Pension Records

of

Levi Roberts

Drummer, Company H, 50th Illinois Volunteer Infantry


Submitted by John Roberts

Declaration for Original Invalid Pension
Territory of Utah, 1876
Levi Roberts, aged 58 years, resident of the territory of Utah, county of Utah, city of Provo, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Levi Roberts who was enrolled on the 30th day of September 1861, in company H of the 50th regiment of Infantry commanded by Captain Samuel R. Glenn, and was honorably discharged at Springfield, Illinois on the 1st day of October, 1864; that his personal description is as follows: Age, 58 years; height, five feet, 6 1/2 inches; complexion, light, hair, dark; eyes, blue. That while a member of the organization aforesaid, in the service and in the line of his duty at Fort Donaldson, in the state of Tennessee on or about the 15th day of February, 1862, he was frozen in both feet while in camp before said fort. That the right foot has partially recovered, but yet is troublesome from the effects of said freezing. That the left foot has never recovered from the effects of said freezing and this applicant is positive that he always will be a cripple in that foot, and he is so advised by his physicians.
That he was treated in hospitals as follows: at Paducah, Kentucky for over four months and from thence to Jeffersonville, Indiana where this applicant was on camp duty until near time of discharge. That he has not been employed in the military or naval service otherwise than as stated above for said three years. This applicant was company drummer from time of swearing in service.
That since leaving the service this applicant has resided in the county of Brown, Illinois and in Utah in the Territory of Utah and his occupation has been that of a potter. That prior to his entry into the service above named he was a man of good, sound, physical health, being when enrolled a potter. That he is now crippled and disabled from obtaining his subsistence by manual labor by reason of his injuries, above described, received in the service of the United States; and he therefore makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the invalid pension-roll of the United States.
He hereby appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation, M.V. Ashbrook of Provo City, Utah County, Territory of Utah, his true and lawful attorney to prosecute his claim. That he has not received nor applied for a pension. That his post office address is Provo City, county of Utah, Territory of Utah.
(signed) Levi Roberts
Attest: Jerome R. Roberts (his mark)
Benjamin Bachman

Invalid Claim for Pension
Jan 3, 1877 Pension Office
Also personally appeared, Jerome R. Roberts, residing at Provo City, Utah and Benjamin Bachman residing at Provoleity, persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who, being by me duly sworn, say they were present and saw Levi Roberts, the claimant, sign his name to the foregoing declaration; that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of said claimant and their acquaintance with him, that he is the identical person he represents himself to be; and that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim. Sworn to and subscribed before me this First day of December 1876.
(signed) Jerome R. Roberts (his mark)
(signed) Benjamin Bachman

Adjutant General's Office
Washington, D.C.
March 17, 1877
It appears from the rolls on file in this office that Levi Roberts was enrolled on the 30th day of September, 1861, at Ripley, in Co. H, 50 Regiment of Illinois Volunteers to serve 3 years or during the war, and mustered into service as a Private on the 30th day of September 1861 at Ripley, in Co. H, 50 Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, to serve 3 years, or during the war. On the Muster Roll of Co. H, of that regiment dated October 31, 1861 he is reported Private present; Nov. & Dec 1861. Musician present and then as musician present until roll for January and February 1863, reports him private present. So reported until roll for November and December 1863, reports him absent, sick in hospital at Paducah, Kentucky, November 6, 1863. Mustered out on Indiana M. O. roll October 1st, 1864. Name not on our rolls. K Company was in action at Fort Donaldson, February 13, 1862. Co and reg't books furnish no evidence from frozen feet February 15, 1862.

General Affidavit
Brown County, Illinois State
March 2, 1883
In the matter of pension claim no. 193817 of Levi Roberts. Personally came before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for aforesaid County and State, B. C. Vincent aged 53 years and A. E. Mactin aged 50 years citizen of the town of Ripley, County of Brown, State of Illinois, well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declares in relation to aforesaid case, as follows:
We were well acquainted with him (claimant) for as much as ten years prior to his enlistment and worked with him and neighbored with him and was with him a great deal of the time and to the best of our knowledge he was a sound man and did not know of anything wrong with him in any way and especially as to the cause to which he claims a pension.

General Affidavit
Salt Lake County, Utah Territory
M. M. Barre, 55 years old
Dated March 2, 1883
That he was the late colonel of the 50th Illinois Infantry and knows that Levi Roberts was a private soldier in Company H of said Regiment; that he was able bodied when he entered the service and that he has known him for several years since the war especially. Since 1866-1867, up to this time, that since the war and especially during the above period of time he has been disabled in his foot, that this disability seriously disqualifies him for manual labor; that he depends upon such labor for his living and that of his family. That he was laboring under no such disability, when he entered the service.

