Abstract of Civil War Widow’s Pension File

Mary E. Leffler
 
1. Franklin Leffler enlisted as a private on March 11, 1862 at Leon in Co. A, 17th Iowa Volunteers to serve three years.

2. Franklin Leffler contracted pneumonia at Corinth, Miss. on Oct. 27, 1862 and died Nov. 22, 1862 at the New House of Refuge Hospital, St. Louis, Mo., per statement from a captain of his company, C. P. Johnson.

3. Mary E. Leffler made an application for a widow’s pension, on April 4, 1863; Decatur City given as post office address.

4. Proof of marriage of Franklin Leffler (of lawful age) and Mary E. Beck (with consent of her mother, Martha Beck); married Nov. 6, 1859 at the home of Martha Beck, by James H. Cook., J. P., Decatur Co., Iowa.

5. Affidavits of C. W. Beck, age 66 years of Leon, and T. L. Beck, age 70 years of Decatur Twp., stating that Franklin and Mary Leffler lived together as husband and wife from the time of their marriage until he went into service and that they were the parents of John and Frank Beck; dated July 8, 1869.

6. Pension #14,400 for Mary E. Leffler approved at the rate of $8 a month on Sept. 23, 1863, retroactive to Nov. 22, 1862.

7. Minor children of soldier are John Thaddeus Beck, born Dec. 19, 1860 and Frank Beck, born Oct. 27, 1862, both in Decatur Co.; affidavit of Martha Beck who stated that no doctor attended the births and that she was only one present at said births.

8. Approval of additional sum of $2 a month for each child, commencing June 26, 1869, and ending when each child reaches the age of 16.

9. Mary E. Leffler dropped from pension roll on account of remarriage to Henry Crees on Jan. 17th, 1867 in Leon.

10. (Note: Henry and Mary Crees moved to Jasper Co., Mo. some time after 1869 and before 1880)

11. Henry Crees dies March 25, 1880 in Jasper Co., Mo., per affidavit of John Leffler.

12. Per “Act of March 3, 1901” Mary Leffler Crees applies for restoration of her pension, dated April 27, 1901 in Barton Co., Mo.

13. Affidavits of John Custard and John Trulock, both of Lamar, Mo., stating that Mary Leffler Crees has no income except what her sons, who are day laborers, can give her; she also has a small garden to help provide food and has no property or other form of support; dated May 25, 1901.

14. Per “Act of March 3, 1901” Mary Leffler Crees reinstated on pension roll at a rate of $12 a month, commencing Jan. 9, 1902.

15. Mary Leffler Crees dropped from pension roll on account of her death, which occurred May 7, 1904 (place of death not given).
 
Source: Fold3; added 23 Dec 2019
 
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