Summary: Jacob Bowman filed this claim in 1873 for 4 items, including horses, corn, bacon, and flour, amounting to $600. He claimed the property taken by General Averill's Union troops in June of 1864. Jacob was a 37 year old farmer and miller and a member of the Lutheran Church. He voted for the Ordinance of Secession. The claim was disallowed.
Items Claimed:
| Item Claimed: | Amount Claimed: | Amount Allowed: | Amount Disallowed: |
| 4 Items | 600.00 | 0.00 | 600.00 |
Claims Summary:
Claimant swears to loyal Sympathies but not to loyal Conduct. On the contrary he was over persuaded and voted for the disolution of the Union and the destruction of the Government. He likewise furnished a Substitute for the Confederate Serivce, having as he alleged been Conscripted and having no other way to Escape personal Service. And he also received Vouchers from Confederate Officers for supplies taken which would not have been given him had he been the reputation of a Union Man. We therefore reject the Claim.
Testimony: Jacob Bowman
My name is Jacob Bowman, my age 37 years, my residence Augusta County, in the State of Virginia, and my occupation a farmer; I am related to the claimant, and have a beneficial interest in the claim.
2. Witness says: I resided on my farm & cultivated my farm all the war; my farm contains 500 acres, 350 cleared. I did not leave the State during the war.
3. No in full
4. No in full
Witness says: I took amnesty oath after the war, had nothing to be pardoned for.
6. No in full
7. No in full
8. No in full
9. No in full.
10. No in full
11. No in full
12. Witness says: I was forced into the Home guard for 5 days in 1864.
13. I was conscripted into the Rebel service & furnished a substitute to keep out of it. I had either to do that or go in myself; I had no other choice.
15. No in full
16. No in full
17. No in full
18. No in full
19. No in full
20. No in full
21. No in full
22. No in full
23. No in full
24. Witness says: He was arrested twice by the Confed. authorities & brought to Staunton, the first time heI was parolled, then heI was brought back & released upon the ground that heI was a miller. Was arrested after the law passed requiring principals to go into Army notwithstanding had employed substitutes. I never was arrested by the U.S.Govt.
25. The Confederate impressed some hay, oats, & flour for which they gave me receipts.
26. Witness says: I was never threatened as I kept as still I possibly could.
27. No in full
28. No in full
29. No in full
30. Witness says: I had no son, nephew or brother in Confed. Army.
31. No in full
32. No in full
33. No in full
34. No in full
35. No in full
36. No in full
37. No in full
38. No in full
39. No in full
40. Witness says: I was opposed to the war from beginning to the end. I voted for the Ordinance of Secession against my conviction. I had determined to vote against it, but was approached by Dr. Wm S. McChesney, an intelligent & influential man, a warm personal friend of mine, who said if I did not vote for it I would rue it the balance of my life as it was the only way upon Earth to keep off a war and I yielded to his advice for & in consideration of my love of the country.
41. Witness says: My sympathies were with the old Gov. I wasted no change. Was opposed to a Separation, & did nothing for the rebel Gov. but what I was compelled. I was never gladder in my life than when the war ended & as it did.
And further this Deponent saith not.
Jacob Bowman
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 17 day of October 1872.
WG Riley
Testimony: Jacob Bowman
Deposition of Jacob Bowman recalled to prove taking & value of his property.
1. Witness says: I saw all the property mentioned in my petition mentioned the flour & corn from the mill, one horse from a meadow & the other from the yard gate on my farm. The bacon was in my house. This was all taken in June 1864 by Gen. Averill & Crooks soldiers of the U.S. Army. There were about 150 soldiers engaged in takin the property. There were officers present but I do not know their names or ranks. My family was present, & Mr. Wm Bosserman was with me at the time near by. I had no conversation with any officer, the officers said that they must have such property as this mentioned, it was necessary to have it. They were driving off my young cattle, but at the earnest request of my life to leave one special one, he said as that is the best one I will leave all, which he did. The main body of the Army was at Staunton about 7 miles, they took the property in direction of camp, except what they fed on the ground. There were a great many sacks in mill, which they used in taking property away. An officer rode one of my horses, & told my wife it was one of the best horses he had seen in Va. the other was led off. No complaint was made to any officer, no receipt was given or asked for, all was taken in day time. The horses were 4 & 6 years old respectively, in fine condition, & worth richly $200 each. The flour was in lbls. 10 barrels & worth $10 per lbl. There were 50 bushels of corn I had measured it. it was all taken & was worth $1 per bushel. There were 11 pieces of bacon, large hams weighing 20 lbs. each, all taken from garret of the house to which it had been removed from the Smoke house; was worth 25 cents per lb. The officer was very kind, & would suffer no soldier to enter the house. he pitched the bacon out of the window. he left about as much bacon as he took. I was the sole owner of the property taken, nothing was left in exchange, & I have never been paid for it, nor has the claim ever been presented before to the Gov.