General Affidavit
William C. Roberts, 41 years old
March 2, 1883
Territory of Utah, County of Salt Lake
That he was a private soldier in Co "H" of the 50th Illinois Infantry; that he served through years in said company and re-enlisted and served till the close of the war; that Levi Roberts applicant is his father; that applicant, enlisted at the same time, place and in the same company with him. That applicant was in every way able bodied when he entered the service; that he contracted his present disability in the line of duty by freezing during the seige of Fort Donaldson, which disabled him from active duty; that he has been with him most of the time since the war, and has seen him and known his condition every year and often many times each year up to the present time; that said disability has at no time grown naturally better, but has gradually grown worse on the whole. Until this time; that he is now more disabled as a manual laborer than at any former peroid since he recovered the injury.

War Department
August 4, 1885
Levi Roberts, a private of company "H", 50 regiment Illinois volunteers. Company morning reports commencing January 1863 show December 6, 1863 notice received of Levi Roberts being received into hospital Paducah, Kentucky. Name not mentioned on recital hospital recorder commencing October 8, 1861, to discharge incompletely or on Colenel Relivins incomplete. Nature of sickness not stated. No evidence of alleged disability.

Declaration for Invalid Pension
Act of June 27, 1890
State of Idaho, County of Bingham on this 22nd day of July. Levi Roberts aged 71 years, a resident of the town of Taylor, county of Bingham, state of Idaho, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the idential Levi Roberts who was enrolled on the 30th day of September, 1861 in Co. H. "50" Illinois Volunteers and was honorably discharged at Springfield, Illinois on the 30th day of September, 1864. That he is unable to earn a support by manual labor, by reason of rheumatism and deafness, also crippled feet caused by freezing at Fort Donaldson while on duty there. That said disabilities are not due to his vicious habits and are to the best of his knowledge and belief permanent. That he is a pensioner under Certificate No. 338861 on account of disease of feet and also claims an Increase of Pension on account of Increase of disability. 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 June 27, 1890. He hereby appoints, with full power of substitution, Milo B. Stevens & Co., of Chicago, Illinois, their successors or legal representatives, his true and lawful attorneys to prosecute his claim under the law, and agrees to allow them a fee of Ten Dollars.
That his postoffice address is Taylor via Eagle Rock, Idaho.
(signed) Levi Roberts

General Affidavit
September 9, 1890
Jerome L. Roberts, aged 38 years
Taylor, Bingham County, Idaho
I knew claimant well and personally in September 1864 when he came out of the service and I know he complained of Rheumatism and was lame and to judge from his looks and general appearance should say he did have it. He was unable to do much of any kind of work. I have known him well and intimately ever since the was and I know he has been disabled to a great extent all of the time since 1864.
He has worked for me most of the time since 1870 when he has been able to work, but is not able to work more than me half of the time and when he does not work it is because he cannot.
I further say that my knowledge of the case is derived from personal ovservation and intimate acquantance with the claimant.
(signed) Jerome L. Roberts (his mark)

General Affidavit
Bingham County, Idaho 1896
Sarah C. Byers of Basalt, Bingham County
I have known Levi Roberts since 1864 and know that at the time of his discharge in the fall of 1864 he complained of pains in all of his limbs and back and was very lame at times complaining of pains in his hips and shoulders, has suffered more or less continuously since 1864 with Rheumatism and has grown worse yearly. At different times during this period he has been confined to the house suffering from Rheumatism. For the past seven years he has been totally disabled from performing manual labor of any kind whatever by reason of Rheumatism and lameness.
I certify the statements contained in this affidavit were written in my presence and from my oral statements to C.W. McCurdy, the person preparing this affidavit, that the said oral statements were made to the person preparing the affidavits on the fourteenth day of September 1896 at Basalt, Bingham County, Idaho and that in making the same I did not use and was not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated by any other person.

General Affidavit
Bingham County, Idaho 1896
Emma F. Roberts of Shelley, Bingham County
I have known since 1871 Levi Roberts personally and lived in the same immediate neighborhood almost continuously and know that he has suffered with the Rheumatism for the past twenty six years, also with lameness, pains in the hips, back and shoulders constantly and has been getting worse all the time is now wholely unable to perform manual labor of any description and has been in this condition for the past seven years.
I further certify the statements contained in this affidavit were written in my presence and from my oral statements to C. W. McCurdy, the person preparing this affidavit; that said oral statements were made to the person preparing the affidavits on the twelfth day of September 1896 at Basalt, Bingham County, Idaho and that in making the same I did not use and was not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated by any other person.

