Summary: The Commissioners of Claims disallowed Stover's claim for one horse in 1874 because he voted for the Ordinance of Secession and took a loyalty oath to the Confederacy while a member of the militia.
Items Claimed:
| Item Claimed: | Amount Claimed: | Amount Allowed: | Amount Disallowed: |
| One Horse | $120.00 | 0 | $120.00 |
Claims Summary:
This claimant was a resident of Augusta Co. Va. As early as the spring of 1861, he took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate government. He belonged to a military company & the oath was required to be taken by each member of that company. When the ordinance of secession was submitted to the people of the state of Virginia he voted for its adoption, did so because he was told "his property would be saved." He gives no satisfactory reason for either his oath or his vote. His loyalty is not satisfactorily proved and the claim is disallowed.
Testimony: Simon P. Stover
United States of America State of Va.
I, W.G. Riley, a commissioner selected and designated by the Commiss. of Claims appointed under the Act of Congress of March 3d 1871 to take and record testimony. Do hereby certify that the reason for taking the following is and the fact is the matter of claim of Simon P. Stover Vs. the United States of America and the witnesses herein named being material and necessary, being first duly sworn, Answers as follows
Question 1st Witness says - I am 48 years old, I reside in Augusta Co. Va. I am a farmer by occupation. I resided at the same for the 6 months previous to the first of April 1861. I resided at the same place from the 1st April 1861 to June 1st 1865.
3d Witness says I never passed beyond the Military or Naval lines of the U.S. and entered the rebel lines, I did take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy in the Spring of 1861, in Augusta County. I was subject to military duty, and this oath was required to be taken by each member of the company to which I belonged, but I was opposed to it, and in favor of the Union.
5th Witness Says - I took an Amnesty Oath after the close of the War in 1865 at Staunton, Va. I have not been pardoned by the President, had no need of one. I never was connected with the civil service of the Confederate States. I held no office or place of trust in any way in the Confederate Government. I held no clerkship, or agency under the Confederacy.
9th Witness says I never was in the military or Naval service of the so called Confederate States.
10th Witness says I never was an officer, soldier, Sailor or Marine in the rebel Army or Navy, nor did anything for the use or benefit of the Confederate Army or Government.
11th Witness Says I never did anything of my own free will accord to aid the Confederacy.
14th Witness Says I never was engaged in blockade running
15th Witness Says I left the Confederate States, between the 19th April 1861 & 19th June 1865, I returned in 1864, and kept concealed, I wanted to see my family
16th Witness Says I never was interested in any vessel in navigating the ocean
17th Witness says I never was arrested the Confederate or U.S. Government.
18th Witness says I had a good deal of corn taken in the fall of 1864 but received no pay.
19th Witness says I never was threatened to my face, but heard I was on account of my Union sentiments, there was a man told me that I ought to be hung.
22nd Witness says I never did anything for the U.S. Army or Government.
23. Witness says I had nephews in the Union and in the Confederate Army.
24th Witness says - I have never owned any Bonds or done anything to support the credit of the Confederacy.
25th Witness says - I never give aid and comfort to the rebellion.
26th Witness says - I never was engaged in making raids into the U.S. from Canada.
27th Witness says - I never was engaged in holding in custody prisoners of War taken by the rebels-
29th Witness says I never was a paroled prisoner of the U.S.
30th Witness says I never held any office in the U.S. or educated at any school of the United States.
31 Witness says - I never had a pass from the Confederacy or its authorities.
32 Witness says I was under no disabilities and have never held no office since the war.
33 Witness says At the beginning of the rebellion I sympathized with the Union and not the rebellion. I voted for the Ordinance of Secession. I did so, because I was told that my property would be saved, I tried to get my name off but was refused. After the adoption of the Secession my sympathies were all with the Union Cause - and not for the State.
34th Witness Says I declare that from the beginning of hostilities against the United States, I was constantly in my sympathy with the Union and I did nothing of my own free will to aid the rebellion, and was willing to aid the Union cause so far as my power, means and the circumstances of the case permitted.
Further the deponent saith not.
Sept. 2d. 1871 Simon P. Stover
Testimony: Ephraim Hulvey
Ephraim Hulvey witness introduced by the Claimant to prove the taking of the Horse named in the petition, being duly sworn answers as follows
Ques. 1st Witness says. I am 59 years old, I reside in Augusta Co. Va. I am a farmer. I was very near when the horse named in the petition was taken. I saw him taken. He was taken in September 1864, from the field of the Claimant by U. States soldiers, belonging to Genl. Sheridan's command. John Casaday was present with me at the time.
6th Witness says - I do not know that there was any officer present at the taking.
7th Witness says the horse taken was a sorrel, I suppose about 10 years, he was in good condition every way - The soldiers led him away. I do not know where he was removed.
10th Witness says I do not know the use the horse was taken for. I never saw him after he was taken from the field - There was no complaint made that I know of.
12 Witness says There was no receipt taken or asked for, so far as I know. I heard no conversation in relation to it at all.
The horse was taken in the day time, publicly in the afternoon. There was no encampment near the claimant - there had been no battle or skirmish near. I did not know, or hear the name of any quarter master or other officers except General Sheridan.
15th Witness says the horse was in good condition about 16 hands high - I think the horse was worth $125 or $130 - he was a good horse.
19th Witness says. I believe the horse was taken for the use of the Army, alone. I suppose there was a necessity for the horse.
22d Witness says - I think that the Government ought to pay for it.
23d Witness says I believe it was taken under and by authority.
Further this deponent saith not.
Sept. 2d 1871 Ephraim Hulvey
Testimony: Ephraim Hulvey
Ephraim Hulvey, a witness introduced by the Claimant to prove his loyalty to the United States being sworn answers as follows.
Ques 1st Witness says. I have known the claimant, about 40 years. I live very near him - I saw him often during the war, and talked with him on the subject, and I regarded him all the time a good Union man, and all his neighbors regarded him so.
I know that he left the Confederacy and went to the Union lines. I don't think he ever aided the rebellion, except what he was forced to do.
I think he was too loyal to the U.S. Government, to ever have been regarded as loyal to the Confederate States had they succeeded.
Further this deponent saith not.
Sept. 2d 1871 Ephraim Hulvey
Testimony: Peter Sheets
Peter Sheets a witness introduced by Claimant to prove loyalty to the U.S. Government being duly sworn answers as follows.
Ques 1st Witness say I am 59 years old. I reside in Augusta Co. Va. and am a farmer. I have know the claimant 40 years, I live near him - I saw him quite frequently during the war - We often talked about the War. I believed him to be, all the time, the best of Union men, and he was regarded by his neighbors as a Union man. I never knew him to do anything for the U.S. Government, except to go through the Union lines - He never done anything for the Confederacy of his own free will.
He could not have established any claim of loyalty to the Conferate States, had they succeeded.
Further this deponent saith not.
Sept. 2d 1871 Peter Sheets
Sworn to & subscribed before me this 2d day of Sept. 1871
United States Commissioner and special Com. for State of Va.
Bibliographic Information : Southern Claims Commission: Claim of Simon P. Stover, September 2, 1871, Claim No. 15,855, Source copy consulted: National Archives, Washington, D.C., fiche #1509.
