USCT Record of John Scott / Pension Application of Delpha Scott, Green County, KY

Civil War military record for John Scott
125^th Regiment, Company H, U. S. Colored Troops

Civil War Pension Application of Delpha Scott, widow of John Scott
Greensburg, Green County, KY

Transcribed and contributed by Belva Seaberry

More than 3 dozen names of Greensburg residents, both black and white, are contained in these documents. Many names are confirmed in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 censuses.

The Civil War USCT enlistment papers of John Scott (black) document that he was a slave of John Scott (white) of Greensburg, who applied for compensation to the U. S. War Department because he had not consented to his slave joining the military. Scott was a private in the USCT from enlistment at Lebanon, KY, April 22, 1865 to disability discharge May 23, 1866 in Cairo, IL. According to the pension application, Scott died March 20, 1876 in Greensburg after suffering years of illness contracted during his military service. In his military records and in the pension application, his approximate birth year is 1812 or 1820. His birth year in the 1870 Greensburg census is about 1816.

The widow’s pension documents mainly date from January 1, 1890 to October 28, 1893. They include the marriage license and certificate of John Scott and Delphia Gaines (June 24, 1875), the Army Certificate of Disability Discharge, Green County court documents, U.S. government documents, and a number of affidavits of Greensburg residents attesting to Scott’s illness and death and his widow’s poverty.

Delpha Gaines was born in Green County March 1829 and died there September 25, 1929 according to these files. She is listed in the 1870 Census in Greensburg. John Scott (black) is also listed in that census with his first wife Margery and 5 young people.

The names of Greensburg residents are listed with their function in these dated documents, along with notes where they are of interest. Race, (B) or (W), is indicated when census entries were found.

Greensburg Residents	Document	Date	Place	Notes
John Scott (white) John H. Alden Justice Peace (W) B.B. Scott witness (W) John N. Reid attestor Hobson S. Lewis attorney Wm. Tucker attestor (W) E.F. Tucker attestor (W) John A Trasenwriter attestor (W)	Proof of Ownership, Compensation Claim, Oath of Allegiance, Proof of Loyalty, Power of Attorney	3/2/1867	Green Co, KY	Scott asks to be compensated by U.S. Government for the loss of his slave to the military. Takes oath that he has been loyal to U.S.
John Lewis witness (B) James Embry witness (B) J.D. Durham county clerk (W) Samuel Carter minister (B) Richard Taylor homeowner (W)	Marriage License and Certificate of John Scott (black) & Delphia Gaines (black)	6/24/1875	Green Co, Richard Taylor’s [farm]
A.J. Perkins clerk (W) B.J. Hamilton clerk? (W) W.H. Milby attorney (W)	Verification of above	--	Green Co. courthouse
	Army Certificate of Disability for Discharge for John Scott	5/23/1886	Army Post, Cairo, IL
F.J. Taylor, 60 (W)	Affidavit for the widow’s claim	1/1/1890	Green Co	Made Scott’s coffin
Alfred Scott, 74 (B)	Affidavit	3/12/1890	Green Co	Knew Scott personally
Belle Henry, 43 (B) James Blakeman, 42 (B)	Affidavit	“	Green Co	Knew Scott personally and witnessed death
Lewis Phillips, 38 (B)	Affidavit	“	Green Co	Knew Scott personally
Charles Marshall, 72 (B)	Affidavit	1/1/1890	Green Co	Also 125th; in Cairo IL; witnessed Scott’s illness
A.S. Lewis , MD (W)	Affidavit	3/7/1890	Green Co	Verifies Scott’s illness and death on his return to Greensburg
B.B. Scott, MD (W)	Affidavit	1890	Green Co	Treated John Scott, “an old family servant”
Matt Cowherd, 65 (B)	Affidavit	9/3/1890	Green Co	Also in 125th; in Cairo IL; witnessed Scott’s illness
Milo Blakeman, 78 (B) Charles Marshall, 54 or 56 (B) George W. Lewis, 47 (B) Washington Lile, 62 (B) Margie Allen (B)	Affidavit	1/1/1890	Green Co	All also in 125^th, in Cairo IL; witnessed Scott’s illness. Reported Scott had been married first to Margie Allen, deceased. Delpha not previously married, and remained a widow after Scott’s death. They “had no children under age of 16 at the [death of] John Scott.
Lucien Durham, 46 (W)	Affidavit of Delpha Scott’s poverty and living arrangements	7/5/1893 and 8/4/1893	Green Co	Employs Delpha as cook and washerwoman for his family. She lived in his house near Greensburg
William Smith, 46 (W)	Affidavit confirming Delpha Scott’s poverty and living arrangements	7/5/1893	Green Co	Says he is “well-acquainted with the claimant.”
W.H. Milby Accepting Agt Chas. D. Allen witness (W) R. L. Foster witness (W)	Articles of Agreement	8/10/1889	Green Co	Milby agrees to represent Delpha Scott in her application, for free.
	Court declaration by Delpha Scott	8/10/1889	Green Co	Repeat of Delpha’s testimony, age 50. Said Scott contracted "diseases of lung and diarrhea" at Camp Burnsides, KY, fall 1865
	Widow’s Pension Application	1/20/1892	Pension adm.	First claim rejected
L. Durham witness (W) J.L. Hamilton witness (W) H.T. Larimore clerk (W)	Court declaration by Delpha Scott	2/24/1892	Green Co.	Delpha, 52, affirms all of previous testimony.
	Widow’s Pension Application	10/28/1893	Pension adm.	Claim approved for $8/month commencing 2/27/1892. Later increases stamped on record: 11/4/1916 Delpha, 76, entitled to $20/month. 6/4/1928 Delpha’s pension increased to $40/month.
B.W. Penick clerk/witness (W) Alex Milby witness (W)	Affidavit by Delpha	1/1/1890	Green Co	Delpha affirms above testimony, but has no other required records of Scott’s illness or treatment.
	Statement of John Scott’s service	10/12/1889	War Dept. Washington, D.C.	Scott on rolls 4/22/1865 to 2/1866, present March & April, absent sick [rheumatism] in Post Hospital, Cairo, IL since 4/12/1866. Vitals and description.
	Report of hospital record	11/9/1889	Bureau of Pensions	“Disability from disease of lungs and diarrhea, no treatment alleged, discharged for ‘old age and its infirmities (54 years)’, chronic nephritis and an old fracture of left arm—all contracted before enlistment.”
C. H. Noggle attestor (W)	Letter from Delpha Scott to Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D.C.	10/5/1916	Greensburg	Asks for a pension increase from $12 to $20/month. Gave her birth month/year.
	Pension Office Drop Report	10/14/1929	A federal office	Drops Delpha because of her death Sept 25, 1929