MILITARY: Civil War Pension File of
Jefferson Wheat, Madison Co., Iowa
Submitted 09/2003 by Frances Faitt
<frances_f8athotmailcom>
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Copyright. All rights reserved.
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Transcribed from the copies of the original documents located
in the National Archives Pension file of Jefferson Wheat by
Frances Faitt & submitted for the Clarke Co. IAGenWeb
Extractor's notes, 14 September 2003:
Thomas Jefferson Wheat (1835-1928) was a resident of Madison
county, Iowa from about 1856 until shortly before his death,
living on the family farm (South Township T75 N, R27W, Section 26,
1852, St. Charles P.O.). He is believed to be a brother of
Augustus C. Wheat (1828-1902) of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In
addition, his first wife (Sarah Jane Wheat, m. Nov 1855, Clarke
Co, IA) may have been a sister to the wife of Augustus Wheat (Isabell
Smith 1836-1922; m OCT 1852, Clarke Co., IA).
In 1889, Jefferson Wheat applied for and received an Invalid
Pension (#523752) arising from his Civil War service. Below are
selected extractions from an extremely large file, covering the
years of 1889 until 1934, available from the National Archives.
It is also believed that this family has Native American ancestry.
From various Surgeon's Certificates included in the Pension File,
Jefferson's physical description was: height, 5'9"; weight,
ranged from 190 down to 155; eyes, black; hair, black (and later
gray); skin, rough and red.
DES MOINES AGENCY.
3-402
Certificate No. 523752 Department of the Interior,
Name, Jefferson Wheat BUREAU OF PENSIONS, Washington, D. C.
January 15, 1898
Sir:
In forwarding to the pension agent the executed voucher for
your next quarterly payment please favor me by returning this
circular to him with replies to the questions enumerated below.
Very respectfully,
H. Clay Evans
Commissioner of Pensions
First. Are you married? If so, please state your wife's full
name and her maiden name.
Answer. Yes Ruth B. Wheat, Miss, Ruth B. Vernon
Second. When, where, and by whom were you married:
Answer. December 5th, 1866 Joseph Brobst Knoxville Iowa
Third. What record of marriage exists?
Answer. County Judge of Marion Co., Iowa
Fourth. Were you previously married? If so, please state the
name of your former wife and the date and place of her death or
divorce.
Answer. Yes S. J. Smith Divorced 1858 in Osceola Iowa
Fifth. Have you any children living? If so, please state their
names and the dates of their birth.
Answer. Yes A. W. Wheat Born Jan. 21st 1857
P.S. the record of our marriage is in Co, clerks office of
Marion Co., Iowa as we was married by Co, Judge
Jefferson Wheat
Date of reply, July 5th 1898
[end]
3-389
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Washington, D. C., January 2, 1915
Sir: Please answer, at your earliest convenience, the questions
enumerated below. The information is requested for future use, and
it may be of great value to your widow or children. Use the
inclosed envelope, which requires no stamp.
Very respectfully,
GM Saltzgaber
Commissioner
JEFFERSON WHEAT,
WINTERSET, IOWA
523752
No. 1. Date and place of birth? Answer. Madison Co, Alabama
The name of organizations in which you served?
Answer. Co. F 39th Iowa Inft.
No. 2. What was your post office at enlistment?
Answer. St Charles Madison Co., Iowa
No. 3. State your wife's full name and her maiden name.
Answer. Ruth B Wheat, Ruth B. Vernon
No. 4. When, where, and by whom were you married?
Answer. Dec 5th 1866. Knoxville Iowa by Judge Joseph Brobst
No. 5. Is there any official or church record of your marriage?
Yes, Clerks office. If so, where. Answer. Knoxville Iowa
No. 6. Were you previously married? If so, state the name of
your former wife, the date of the marriage, and the date and place
of her death or divorce. If there was more than one previous
marriage, let your answer include all former wives. Yes. Sarah
Jane Smith Nov 1855 Clark County Iowa divorced In spring of 1857.
Osceola Iowa All included.
No. 7. If your present wife was married before her marriage to
you, state the name of her former husband, the date of such
marriage, and the date and place of his death or divorce, and
state whether he ever rendered any military or naval service, and,
if so, give name of the organization in which he served. If she
was married more than once before her marriage to you, let your
answer include all former husbands. Answer. No.
No. 8. Are you now living with your wife, or has there been a
separation?
Answer. Yes. No separation.
No. 9. State the names and dates of birth of all your children,
living or dead.
Answer. Albert W. Wheat by first wife born Jan 21st 1856.
