Difference between revisions of "Mary Jane Bowlby Documents"

Revision as of 01:48, 23 June 2015

Luther to Mary.

Letter from Luther Hunt Johnson to Mary Jane Bowlby et al. Marked with 'word' where illegible.

Camp Benton, St. Louis, Mo, March 28th, 1862

Dear Wife & Family,

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I

word word word word at this time to answer your letter which

I received on words and was hapy to heare that you

are all well and I hope that you may still enjoy the

blessing of good health and if I cant be with you at the

word word that you will enjoy good health while I

am absent from home. I put off writing for a few days

on the account of pay which I goot to day but not as

much as I expected as the company was not full on the

first of march it was only alloud word pay which was

only ?13 dollars and I will send you ten dollars and I hope that

the next time I can send you more which I hope will be

the first week in May that is what the paymaster sais

word word cant talk till we get it. I received a letter from James

the same day that I got yours and I got one since I word

writing this letter from Aaron Park it was quite a letter as

you might expect I have ben well the most of the time

I cant think of mutch to write that will interrest you

but maybe it will Father as the most that I have to

write a loud in the movements here in camp which is some

think new every day there was two thousand cavelry

word word to day for word and the Artillery that

Justice is in will leave the first of the week for

the same place and I expect that we will leave

in about two weeks but I dont know where to

yet and it is not likely that we will know till

we get ready word word and we wount have more than two

days notice and maby only one night I cant think of

much to write for I give you all the particklers in my

word word you can have a faint idea of camt Benton

or rather the word ground by looking at this pickture

which represents it on the east and you can see the

round hous that I spoke of you will say that I have

take a good deal of paper for this letter but I want to

send you a pickture of the camp I have nothing more

to write at this time, but remain yurs true and affectionat

husband untill death please do write as soon as you get

this for I want to heare if you get this letter with

the money in it give my love to all from yours word

Luther H. Johnson

word to Word Camp Benton Word Word

in care of capt. Wm. H. Bolton Boltons Battery

Letter from Mary?

June the 1 1862

Dear friend

I tak the opportunity of writing to you to let you know how we are getting along. I suppose you have heard that Luther is in the army and I have a hard way to get a long as he put Amelia at my brothers Sam [?] when he left and she told me that they were not kind to her and requested me to ask you to let her make her home with you till her father comes back. She is young and needs kind treatment. She is getting to be a big girl and is a good girl. If I could keep her I should do it but my alowence is small to keep me and the rest and she is much dissadisfied where she is poor girl she wants to come so bad that her talk is about you all the time and if you will take her and cant come to get her let me know and I will send her. We are all well at present hoping that these times may find you all the same. I have not heard from Luther for one month. He was at Pittsburg Landen [?] then here [?] just across the crick from fathers and she lives in the house where fathers does with my brother. If you will take her I will get her cloaths for one year so that she may earn then for you. It may be that her father may come back before long if the war is ended which I hope will be. Let her come awhile and live with you. Write as soon as you get this direct to Mary J. Johnson, Galion in care [word illegible] 214.

Elisabeth Courtride

Frances wants me to tell you to tell grandmother and father that she is so big that they would not know her. She is larger than Amelia was when they was ther. Delbert is a big boy now and goes to school.

The three named in the post-script are Luther Johnson’s children by his first marriage, to Loisa Jarrard. So who is Sam, if the reading is correct? Mary Jane and Emanuel Bowlby had a brother Samuel. This would fit if the first-person voice in this letter were Mary Jane herself, which is implied by the request to write “direct to Mary J.” But who then is Elisabeth Courtride? Perhaps she is a friend, writing for Mary Jane, if the latter could not. Since Mary Jane’s father James did indeed die in Galion, this is a plausible interpretation.

1863 Pension Application.

Adjutant General's Office, Washington D.C., an acknowledgment of Pension Application 21,663, dated June 12, 1863, addressed to Mary J. Johnson, in Crawford County, OH.

1868 Pension Application.

Adjutant General's Office, Washington D.C., an acknowledgment of Pension Application 127059, dated June 2, 1868.

1876 Pension Application.

Adjutant General's Office, Washington D.C., an acknowledgment of Pension Application 127059, dated April 4, 1876.

Luther and Loisa's Marriage.

1 & 2. Certification of the marriage of Luther H. Johnston and Loisa Jarrard, in two forms, one dated August 4, 1846, the other dated October 8, 1875.

Letter from Emanuel Bowlby.

A hand-written note dated July 3, 1868, and bearing Emanuel Bowlby’s signature. Needs transcription.

Widow's Declaration.

1 & 2. Widow’s Declaration – Army Pension. Two copies, from Crawford County, OH., dated December 21, 1863, in which Mary Jane Johnson appeared before the clerk and testified that she is the widow of Luther Hunt Johnson. The document gives their marriage date and names Ida J. as their surviving child. It bears Mary Jane’s signature. Hannah Bowlby and Sarah Shell also appeared and signed.

Minor Children Claim.

Minor Children Claim No. 127,059, dated June 29, 1876, two pages. Document indicates that Jacob Wooster, a resident of Beaver County, PA, and guardian of the minor children of Luther H. Johnson, is entitled to a pension and payment for the children Amelia (Neihart), Delbert, and Ida. “Widow’s claim filed May 16, 1863. Claimant died while the claim was pending. Amelia Neihart, a married daughter of the soldier, filed a claim in her own name June 29 ’76.” Marginalia indicate that Amelia is to receive payment at a “P.O. address, Mellbourne, Williams Co., Ohio.” Witnesses need summary.