Testimony of Emeline Carney 04 June 1897: Source: Widow's Pension File Click here to see the actual document.

DEPOSIOTION a

Case of E. Carney, NO. 118332

On this 4 day of June, 1897, at near Jamestown, County of Fentress State of Tenn., before me, T.R. Hardwick, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Emeline Carney, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to her during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says:

I am 73 years old. I don’t do anything. P.O. Jamestown Tenn. I am a pensioner at $12 per month as the widow of Nicholas Carney who served in Capt Wrights Co. 11 Tenn Cav. I don’t remember when he enlisted – only the circumstances and all but the date and he served 3 months and a little over and died at Knoxville Tenn of measles in Dec. But I can’t tell the day or year. He died in the service. I drew pension for two children, Annie Elizabeth & Martin Henry Carney. My husband had no prior service. I lived with him until he enlisted and we were man and wife. I was married in Roanoke Co. Va near Salem in Oct. I was a little over 13 years old when I married. I don’t know what day in October I was married but it was Thursday. No, I wasn’t 14 years old when I was married. I will be 74 years old the 15 of this month. I think I married 30 years before the war I don’t know though. It appears to me like I was married in Oct. I can’t say that it was Sept. or Nov. I have forgot. Preacher Aaron Newman married me to Nicholas Carney under my maiden name of Emeline Davis. Yes sir, there was a license. Soldier got them. I was married in Roanoke Co. VA. I don’t know if there was any record made of the marriage. I was married in Thomas Garretts place. He never came to this county. I guess he is dead.

Q. Who was present and saw you married? A. Nobody but them two old people - Thomas Garrett and Nancy Garrett – and the preacher. They lived twelve miles south of Salem VA. There was two families – Thomas Barnes and Aaron Barnes who lived close by and they knew of my marriage. They had some children I don’t remember the names. They owned farms. I was waiting on old lady Garrett who was sick when I got married. Carter Williams of Salem VA was my uncle and Geo. Washington Williams and Mary Elizabeth Williams were his children and they knew of my marriage. My uncle was a shoemaker. None of them ever came to this County and nobody who ever knew of my marriage up there ever came to this County as I know of. I know nothing of my uncle and family since long before the war and when I last knew anything of them they were about Salem. I had two sisters and one brother named Eliza and Louise and Henry and they were all scattered out when my mother died when I was about 12 years old. I have never heard anything of them since. I left VA and came to this county in two years after I got married and settled right where P??? Tinch now lives. He wasn’t here then. I reckon somebody would know me then I don’t know though who they are. Arthur Edwards, dead, was not in VA and never saw me married. I never knew a Mary Edwards and no Mary Edwards was present when I was married. Them Edwards all came from N.C. here. Arthur Edwards made a statement that I had lived with soldier for 30 years as man and wife. I never proved anything by Mary Edwards. I proved I lived as man and wife by A. Edwards, Anderson Tinch, Jim Wright, John Anderson – all dead. No, I didn’t prove it by Benj. Brannon – he is dead. I was right there when Arthur Edwards made his statement for me to Jim Wright and Jim Wright wrote it. There was nobody there but the five men I name above. I am positive that Arthur nor any Mary Edwards was present when I married. I had no prior marriage and I have not remarried. Soldier had no prior marriage. We had lived in VA up to time I married. He lived in Bobtot [Botetourt??] Co. VA near Fincastle when I married him. I don’t know who would know him. We lived about a mile below Salem after we married. Sam Harshbarger was soldiers brother-in-law and was selling out to go to Ind. When we left. He lived 13 or 14 miles south of Salem VA. I had the following children by soldier. Patrick Lee Carney, Wm Isam Carney, Matthew Carney, Margaret Carney, John Carney, Annie E. Carney, Martin Henry Carney, Summers Van Buren Carney born in 1860. I guess that is the year as he was born just about a year before the war and on April 13. I don’t know the date of birth of any of the others. I have no Bible record and they were not baptized. The last five children named were under 16 years old when soldier died.

(signed) Emeline (x) Carney Deponent.

Thos Callier Her mark

S.V. Carney

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4 day of June 1897, and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.

(Signed)

Thos. R. Hardwick

Special Examiner

Page 9 Deposition 9

DEPOSITION a

Case of E. Carney, No. 118332

Continued

Summers Van Buren was nearly 3 years old when his father died. Margaret was 13 yrs old I think when soldier died. She was born in Feb. I don’t know how old John was then. He is somewhere in 40 I guess now. Annie was 7 yrs old I think when soldier died. I don’t know. I guess she is 38 or 39 yrs old now. She was born in May. Martin Henry Carney was 16 months older than Babe (Summers Van Buren Carney) Martin was born in Feb.

The women (Mrs. Bowdin, Mrs. Soloman, Mrs Owens, and Mrs. Gwin?) who were present when John was born is dead. When Summers V. was born Mrs. Jane Peavyhouse and E. Mullinix were present – nobody else. Mrs. Annie Soloman (dead) was present when Annie was born – no one else. Mrs Maria Wilson – in KY (whereabouts unknown) and Mrs Naney?? Soloman (dead) were present when Henry was born. Mrs Tom Cobb (dead) and Mrs. Ben. Brannon (dead) were present when Margaret was born.

Nicholas Carney recognizes all these children as his own. I did claim pension for these children at first – Jim Wright fixed up my case and he fixed the two. I don’t know how he did it. I never made any statement to say I only claimed for two. I made about 3 statements in my case before Jim Wright. Not Mitchell and Steven Pile did the swearing. Jim Wright got my pension for me. He is dead. I gave him $10 out of ever $100 I got. I think that is what he charged me. I have had nothing to do with any man since the death of my husband. I own nothing at all – just live on my pension. I am satisfied with the testimony as you have stated to me you have already taken and I accept it as testimony in my case. No one else can testify as to the births of the children that I know of. I have heard this read and it is correct

Emeline (x) Carney

Her mark

Attest:

Thos Collier??

S.V. Carney

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4 day of June 1897, and I certify that the contents sere fully made known to deponent before signing.

(Signed) Thos. R. Hardwick

Special Examiner.

Page 12 Deposition a

(Transcribed by Tonya Carney Archey 23 May 2002. Edited 01 Jan 2010 to add actual testimony document, and to correct the spelling of Sam Harshbarger's name, to change MD to Ind, and to change the name Finch to Tinch.)