And further the Deponent saith not.
Jacob Bowman
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 17th. day of October 1872.
WG Riley
Testimony: William Bosserman
Deposition of William Bosserman to prove the taking and value of the property mentioned in Claimants petition.
1. Witness says: I am 45 years of age, reside in Augusta County, and am a farmer. Was on a hill near by hisClaimant house & mill, & saw the property taken, or rather saw the soldiers enter the mill where the corn & flour were, & when they left it was gone. I saw one horse taken out of the meadow, & the other from the yard gate of Claimants farm. I did not see the bacon actually taken, but know from information of others that it was. This was done in June 1864, by soldiers of Gl. Hunter. I thought there were 150 men engaged in taking the property. The place seemed alive with them. The Claimants family were present. There were officers there, but I did not know them. The main body of the Army was encamped at Staunton, a part of it about 4 miles from Claimants; soldiers took the property towards their camp. No complaint was made that I know of to any officer, no receipt given or asked for, nothing left in exchange, it has never been paid for or presented to any Dep that I know of. It was all taken in the day time. The horses were in fine condition, one 6 & the other 4 years of age, they were remarkably fine horses & richly worth $200 each. They took 10 lbls of flour worth $10 each. it was in the mill. There were 50 bushels of measured corn in the mill. it was taken. it was worth $1 per bushel. I did not see the bacon, but am satisfied from what I saw & heard it was taken. it was worth 25 cts.pr.lb.
And further this Deponent saith not.
Wm. Bosserman
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 17th. day of October 1872.
WG Riley
Testimony: William Bosserman
Deposition of Wm. Bosserman recalled to prove the loyalty of the Claimant.
1. I have known the Claimant all his life, he was raised within two miles of my fathers house. Saw him constantly during the war & talked with him about the war. He was the sickest man of the war I ever saw, he was opposed to the war & to secession. He advised every body to leave the South & go to the mountains. He aided all deserters, fed them & concealed them. he gave them while in the mountains, flour, bacon, &. He said the day he was parolled & left Staunton that if he could not get off as a miller he would certainly run off & go North. I regarded him as a true Union man & he was so regarded by all his neighbors. I heard of no threats against him. I am certain that he did nothing to aid the Confederate Govt. except as stated above. The claimant is a member of high standing in the Lutheran Church. I the witness was a Union man during the war, & am also a member of the Lutheran Church. He had no sons in Confed. Army, was the owner of no Confed. bonds to my knowledge, & did nothing to aid the credit of the Confederacy. He was rejoiced more than any man I ever saw at the conclusion of the war & at the sucess of the U.S. I do not think he would have done as he did about not voting, had it not been for the influence of Dr. Wm. S. McChesney & for the reason assigned that it would keep off a war. Dr. McChesney had great influence and was regarded as a true friend. The Dr. was as much distressed as I ever saw a man when the war commenced - he wept bitterly. The State of affairs was such, that a great many good friends citizens, & Union men, were apt to be influenced by men of more reading & information than they possessed themselves, as to what way proper to be done for the Country.
And further the Deponent saith not.
Wm. Bosserman
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th. day of October 1872.
WG Riley
Testimony: George S. Arehart
Deposition of G. S. Arehart, to prove the Loyalty of Jacob Bowman.
1. Witness says: I am 44 years old, reside in Augusta Co. I am a farmer, I have known the Claimant all his life. Lived near him during the war. Saw him often & talked to him about the war. When we went in the mountains hiding to keep out of the Confederate Army, the Claimants sent us us six (6) lbs. of flour to use, when I returned from the West in 1864. I told him how every thing prospered in the North & that the South was already whipped. he seemed delighted. Said he wanted the thing to close. I regarded him as a Union man & his neighbors regarded him as such. Don't know how he voted on the ordinance of Secession. If he had been a rebel he would not have supplied us as he did while we were hiding in the mountains. Never heard him threatened by the rebels. He was in the home guards a few days. was forced into it. Did nothing voluntarily for the Confederate Govt. Had no son in the Confederate Army. Owned no Confederate blonds, did nothing to support the credit of the Confederate States. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. I am a member of the same Church. Can't say what the claimant would have done had the South gained its independence. And further this deponent saith not.
George S. Arehart
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th day of October 1872
WG Riley
Bibliographic Information : Southern Claims Commission: Claim of Jacob Bowman, 1873, Claim No. 17165, Source copy consulted: National Archives, Washington, D.C., RG 123, Congressional Jusidiction #8876.