Date March 23rd, 1915 (Signature) Jefferson Wheat
[end]
State of Iowa)
) SS
Polk County )
I, Jessie Dixon, being first duly sworn state that I am a
resident of Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; that I have known Mr.
Jefferson Wheat for more than a year; that since August
12, 1920 I have been employed to take care of him; that on
account of nervousness Mr. Wheat is unable to dress himself nor is
he able to feed himself at the table, so that he takes my constant
care and all of my time.
All of which statements are correct and true.
Jessie Dixon
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 4th, day of October 1920
by Jessie Dickson.
Paul M Payne
NOTARY PUBLIC IN AND FOR POLK COUNTY
[end]
State of Iowa)
) SS
Polk County )
I, Jefferson Wheat, being first duly sworn state: That I am the
Jefferson Wheat now drawing pension under No. 523752; that I
served in the Civil War, in the 39th Iowa Infantry,
Company F., and that I have applied for increased pension on
account of total disability; that I have no children except for
son, from whom I have heard nothing for more than twenty-eight
years; that I had no near relative in the World War, and have not
received any insurance, nor have I ever applied to the War Risk
Insurance Bureau for any compensation because of the
death in the service of any member of my family.
All of which statements are correct and true.
Jefferson (his mark) Wheat
Witness
Jessie Dixon
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th, day of December
1920.
Paul M Payne
Notary Public in and for
Polk County, Iowa.
[end]
CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
State of Iowa Polk County
This is to certify that on the 23 day of Nov. A.D. 1921 at Res.
of Isaac Welker in said County, according to and by authority of
law, I duly JOINED IN MARRIAGE
Thomas Jefferson Wheat
And Miss Jessie Dixon
Given under my hand the 23rd day of Nov. A.D. 1921.
J. L. Johnson
Retired minister of the M.E. Church
In the presence of
Robert Young
Mrs. Robert Young
Mrs. I. Welker
State of Iowa)
) SS
Polk County )
I, Paul M. Payne, being first duly sworn state that the
foregoing is a true copy of the marriage certificate of Thomas
Jefferson Wheat and Miss Jessie Dixon, said copy having
been made by me from the original.
Paul M. Payne
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 21st, day of November
1928.
Z Rubenstein
Notary Public in and for Polk County, Iowa.
Widow Division M.L.K.
In re Jefferson Wheat
I.C. 523,752. Accrued
F.39 Iowa Inf.
Civil War, 1862-1865.
[end]
AFFIDAVIT.
State of Iowa)
) SS
Polk County )
I, A. Carson, being first duly sworn state that I am a
regularly licensed and practicing physician in Des Moines, Iowa:
that I have known Jefferson Wheat for the past ten years and have
been his attending physician during most of that time.
I further state that the said Jefferson Wheat died at his home
in Des Moines, Iowa on the 6 day of September 1928.
All of which statements are made from my own personal knowledge
and are correct and true as I verily believe.
A Carson
1010 Equitable Des Moines IA
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 21st day of November
1928.
Paul M Payne
Notary Public in and for Polk County,
Iowa
Widow Division MLK
In re Jefferson Wheat
I.C. 523752
F 39 Iowa Inf.
Accrued
Civil War 1862 to 1865
[end]
[abstract from State of Iowa Standard Certificate of Death]
CERTIFICATE #: 1404
PLACE OF DEATH: Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa
FULL NAME: Jefferson Wheat
LENGTH OF RESIDENCE IN CITY: 6 years
PERSONAL AND STATISTICAL PARTICULARS:
White, Male, Married
DOB: Nov 7-1834
AGE: 93 yrs, 9 months, 29 days
OCC: retired farmer
BP: Alabama
FATHER: James Wheat
BP OF FATHER: VA
MAIDEN NAME OF MOTHER: Do not know
BP OF MOTHER: Do not know
INFORMANT: Mrs. Jefferson Wheat, Des Moines, Ia
FILED Sept 6, 1928
Stanley M. Krell, registrar
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH:
Sept 6, 1928; 7:30 a.m.
Organic Heart Disease
A. Carson, M.D. 1010 Equitable
BURIAL INFORMATION:
Winterset Cem
Sept 8, 1928
Undertaker: Ramsey-Richards, Winterset Ia
[end]
AFFIDAVIT
State of Iowa)
) SS
Polk County )
I, Mrs Jessie D. Wheat, being first duly Sworn state that I am
the widow of Jefferson Wheat and that I had never been married
prior to my marriage to the said Jefferson wheat on the 23rd. day
of November in 1921.
I further state that Jefferson Wheat had been formerly married
to Ruth Vernon on the 5th