1938 Confederate Veteran, Widow & Servant Pension List

Submitted by Tim Harrison

In 1888 Mississippi began granting pensions to indigent Confederate veterans or their widows.  The qualifications for receiving a pension were eased over the years as the veterans and their widows became older and less able to earn a living on their own.  Chapter 262, Mississippi Laws of 1932, provides payment to Confederate Pensioners as follows:

Class 1. Soldiers and sailors and widows of soldiers and sailors married prior to Jan. 1, 1866, seventy-five cents (75¢) per day, payable monthly.

Class 2. Widows of soldiers and sailors married between Jan. 1, 1866, and Jan. 1, 1875, one hundred thirty-two dollars ($132) per year, payable monthly.

Class 3. Widows of soldiers and sailors married between Jan. 1, 1875, and Jan. 1, 1900, seventy-five dollars ($75) per year, payable monthly.

Class 4. Servants of soldiers and sailors who are disabled and cannot support themselves by their own efforts and who did not desert during such service, thirty dollars ($30) per year, payable monthly.

By November 15, 1937, the date on which the DeSoto County 1938 Pension Roll was certified, there were only 25 pensioners left in the county, of which only two were veterans and two who were servants.  Following is the listing with additional information in brackets:

Class 1 Soldiers & Sailors:

Dooley, James F. – Hernando, Rt.  [Served in Co. G, 11th MS Infantry]
Nichols, John W. – Hernando, Rt.  [Served in Co. F, 22nd MS Infantry]

Class 1 Widows:

Ham, Mrs. Jim [Sarah] – Collierville, Tenn, Rt.  [James Ham served in Co. G, 18th MS Cavalry]
Taylor, Mrs. J. P. [Olive] – Nesbitt  [Joe P. Taylor served in Co. D, 3rd MS Cavalry]

Class 2 Widows:

Acree, Mrs. S. J. – Mineral Wells  [William A. Acree served in Co. A, 2nd MS State Cavalry]
Hughey, Mrs. Amanda – Memphis, Tenn, Rt. 4 [Samuel A. Hughey served in Co. E, 34th MS Infantry.
McKenzie, Mrs. Sallie – Henando  [Donald McKenzie served as a lieutenant in Co. K, 9th MS Infantry]
Oswald, Mrs. M. P. – Horn Lake  [John B. Oswald served in Co. I, 3rd MS Cavalry]
Tarver, Mrs. Queen – Nesbit, Rt.  [Ben T. Tarver served in Co. F, 2nd MS Infantry]
Vinson, Mrs. L. S. [Julia] – Love  [Luther S. Vinson served in Co. D, Ham’s Battalion MS Cavalry]

Class 3 Widows:

Barham, Mrs. N. S. [Nancy] – Hernando, Rt. [Nicholas S. Barham served in Co. B, 11th MS Infantry]
Brower, Mrs. Wm. M. [Margaret] – Horn Lake  [William M. Brower served in Co. H, 15th MS Infantry]
Bell, Mrs. E. J. [Lu Lee] – Hernando  [E. J. Bell served in Co. B, 5th NC Cavalry]
Baker, Mrs. Lucy R. – Olive Branch  [James D. Baker served in Co. K, 9th MS Infantry]
Carson, Mrs. Willie A. – Olive Branch  [W. A. J. Carson served in Co. H, Ham’s Battalion MS Cavalry]
Dean, Mrs. T. J. [Dora] – Nesbitt  [Thomas J. Dean served in Co. A, 10th MS Infantry]
Eason, Mrs. E. E. [Bettie] – Olive Branch  [Edmund E. Eason served in Co. K, 18th MS Cavalry]
Harris, Mrs. Mary Ella – Nesbitt 
Jones, Mrs. Sarah – Hernando  [Dr. Thomas M. Jones served in Co. C, 18th MS Cavalry]
McCargo, Mrs. Fannie L. – Olive Branch  [Robert P. McCargo served in Co. A, 1st MS Infantry]
Nelson, Mrs. G. W. [Carr] – Olive Branch  [George W. Nelson served in Co. I, 54th AL Infantry]
O’Donnell, Mrs. Rachel – Hernando  [Thomas J. O’Donnell served in Co. E, 63rd/65th TN Infantry]
Oliver, Mrs. Nannie – Hernando  [James T. Oliver served in Hoole’s Company, Mississippi Light Artillery (The Hudson Battery)]

Class 4 Servants:

Lane, Sim – Hernando, Rt. 1
Tate, John – Hernando, Rt. 1

The monthly payment for Class 1 soldies and widows was based on seventy-five cents per day, calculated by the actual number of days in each month.  For the months with thirty one days, the Class 1 Pensioner drew $23.25, and for months with thirty days they drew $22.50.  Class 1 Pensioners drew $21.75 in February 1936 because of leap year.

Class 2 widows drew $11.00 per month.  Class 3 widows drew $6.25 per month.  Class 4 servants drew $2.50 each month.

The family of a deceased pensioner was entitled to have the expenses of the funeral and last illness reimbursed by the State.  The expenses of Alfred M. Lauderdale, who died in 1937 amounted to $709.25.