General Affidavit
Levi Roberts, Basalt, Bingham Co., Idaho
August 13, 1896
I am not able to furnish the testimony of the surgeon of my regiment, because he did not treat me for rheumatism while in the service. I have already furnished the testimony of all physicians who have treated me since the war.
I was not in the military or naval service of the U.S. before September 30th, 1861 or since September 30th, 1864.
I further swear that the statements in this affidavit were written in my presence and from my oral statements to Charles W. McCurdy, the person who prepared this affidavit on the 13th day of August 1896 at Basalt, Idaho and that in making this statement I was not prompted by or aided nor did I use any written or printed or recital or statement prepared or dictated by any other person.

Special Memo
from Milo B. Stevens & Co., War Claim Attorneys
September 7, 1896
The claimant is 76 years of age. Please direct some physician in his locality to examine him. His present address is Basalt, Idaho.
Very truly yours,
Milo B. Stevens & Co.
Claim of Levi Roberts, Drummer, Co. H, Reg't 50th Ill

General Affidavit
Bingham County, Idaho 1896
James W. Byers and Clara Byers of Basalt, Bingham County
That they have known Levi Roberts the above named claimant intimately for the past 25 years and that for the past five years he has been wholley disabled physically from performing manual labor, and is in said condition at the present time. And affiants further declare that the family of the said Levi Roberts consists of himself and wife aged 61 years, that they are in needy circumstances and mostly dependant upon friends who are not legally bound for assistance, that affiants have assisted in the support of the said Levi Roberts for the past five years although not legally bound so to do. And know of their own knowledge that others have also assisted in their support.
And we further declare the statements contained in this affidavit were written in our presence and from our oral statements to the person preparing this affidavit C. W. McCurdy that said oral statements were made to the person preparing this affidavit on the thirty-first day of August 1896 at Basalt, Idaho and that in making the same we did not use and was not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated by any other person.

General Affidavit
August 29, 1896
Willian C. Jolley, Leorin, Bingham County
In regards to Mr. Levi Roberts inability to work or support himself and family, I will say he is not able to work any at all and all the support he has is the little pension he received out of which house rent is to be paid as he has no home of his own except he has been aided a great many times by neighbors and friends, who could not for pity sake see them suffer for food to eat and him in the condition he is for he is in very, bery hard circumstances. And he is very feeble and in very delicate health. This testimony is written by me and in reciting the same did not use and was not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or rectial prepared or dictated by any other person.

General Affidavit
State of Idaho, County of Bingham
Charles W. McCurdy
Justice of the Peace
In the matter of the claim for pension of Levi Roberts, Co. H, 50th Ill. Vol.
Personally came before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and state aforesaid: John Drew, George King, John H. Berg and Peter Klemensen. All of Basalt, Idaho persons of lawful age, who being duly sworn, declare in relation to the aforesaid clam as follows. That they have known Levi Roberts for the four years or more past.
And we further declare that we have each personally read the accompanying affidavit of James W. Byers and Clara Byers. And each for himself declares that the statements contained in said affidavit are true of his own knowledge.
And we further declare that the statements contain in this affidavit were written in our presence by C. W. McCurdy the person preparing this affidavit and from our own oral statements. That said oral statements were made to the person preparing this affidavit on the 31st day of August 1896, at Basalt, Idaho. And that in making the same, we did not use and was not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated by any other person.
And we further declare we have no interest in said claim and not concerned in its prosecution.
(signed) John Drew, George King, John St. Berg, Peter Klemensen
-sworn and subscribed before me this 31st day of August 1896 at Basalt in the county of Bingham and state of Idaho. And I hereby certify that the contents of the foregoing affidavit were fully made known and explain to the affiants before swearing thereto that the affiants are to me well known and are apparently respectable and worthy of full credit. And I fully certify that I have no interest, direct or indirect in the prosecution of this claim. I further certify that the affiants are personally known to me as persons of respectability, and of good repute.
(signed) Charles W. McCurdy
Justice of the Peace

United States Pension Agency
Pensioner Dropped
Levi Roberts
Sir: I have the honor to report that the above-named pensioner who was last paid at $30, to 4 March 1907 has been dropped because of death, April 22, 1907.

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