Declaration for Pension:
State of Missouri, County of Douglas. On this 26 day of Feb. 1907 personally appeared before me, a Notary Public within and for the county and State aforesaid Elias Cobb who, being duly sworn according to law declares that he is 66 years of age, and a resident of Near Larissa, county of Douglas, State of Missouri; and that he is the identical person who was enrolled at Douglas Co. Mo. under the name of Elias Cobb, on the 12 day of June 1861, as a private in Co. "D" Webster Co. Reg. Mo. Home Guard, under Capt. Richard Haynes in the service of the United States, in the Civil war, and was Honorably Discharged at Douglas Co. Mo., on the 1st day of Nov. 1861. That he also served State Militia Service of about 30 days. That he was not employed in the military or naval service of the United States otherwise than as stated above. That his personal description at enlistment was as follows: Height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, Light; color of eyes, Blue; Color of hair, light; that his occupation was farmer; that he was born March 25 1840 at Sequache Valley Tenn. That his several places of residence since leaving the service has been as follows: Douglas Co. Missouri, also Ozark Co., Missouri. That he is not a pensioner. That he has heretofore applied for pension, Claim No. 884097. That he makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll of the United States under the provisions of the act of February 6, 1907. That his post office address is Larissa, county of Douglas, State of Missouri.
Also personally appeared Tyra Denney, residing in Zenda, Mo. and Curtis Turner, residing in Ava, Mo., persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who, being by me duly sworn, say that they were present and saw Elias Cobb, the claimant, sign his name to the foregoing declaration; that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of the claimant and their acquaintance with him of 20 years and 15 years, respectively, that he is the identical person he represents himself to be, and that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.
Signed by Tyra Denney and Curtis Turner.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26 day of Feb., A.D. 1907, and I hereby certify that the contents of the above declaration, etc., were fully make known and explained to the applicant and witnesses before swearing. My commission expires 10/1/1910 Jos. V. Pitts, Notary Public. Stamped by the U. S. pension office March 2, 1907.
Following is a statement from his doctor. Many words are hard to read so could be some mistakes.
State of Missouri
County of Douglas
"In the matter of pension claim of Elias Cobb late of company D. Webster? County Reg's Missouri Vols personally came before me, county clerk in and for the aforesaid county and state.
W. R. Hanfer?, M.D. who I hereby certify is a respectable and creditable person and who bring duly sworn declares in relation to the aforesaid claim as follows:
I have been the family physician for the last nine years. The claimant was in poor health at 1stacquaintance with him. I saw him and examined him ten or 15 days ago and find him suffering very bad with a heart Trouble? & palpitations. Also find him suffering from a Trouble? In the region of the Colin, complaining of much soreness in that Region, was not then able to be out of bed ,nor had been for 40 or 50 days. His wife is present now and tells me he is still growing worse. It is my opinion that he is liable to drop off at any minute. He further declares that his post office address is Ava, county of Douglas and State of Missouri and that he is not interested in said claim or concerned in its prosecution".
W. R. Henfer?? M.D.
Three possible death dates are given for Elias Cobb: 2/14/1918 and 2/16/1917 and 1898. Hope to get it straightened out some day.
His wife, Martha, died about 1873, but I think he divorced her before she died. He married
Meleta Smith in 1893. I have a copy of a marriage license of Elias Cobb and Meleta Smith in Douglas County, Mo, town of Ava, Mo. Some papers, in my possession indicate he divorced her also. It's hard to read but their residence was given and it looks like Larissa, Mo. or something like that. It was dated June 21, 1893.
Elias was a private of Captain Richard Haynes's Company of the Missouri Home Guard.
He was
enrolled on the 12th day of June, 1861 was discharged on November 1, the same year. This is documented in many instances. The Army allowed him credit for only 2 months of actual service for this enlistment, but records also indicate he served again from Aug. 11, to Sept 10, 1862 in Co. H, 73 Reg. EMM as private. He applied for a pension 20 odd years later but it appears he never got it. There is a paper headed "To All whom it may concern" that is dated Aug., 1887. (difficult to read) It might be when he applied for a pension. It was under the provisions of the act of congress of May 15, 1886, whatever that was.
Another paper, Military Service shows he served as private from June 12 to Nov. 1, 1861.
There
is a no. 882f097. In it he is termed "Invalid".
Another application for pension appears to have been filed Oct. 7, 1891, claim No. 884097
showing he was a private in Co. 73, Reg't, Eu, Mo. Mil Vols. In this paper the army is asking for a report of the soldier's record in the organizations he had specified.
Request for Discharge Certificate: Dated March 31, 1894 asks that the Discharge
Certificate of
Elias Cobb from Co. D., Webster Co., Missouri Home Guard be sent to Charles & William B. King, No 918, F. St. Washington, D.C. It was signed by Elias Cobb.
General Affidavit: Undated, a Neighbor, David J. W. Hess is writing in a sworn statement
on behalf of Elias Cobb about his condition:
"The said Elias Cobb is a neabor of mine and his health is such he cant be up. he has bin bed fast 41 days and he's in a dangers condishion. i have bin aquainted with him 2 years and over and he has bin ailing all the time and he is geting wors of all the time i live a clos neabor to him at this time my ocipation is a black smith and Larissa my post office----Douglas County, Missouri"
(Signed by David, J. W. Hess)
General Affidavit: Undated, A probate judge is writing for Elias his sworn statement.
......"That on the last of November, 1885, I was assisting to load piling log, when the binding chain broke and the log struck me in the breast and shoulder and broke the collar bone, and put the shoulder out of place."
'The affiant further states that on or about the 20th day June, 1874 he was hauling lumber and had the wagon fast, and in endeavoring to pull the wagon back, the wagon ran back on him and broke two ribs on the left side.
(Signed by Elias Cobb)
Letter dated Jan. 7, 1892. Some words I cant read enough to be sure.
Larissa, Douglas County, Mo. January the 7 1892, -----B. Raum, Commissioner
"Sir, i would like to no how it is that my discharg shows that i served 138 days in U.S. servis and my claime is regected and that ----- i did not have time a nuf Pleas let me no and i wood lik to commence new. and i wood lik to file my papers with you if that will do So if it will do send me Blanks to ----my claime up and if not give me some good attorneys name to tend to it fore me i ------nothing so let me hear in the return mail.
Yours Respetefuly, Elias Cobb."
Here is excerpts from one of his applications for pension.
General Affidavit. State of Missouri, County of Douglas, In the matter of Pension, Claim of Elias Cobb............personally came before me, a gustic of the pece, in and for the aforesaid County and State...Elias Cobb..who I hereby certify, is a respectable and credible person, and who, being duly sworn, declares in relation to the aforesaid claim as follow: ( In his own handwriting just as he wrote it, spelling and all.)
"that my health is such that will not permit me to leave home i am sick & bed fast & under the doctors care i have bin bed fast forty fowr days I think my chance is bad & i am not abel to go before the bord to be examned & i do not know wheather i ever will be. i have spells that i git cold to my nees & when i have them spells my hart fluters & palpetates fearferely. i think i am in my proper mind. i also have smothering spells & if not released shortly the pension is not likely to ever do me any good i can set propt up inn the bed a litel while at a time".
He further declares that his post office address is Larissa, County of Douglas, State of Missouri.
Signed by Elias Cobb in his handwriting.
[I'm trying to learn why he was discharged so soon. Was he wounded?]