Phillip Wilson's Claim


Submitted by Robin Sterling


Southern Claims Commission File

for

Phillip Wilson (3085) Disallowed

Items Claimed

Amount Claimed

Amount Allowed

Amount Disallowed

125 bushels corn

$250

 

 

7 ½ bushels meal

$15

 

 

289 pounds bacon

$72.25

 

 

Totals

$337.25

 

 

 

To the Honorable Commissioners of Claims, Under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1871, Washington, D.C.:

The petition of Phillip Wilson of Winston County, Alabama respectfully represents:

That he is a citizen of the United States and resides at present: Winston County, Alabama

That he has a claim against the United States for corn and bacon and meal taken by order of General Wilson in March 1865 in Winston County, Alabama for the use of the U.S. army as follows:

125 bushels corn ($250); 7 ½ bushels meal ($15); 289 pounds bacon ($72.25); total: $337.25

That all the items in the above schedule were of the full value therein set forth and were taken from the residence of your petitioner for the use of and were used by the United States army by General Wilson’s Command on their march south to Selma, Alabama on the 25th day of March 1865 and used by said command near Jonathan Barton’s, Winston County, Alabama.

That no voucher, receipt or other writing was given therefor by the persons taking the same as aforesaid or received or taken by your petitioner.

That your petitioner resided at the time his said claim accrued in Winston County, Alabama.

That Phillip Wilson was the original owner of said claim, and that he is the present owner of the same.

That your petitioner remained loyal adherent to the cause and the Government of the United States during the war, and was so loyal before and at the time of the taking of the property for which this claim is made.

That the claim has not before been presented to any department of the government for adjustment or Congress.

That Stilson, Bundy & Webster, of Washington, D.C., are hereby authorized and empowered to act as his Attorneys for the prosecution of this claim.

Wherefore your petitioner prays for such action of your Honorable Commission in the premises, as may be deemed just and proper.

[signed x his mark] Phillip Wilson; Witnesses: [signed] Silas Morphew and John York

State of Alabama, County of Winston: I, Phillip Wilson of Winston County, Alabama being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he is the petitioner named in the foregoing petition, and who signed the same; that the matters therein stated are true, of the deponent’s own knowledge, except as to those matters which are stated on information and belief, and as to those matters he believes them to be true; and deponent further says that he did not voluntarily serve in the Confederate army or navy, either as an officer, soldier, or sailor, or in any other capacity, at any time during the late rebellion; that he never voluntarily furnished any stores, supplies, or other material aid to said Confederate army or navy, or to the Confederate government, or to any officer, department or adherent of the same in support thereof, and that he never voluntarily accepted or exercised the functions of any office whatsoever under, or yielded voluntary support to, the said Confederate government. [signed x his mark] Phillip Wilson; Witnesses: [signed] Silas Morphew and John York

Sworn and subscribed in my presence, the 5th day of June 1871 [signed] William H. Wilbanks, Justice of the Peace.

Names and residences of witnesses who will be relied upon to prove loyalty:

Jonathan Barton, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

A.J. Ingle, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

Sarah A. West, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

Elizabeth Lovett, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

Names and residences of witness who will be relied upon to prove the other facts alleged in the foregoing petition:

Martin Lovett, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

William West, Jr., Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

Sarah A. West, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

Post office address of claimant, Larissa, Winston County, Alabama

I hereby certify that William H. Wilbanks is an acting Justice of the Peace and is duly commissioned and qualified as such, this June the 12th, 1871 [signed] R.W. Swinney, Clerk of the Circuit Court

Note from the archives dated 6 May 1873: Case of Phillip Wilson, Winston County, Alabama; “files claim for corn &c furnished to a detachment of the 3rd Confederate Regiment for $19.55”

Notes: Images of original documents found associated with Phillip Wilson on Ancestry.com reveal Phillip Wilson received two receipts from the Confederate states for corn and rations. One was dated 16 Apr 1864 for 3 bushels of corn and 22 rations and read: “This day J.J. Watts and made oath that the above of…Phillip Wilson of Winston County, Alabama is just and true of his own knowledge and that the same as for provisions furnished Confederate States troops and has never been paid. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 23 Nov ’64 [signed] J.J. Watts and A.S. Nicholson, Com. 2 Com. Div of Alabama.”

Another was dated Eldridge, Alabama 16 May 1864 which read: “CSA D to Phillip Wilson, 11 bushels of corn and 22 rations and cooking the same. I certify on honor that the above account is just and true as received by a detachment of the 3rd Confederate regiment and [illegible] for Frank M. Burnum.” Frank Burnum was an officer belonging to Company D of the 3rd Confederate Cavalry. Burnum lived in Walker County in 1850 and later lived in Blount County where he died and was buried in 1898.

Wilson’s file does not contain the testimony found in some of the other claims. It could be the examination process never made it that far because of the receipts identified by the Archives which showed Phillip Wilson gave support to the Confederacy as proven by at least one of the receipts. That discovery most likely ended the claims process for Wilson and agents for the Commissioners of Claims never bothered to collect the testimony from his witnesses.

Phillip Wilson was born about March 1820 in South Carolina. He was living in Winston County in 1860 and spent the war years there. Sometime in the 1870s he moved to Wayne County, Tennessee and lived there for several years. Before 1900 he moved to Lauderdale County and died there on 10 Dec 1902. He was buried in the Rogers Chapel Cemetery in Lauderdale County.


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