixteen years old. She had been married to his father at Freedom, PA, on 13 Jun 1833 by Rev. George Holmes. She was wholly dependent upon said son for support. His father had died at Quincy, IL, on 23 Oct 1889. The declaration is witnessed by Edward E. Orr and Joseph J. Lusk. The return from the Adjutant General's office states that no record of his service could be found.
Emeline filed a Declaration for Dependent Mother's Pension again on 11 July 1890. She is seventy-five years old and her post office address is 1036 New Hampshire Street, Quincy, Adams Co. IL. No new information is supplied at this time. It was witnessed by Joseph J. Lusk and Mary W. Prentiss.
Emeline supplied a copy of her son's Certificate of Death. He died at City Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri on 10 Dec 1886. He was a single, white male, 40 years of age, born in Illinois. He died of pneumonia, and was interred at Quincy, IL, Cemetery.
William D. Morgan, age 77, and Mary G. Barr, age 73, both residents of Lansing, Allamakie County, IA, signed an affidavit as witnesses to the marriage of Emeline and her husband. They declare that they were personally present at the marriage of Emeline W. Whitney (nee Morgan) to Joseph I. Whitney, which took place at the residence of Robert Morgan in the town of Freedom, Beaver County, PA on 13 June 1833. The ceremony was performed by Rev. George Holmes, who belonged at that time to the Pittsburgh, PA, Conference of the M.E. Church, stationed at Beaver, Beaver Co., PA. The affidavit is witnessed by John S. Mobley and J.D. Johnson.
The application process continued for a number of years, as no record could be found for Charles' service. In 1894, Emeline further stated that her son had also served in Company K of the 50th Illinois infantry. Again, the War Department could find no record for that service.
Dr. Moses F. Bassett, a resident of Quincy, IL, signed a Physician's Affidavit in support of Emeline's pension application. Charles J. Whitney is described as a private in Co. A of the 137th Illinois Infantry, and a Corporal in Company K of the 50th Illinois Infantry. Dr. Bassett declares that he knew the soldier for about thirty years, and was well acquainted with him prior to his first enlistment, and after his second up to the time of his decease. Prior to his enlistment, Charles was sound and healthy. Soon after his second discharge, Dr. Bassett was called to treat Charles, and found him to be affected with irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs, with chronic bronchitis and catarrh of the nasopharyngeal spaces. He treated him and observed his condition from time to time whenever he was home, up to the time of his decease. He never recovered from the troubles, and his death was their direct result. Dr. Bassett has also been well acquainted with Charles' mother since 1856, and knows that she has always been an honorable, upright woman who raised and educated a large family, much by her own work and economy. Her husband was a feeble man and not able to earn a large amount of salary as a mechanic. Dr. Bassett believes Emeline to be entirely dependent upon her other children, none of whom are able to spare the means necessary for her support. No more worthy person has ever been an applicant for the bounty of the Government.
On 9 February 1891, Emeline's address was changed from Quincy, IL, to Bethany, MO. No further progress was ever made in documenting her son's military service. The claim was eventually stamped ABANDONED.
NOTE: The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System reveals that Charles Whitney served in Co. K, 50th Illinois Infantry, enlisting as a Private and being discharged as a Corporal. He also served in Co. A, 137th Illinois Infantry, as a Private, for 100 days in 1864. Probable cousins Isaiah M. Castle (Co. F), Whitney Castle (Co. E), and William H. Castle (Co. E) also served in the 50th Illinois Infantry. Probable cousins Henry A. Castle (Co. A), Rankin W. Castle (Co. A), and William H. Castle (Co. B) also served in the 137th Illinois Infantry.
Copyright © 2009, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group
