Pension File Stories: What we can learn from Joseph Thacker's Pension File

Joseph Thacker enlisted with Ohio 56^th Infantry on October 31, 1861 and was part of Company I.  His enlistment papers, found in Joseph’s compiled military file,  give the following details:

Height: 5 foot 8 inches

Complexion: Dark

Eyes: Gray

Hair: Black

Occupation: Farmer

Place of Birth: Louisa County, Virginia

Age: 26

Joseph mustered out October 10, 1864 in New Orleans, LA. He would apply and be awarded a pension which was later revoked.

Joseph claimed that his wrist was injured during the time he was enlisted and that  he was crippled as a result of that injury.  He initially received a pension for this disability.  Then, after an investigation in 1873, he was dropped from the pension roles because it was concluded that he suffered the injury prior to joining the 56th in 1861.  New testimony was taken in 1882.

Several of his relatives were deposed in 1882 and their relationships were part of the investigation.  Though it would later be concluded that Joseph did not deserve the pension (which having read the file, I’m not sure this was a fair determination), the testimony given in the deposition has some interesting information about the relationships between some of the Thacker clan.

Below is verbatim testimony that I thought descendants of the Vinton County Group might find interesting.

Deposition A -  E.R. Leach taken at Raysville, Jackson County, Ohio  19 July 1882

Question: How long have you known Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Well, I have known him from the time I was fourteen years old. up to the time he enlisted and after the war to the present time. 

Question: Where did you first know him?

Answer: Right above Byer's Station about two miles southeast Washington township, Jackson County, Ohio.

Question: With whom did he live when you first knew him?

Answer: He lived with David Thacker, his father, I suppose.

Question: Is his father dead?

Answer: Yes, Sir, I think it was right close before the war.  I don't know the year he died.

Deposition B - John A. Thacker, 19 July 1882, Raysville, Jackson County, Ohio.

Question: When and where did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: I expect him and me come from Va. together.  Our parents all travelled (sic) in a gang.  We had two or three wagons and we settled in Vinton Co.Ohio.  It was Gallia County, then.  I expect we lived together up to 1850, when his father moved away, some nineteen or twenty miles, to Byers Station Jackson County, Ohio.

Question: Are you a relative of his family?

Answer: Yes him and I are first cousins.

Deposition D - E.M. Thacker, 19 July 1882, Raysville, Jackson County, Ohio

Question: How long have you known Joseph Thacker

Answer: Knowed him ever since I knew myself. I knew Joe raised (as) boys together.

Question: Did you work with him at any time before the war?

Answer: Yes, Sir. A great-deal. Probably for ten years worked together and in sight because we lived on the same farm, that was in Gallia County, now Vinton County, Ohio.  His father moved out of our neighborhood may be fifteen years before the war but Joe staid (sic) in our neighborhood most of the time.  Worked for his uncle Thomas Thacker, not for me.

Question: Are you related to him?

Answer: Yes, Sir, first cousins.

Deposition E - Samuel Ray 19 July 1882, Raysville, Jackson County, Ohio.

Question: When did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: He wasn't of age.  He ran away from his father and called on me on this farm for work.  I wouldn't give him labor till I heard from his father, and his father sent word for me to take him in and I did so.

Deposition G - Thomas Thacker 20 July 1882, Raysville P.O., Vinton County, Ohio

Question: What is your age?

Answer:  Well if I live to see my birthday I will be 73.

Question: When and where did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Well when - I can't say positively whether he was born in Va. or in Ohio.  I think it was Va. I knowed him all the time Wilkesville township, Vinton County, Ohio.  His father and me lived right close together, in sight of one another, for quite a number of years before the war.

Question: Are you a relative of Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Yes, Sir. Me and his father were half brothers.

Deposition H - J. F. Thacker, 20 July 1882, Rays P.O., Vinton County, Ohio

Question: What is your age?

Answer: I was 48 years old, the 7th day of April, last.

Question: Were you intimately acquainted with Joseph Thacker before the war?

Answer: I have been acquainted with him since me and him were little boys. We lived on the Raccoon, Vinton Co. - the most of our acquaintance was there when we were boys.

Question: Are you related to him?

Answer: My father and his father are half brothers that's what they tell me any how.

Deposition I - Thomas B. Thacker, 20 July 1882, Rays P.O., Vinton County, Ohio.

Question: What is your age?

Answer: I am 39 I reckon I was the third day of last December.

Question: Where did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Well in Wilkesville township I knowed him, I might say ever since I was a child.

Question: Are you related to him?

Answer: Yes, Sir. Second cousins, I reckon.

Deposition K - Benjamin Byers, 21 July 1882, Byer's Station, Jackson County, Ohio

Question: How was he using it, his right hand?

Answer: I can tell you now what he was doing. Well he was a chopping firewood for his father, the winter before he enlisted.

Question: Is his father living?

Answer: No Sir.

Question: When did he die?

Answer: He died about war time. I was away when he died.

Deposition M - Michael Barrett, 21 July 1882, Byer's Station, Jackson County, Ohio.

Question: Where did you first know him from?

Answer: Right here abouts.  They lived below me the next house. The old house is thrown down now.  He was raised right here as long as I knowed him. When I first knowed them they owned the land but the old folks are dead and the land gone. I was intimate with him before the war but he used to go to cousins of his at Raccoon and be sometimes absent for some months. I knowed him as well before the war as I knowed him since. We worked together many times. I seen him the very day he enlisted, he was cutting corn stalks in the same field where I was plowing in the fore noon, his brother was working along with me. We both was plowing and he cutting the corn stalks.  A man called to the fence to him and asked him to list, and he left the field and went out to him on the road. The man's name was William McLaughlin, I think was the man's name. I don't know where McLaughlin is now. I didn't know him well.

Question: Was his father living when he enlisted?

Answer: Yes Sir, he was.

Deposition T - Ebenezer Thacker, 24 July 1882, Sharonville, Pike County of Ohio.

Question: When did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: I have knowed him every since I knowed myself.

Question: Are you a relative of his family?

Answer: I and Joe are cousins, first cousins.

Terry's Note: Ebenezer named his father as Edward in the deposition.  Could have been an error on the part of the note taker.

Deposition U - Edwill Thacker, 24 July 1882, Sharonville, Pike County, Ohio.

Question: What is your age?

Answer: If I live to see the 28th of August, I will be 70 years old.

Question: How long have you known Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Ever since he was born.

Question: Are you related to him?

Answer: Yes, Sir brothers and sisters children.   (Terry's note - I have no idea what that means!)

Deposition X - Fountain Thacker, 25 July 1882, Waverly, Pike County, Ohio

Question: When did you first know Joseph Thacker?

Answer: I have knowed him ever since I have knowed anybody.  I have knowed him all of my life.

Question: Did he live with your father at the time he enlisted?

Answer: He left my fathers and went back on to Pigeon Creek at his fathers. His father was living then. I think he was.

Question: Are you a relative of Joseph Thacker?

Answer: Yes Sir, second cousins.