Cerro Gordo County Iowa
Part of the IaGenWeb Project
1881 Cottrell Pension Letter
Transcribed Letter by Clear Lake, Iowa Founder James Dickerson
02/28/1881
James Dickerson
Note:
This letter was written in support of George Birdwell Cottrell’s attempt to
receive a Pension for the death of his son during the Civil War. His son Perry
Washington Cottrell who was serving with the 12th Michigan Volunteer
Infantry Company “C” was shot at the “Battle Of Shiloh” on 04/06/1862 & died six
weeks later in an Evansville, Indiana Hospital. Perry Washington Cottrell was
one of five Cottrell brothers that volunteered for service during the Civil
War. The others were Andrew Jackson Cottrell with the 9th Iowa
Volunteer Cavalry Company “C”, George Noggle Cottrell with the 6th
Michigan Volunteer Infantry Company “K”, Francis Marion Cottrell with the 11th
Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Company “K” & John Dawson Cottrell with the 31st
Ohio Volunteer Infantry Company I.
James Dickerson being duly sworn deposes and says that he has been intimately
acquainted with George B. Cottrell father of Perry Cottrell who was a Private in
Co C 12 Michigan Vol war of 1861 for eleven years and I know him to be an old
man and very feeble his age is 74 years. During the time I have been acquainted
with him he has worked at the carpenter trade as far as he was able to support
his wife an old lady quite feeble and a cripple son both of whom have since
died. He is and has been highly respected by his neighbors who gave him work
and employment of a light nature or character suited to his lame and feeble
condition. He is now living with a son who was also a soldier and was diseased
while in the service and together with what assistance they can get from their
friends and neighbors they manage to support life in a frugal manner. The name
of his wife now dead was Hepsibah Cottrell and the cripple son now also dead was
Benjamin Cottrell. The old man George B. Cottrell is lame in his thigh so that
it is almost impossible for him to walk or move from place to place. He is a
man of excellent habits has always been frugal and temperate and strictly honest
in his dealings. So far as I know what amount of support he has received from
others from outside of his own labor I am unable to state but I do know that I
have myself from time to time gave him such assistance as lay in my power
directly and indirectly as I had the opportunity without wounding his feelings.
I make this affidavit in good faith with the belief that this aged man that
furnished five boys for the service of his country while he himself was sick and
poor is entitled to a Pension from his country and Government for the few months
he has to live on earth and beyond this I have no interest in his claim for
Pension whatever.
Sworn
to before me and subscribed in my presence by James Dickerson who is known to me to
be truthful and respectable and I have no interest in the claim for Pension
aforesaid. February 23rd
1881
M.P.
Rosecrans Notary Public
COTTRELL, DICKERSON & ROSECRANS
The letter is
written by Marmaduke Rosecrans a notary public & lawyer at that time from Clear
Lake, Iowa. It is written by M. P. Rosecrans & signed by James Dickerson who
was the first settler & founder of Clear Lake, Iowa. The letter is James
Dickerson’s support for my GGG as he is old and in poor health and had five sons
in the Civil War including my GG Andrew Jackson Cottrell who served with the 9th
Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Company “C”. Andrew Jackson Cottrell came from Michigan
to Rock Grove City, Iowa which was one mile southeast of Nora Springs, Iowa in
1859. He built houses there and then volunteered to join the Army during the
Civil War, he was married with 3 kids at that time. He came home after the war
and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad located a mile north of Rock
Grove City so it died and Nora Springs flourished. In 1869 Andrew Jackson
Cottrell moved to Clear Lake and worked as a carpenter building houses there.
In 1883 he traded some property in Clear Lake for 80 acres of farm ground one
mile south of Fertile Iowa and that is where he stayed and farmed until his
death in 1895. He is buried in the Clear Lake Cemetery. His father tried from
1877- 1883 before he got the $8 a month Pension from the government for his son
Perry Washington Cottrell’s death during the Civil War and he died seven months
later. Thanks for your time & have a good one. Mark
George Birdwell Cottrell is my Great-Great-Great Granddad & the son he was
living with in Clear Lake at this time was Andrew Jackson Cottrell who is my
Great-Great Granddad. George started trying to get this Pension in 1877 &
finally received it 07/31/1883. It was for $8 a month and he died 7 months
later on 03/04/1884.
~
Mark Cottrell Kensett, Iowa