John O. Huff (1837-1887) Pension Records
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United States Army pension records for Private John O. Huff (1837-1887), Ninth New Jersey Infantry Regiment, Company E. Pension records were filled out by the solider if wounded or by his wife and children after his death. Handwritten text is shown in italics. Stamped or pre-filled text is bold.
These papers are, at times, hard to follow. Most of the time they are trying to fix errors in previous claims - specifically daughter Sarah's birth date -- and reaffirm that his widow has no real income.
Source: National Archives, 9th New Jersey Infantry, Company E for Private John O. Huff.
File
CERT NO. 557979
PENSIONER MARY ANN HUFF - WIDOW
VETERAN JOHN O. HUFF
NO. 48364
March 2, 1865 Claim
On March 2, 1865, John Huff filed a Claim of Officer or Soldier for Invalid Pension in Sussex County, New Jersey. His residence was Flatbrookville in Walpack Township. He was 27 years old. The document identifies his re-enlistment on January 18, 1864 at Newport News, Va. in Company E of the Ninth New Jersey Infantry Regiment "Veteran Volunteers" with Captain Hopper. The document also identifies his discharge date as February 11, 1865.
... on the 30th day of July 1864 he received a gunshot wound produced by a rifle ball in battle before Petersburg, Virginia; the ball (something) through the (something) phalanx of thumb of right hand / necessitating amputation of (something...) through the metacarpal bone of the same hand - producing 1/4 disability -
This document was notarized by a Henry Huff.
June 14, 1887 Widow's Declaration for Pension
Mary Ann Huff, aged 43 years, filed this document with the Prothonotary of the Court of Common Please in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The document indicates they were married on December 24, 1864 by Timothy Huff, J.P. in Stillwater, Sussex County, New Jersey. The document also clearly states her maiden name was Mary Ann Crawn. Other information in the document indicates John died February 17, 1887 who "while in said service and line of duty contracted an obscure disease of his stomach or bowels with which he suffered each year thereafter until he died of said disease".
Mahlon Huff (son) was born on March 23, 1870 (17 years, 2 months, 22 days) and Sarah M Huff (daughter) was born February 2, 1874 (13 years, 4 months, 12 days). Both children reside with their mother.
Joseph Hardenstine of Standing Stone and P. C. Vanness of Towanda witnessed the document.
Mary Ann made her mark on the document; she did not sign her name.
Pension cert no. 40,073
January 10, 1889 Application for Accrued Pension
Claim No. 365728
R. & P. Div. No. 527082
Application originally filed on March 4, 1887. Pension certificate number 40,073. This document says John & Mary were married December 25, 1864; this conflicts with earlier applications.
March 30, 1901 Declaration for Widow's Pension
Mary Ann, now 59 and living in Standing Stone, filed more papers to get her late husband's pension benefit. This document says that daughter Sarah Margaret Huff, a minor when John died, was born January 2, 1874. This conflicts with earlier applications.
April 3, 1901 Pension award
On this date, Mary Ann was awarded $8 per month. The original document appears dated August 10, 1893. This document, however, states John & Mary Ann were married on December 24, 1864 by Timothy Huff Esq in Stillwater, New Jersey.
This document also addresses Mary Ann's marriage to Daniel Campbell, which would have nullified her right to John's pension; "on the 4th day of January 1890 she was married to Daniel Campbell. She afterwards asertained said Daniel Campbell had a living wife. Said Campbell left her about the month of March 1890, he was never her lawful husband. He left her and that said marriage was void."
May 2, 1901 General Affidavit=
Filed by Mary A. Huff (age 59) of Standing Stone. She indicates she is the mother of the minor child Sarah M. Huff now intermarried with J. F. Williams who was born on January 2, 1874. Dr. Wm. Clagett was the attending physician at the birth. This document was witnessed by Joseph H. Baker and Rosie Hardenstine (Mary's other daughter).
July 30, 1901 Second marriage annulled
Probably to make the bureaucrats happy, the file contains an annulment of the Daniel Campbell marriage effective July 30, 1091.
April 3, 1902 Declaration for Children under 16
This document indicates that Sarah M. Williams was Sarah M. Huff and 28 years old on this date. She claimed she was the daughter of John O. Huff and Mary A. Huff. She also indicated she was born on January 2, 1874. She was married to J. Frank Williams. This was filed by Sarah M. Williams.
She respectfully asks to be permitted to prosecute her claim under date of that Declaration...
June 2, 1902 General Affidavit
Sterling Dixon, a neighbor of Mary Huff in Wysox, Pennsylvania submitted this affidavit. He states he knew John O. Huff and wife Mary since 1865. He confirms he suffered with diarrhea, disease of the bowels and continued to suffer with the same disability until the date of his death.
June 2, 19092 General Affidavit
Mary A. Huff filed an affidavit explaining that she had been married to John. She also noted she had not been married since but to Daniel Campbell, but that marriage was annulled.
October 29, 1902
The Department of the Interior requested that Mary A. Huff provide a statement in her own handwriting all of the facts relating to the wound, injury or disease John O. Huff suffered while in the service.
November 4, 1902
Daniel Kent, of Baleville, New Jersey responded to the request of October 29 as follows John O. Huff had the Chronic Diareah [sic] and also had his right thumb shot off close up the the hand. I cannot give dates but know that those things did occur.
November 15, 1902 General Affidavit
Mahlon Huff, age 32, clarifies his sister Sarah Margaret (Maggie) Huff's birth date to be January 2, 1874 and indicates there is no other record, official or church, except 'family records' that document her birth or baptism.
November 21, 1902 General Affidavit
Margaret Mingle (age 56), wife of C. M. Mingle and sister of Mary Ann Huff, affirmed that she was at work for her sister Mary A. Huff when her said daughter Margaret (alias Maggie alias Sarah M.) was born she fixes the date from her own memory aided by the family Record of the soldier of John O. Huff dec'd to be January 2, 1874. She also states that Maggie Huff now writes her name as Sarah M. Williams. The Mingle's lived in Ulster Township, Pennsylvania.
April 24, 1903 General Affidavit
David King reported that he has known Mary A. Huff for 55 years. She has been extremely poor since her husband's death and that she has done family washing for his household.
May 4, 1903 General Affidavit
Mary (61), currently living in Branchville, New Jersey, reports she owns no real or personal property except that which she wears and some old household furniture.
June 6, 1903 General Affidavit
F. E. Bush of Standing Stone affirmed that Mary Huff did not own any property and had no income but from her manual labor.
July 19, 1920 Pensioner Dropped
This document indicates Mary Ann's death on the 10th of the month closes her account.
August 7, 1920 Application for Reimbursement
Mahlon Huff requested funds to pay for his mother's funeral.
Downloads
- Pension Records 1865-1899 (ZIP) · 1.4 MB
- Pension Records 1900-1920 (ZIP) · 2.7 MB
