Period Civil War Pension Ephemera from the "Schmidt Collection" #4 - A Veteran in an Ohio Military Home

The letter below, from my collection, was written by a pension attorney representing an Ohio veteran, Daniel Miller (the attorney - as it turns out - was also a veteran). In order to demonstrate that his client's disability - dropsy - resulted from his service in the army, the attorney is having to contact friends from years gone by to attest - under oath - to Miller's good health before the war.

Just as interesting is that the letter was written from the "National Military Home - Central Branch" in Montgomery County Ohio (now the Dayton (OH) Veteran's Administration Medical Center).

In doing some research, I came across an EXCELLENT "Soldiers' Home of Dayton, Ohio" website maintained by genealogist Carolyn J. Burns. Carolyn's website includes period and modern photos and engravings of the campus and cemetery, a history of the soldiers' home, transcribed newspaper articles of interest, online burial records for the Dayton National Cemetery, and a roster of soldiers' home members, 1867-1935.

Previous Civil War pension posts can be found here:

#1 - Horse Thieves and Deserters
#2 - Red Tape
#3 - Pennsylvania Inquires After His Dead Son


Cover:
H.N. Hedges, Senior Esq.
Probate Judge
Circleville
Pickaway County Ohio




Letter:

Nat. Mil. Home Central Branch Montgomery County, Ohio
Nov. 15, 1876

[To] Jacob Midler Esq near Pique, Ohio

Dear Sir:

There is an afflicted invalid Vol. soldier living here at the Home, who was working for you for several years before he enlisted in Company E of the 114th Regt. Ohio Vol. Infantry.

Daniel Williams is the name of the unfortunate man, and in order to claim an invalid pension for him for the disability which he alleges to have received in the Vol. Military Service during the late war of Secession rebellion, it is necessary to have an affidavit that he was physically healthy and bodily sound but particular free from dropsy, and that he came home with dropsy, and that he remained afflicted with dropsy while at home.

Williams now says that a gentleman with the name of Hochs or Hocks who is a practicing physician in the city of Pique knew him prior to his enlistment and that the same med. doctor (illegible) him and treated him for dropsy shortly after he returned home.

So I am directed to write a few lines to you Mr. Hidler and to request you in the name of Daniel Williams that you may be kind enough to see and to speak to Doctor Hochs, and to pray him that he may kindly give his affidavit to the effort aforementioned in the case of this sadly afflicted invalid soldier.

Daniel Williams, who thinks and who speaks most highly of you and Doctor Hochs, will certainly appreciate fully the valuable aid rendered to him and he will surely at the time gratefully compensate you and the esteemed physician for the trouble his case makes.

I trust and hope that you will readily comply with the request of Williams and that you will see and speak to Doctor Hochs and explain to him or you may show to the doctor this letter. I will enclose a blank for the purposes whereupon to fill the physicians affidavit, which must be executed before the Clerk of the County Court, which is the very best, or before a Notary Public, or a Justice of the Peace. If properly made out and executed, then please return the document to me as below directed.

All expenses originated through this request and the trouble will be honestly made good by Daniel Williams as soon as he receives his pension and I feel assured that the man will keep his promise.

Hoping to hear soon your kind reply I subscribe with truest (illegible)

Your obedient servant

Fred. Matthew Labry
Atty for Daniel Williams

Fred. Matthew Labry
National Military Home
Montgomery Count Ohio
Lock Box P