National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Civil War Pension Files, Application number 138666, Certificate Number 160284.
Documents from Hannah (Dawes) Howe's application for a pension based on her son Pratt's civil war service:
State of Wisconsin
Green Lake County
On this 31st day of October 1866 before me a Clerk of the Circuit Court in and for the County and State above named personally appeared Hannah Howe a resident of the City of Berlin in the County of Green Lake and State of Wisconsin, aged sixty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by Act of Congress approved July 14th 1862. That she is the mother of Albion P. Howe who was in his life time a private in Co. “D” commanded by Capt James C Catlin in the 5th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers commanded by Colonel __________________ and who died in the service of the United States at or near Spottsylvania Court House in the State of Virginia on or about the 8th of May 1864 from the effects of a wound received while fighting with the Rebels.
Declarent further states that she is the widow of Simeon Howe, the father of said Albion P. Howe. That said Simeon Howe has been dead for nine years last past, and that she has not since intermarried but still remains a widow. That she was wholly or in part dependant upon her said son, Albion P. Howe, for support. And that her said son left surviving him no widow child or children having never married. And she makes this application for a pension under the above mentioned act.
She also declares that she has not in any way engaged in nor aided not abetted the late Rebellion in the United States and that she is not in the receipt of a pension under the second section of the act above mentioned or under any other act. She hereby constitutes Frazier & Ryan of Berlin Wisconsin her Attorneys to prosecute the claim and procure a certificate.
Hannah Howe
Also on the same day personally came before me Henry A. Beckwith a resident of Berlin, County of Green Lake, State of Wisconsin and Maria Beckwith also a resident of Berlin, County of Green Lake, State of Wisconsin, both persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit and who being by me duly sworn say they were present and saw Hannah Howe sign her name to the foregoing declaration and they further swear that they have every reason to believe from the appearance of the applicant and their acquaintance with her that she is the identical person she represents herself to be.
Henry A. Beckwith
Maria Beckwith
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31st day of October 1866 and I hereby certify that the affiants are credible witnesses and the declarant is the person she represents herself to be and share no interest in her claim for pension.
Albert Long, Clerk Circuit Court
Green Lake County
Wisconsin
Canada
Province of New Brunswick
Charlotte County
I Hannah Howe do solemnly swear that I am the applicant in claim No. 138666 filed in the United States Pension Office. That my present Post Office address is St. George New Brunswick that I am seventy three years of age that my husband Simeon Howe died in St. George New Brunswick in the summer of 1857 that all the property he left me and all I had when he died and all I have had since is truely stated as follows: - A small lot of land in St. George aforesaid which I sold for ($80) eighty dollars. A piece of land in York County New Brunswick which I have sold for two hundred and fifty dollars. And all that remains now of the proceeds of the sale of said lands is the sum of Forty (40) Gold dollars which is still due & unpaid to me of the purchase money of said last mentioned piece of land.
That I depended upon my son Albion P Howe for my support that while the said Albion P Howe was in the service of the United States as a soldier he contributed to my support the sum of five dollars per month regularly and in addition to this sent me ten dollars on the 12th of Dec 1863 and before he entered the service he contributed to my support. I could not tell exactly how much, but a good deal. That my said son Albion P was unmarried when he entered the service and I have every reason to believe and do believe from my correspondence with him and reports concerning him while in the service that he remained unmarried up to the time of his death for I have never heard anything to the contrary. That I have not heard from my said son since his alleged death.
Hannah Howe
Subscribed and sworn to before me this seventeenth day of May in the year AD 1870 and I certify that the affiant Hannah Howe is a credible witness. That I am acquainted with her and her circumstances and from such acquaintance have every reason to believe that her statements as to her age and her property made in the foregoing affidavit are true.
C Messenett J.P.
Justice of the Peace
Saint George New Brunswick
Dominion of Canada 3d July 1872
On this third day of July 1872 before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for the County of Charlotte and Collector of Customs at the Port of St George, personally appeared Mrs Hannah How to me well known, and being first duly sworn deposes and says. I am the mother of A. P. Howe who enlisted as a volunteer in the 5 Wisconsin Regiment Company D about July 1861 and had served nearly three years the term for which he inlisted. He had sent me letters as often as every fortnight during the whole time he was in the army. In the Battle of the Wilderness near Spotsylvania I believe he was killed, as I have never received any correspondence from him since that time and have made all the inquiry in my power. In September 1865 I received a letter from H. H. Hecox who was a companion and fellow soldier of my sons, a copy of that letter I send herewith. I also received another letter from the same person in October 1865 a copy of which I herewith inclose. I received the articles of clothing etc belonging to my son which were found by Mr Hecox and forwarded to me. Some time after the war was closed and about a year after I had failed to get any tidings of my son, it was reported to me that a certain soldier whose name I think was King had returned to Wiscon and said he was in the battle with my son, that he saw him fall and that he with others was detailed after the battle to bury the dead, and that he recognized my son and helped to bury him about one mile east of Spotsylvania Court... [note: most of one line obscured by fold in the paper] ...certificate goes with this will testify that this man made this statement to him, if such is required. These letters and this report is all that I have ever learned of the fate of my dear son. I do not know where to find any person either Officer or private soldier who can give me any evidence of his death. I know he cannot be living if he were he would not stay away from me. All the particulars of any property left me by my husband and all of the means of support I have had since I was a widow have been fully stated in previous affidavits, my husband left me only my household goods, and a note against certain persons who have not yet, & I fear never will pay me all of it. The note was about $200 and there is still of principle & interest $150 due on it.
I was depending for support on my son A. P. How. What of his earnings I needed I received before he enlisted, while he was in the army I received five dollars a month, and I received what was called his back pay, and he forwarded me money from time to time while he was in the army. Copies of some of the letters I have already sent to the Department. I also received about two hundred dollars that my son had deposited with a friend in Wisconsin. My son had expressed a wish that a poor sister with a large family should have some assistance in case of his death and I felt that I must carry out his wish and I gave that amount to his sister. Since that time I have been dependent upon others for support, with great prudence I have been able nearly to furnish my own clothing. In every other way I have been supported by others. I was born in Bristol in the State of Maine and my son was born in Whiting, Maine.
At the time, or rather a while previous to his joining the army my son was employed as Clerk & Book Keeper for Thomas Weston & Co of Wisconsin, whose certificate goes with this paper. I may here add that my daughter in Wiscon told that about or shortly after the battle of the Wilderness, she saw in the Milwaukie Sentinel it reported that A. P. Howe fell in that battle. My husband left one small piece of real estate which the heirs gave to me and I sold it for sixty dollars. My husband died in 1857.
Hannah Howe