Summary: Simon Stickley filed this claim in 1872 for $135, claiming the Union army under General Hunter's command took one horse in 1864. Stickley was a 32 year old farmer who was arrested once by Confederate authorities. He failed to answer questions 10 to 13 and only one neighbor testified to his loyalty. The claim was disallowed.
Items Claimed:
| Item Claimed: | Amount Claimed: | Amount Allowed: | Amount Disallowed: |
| One horse | $135.00 | $0.00 | $135.00 |
Claims Summary:
Claimant swears only to his loyal sympathies. He did not vote at all on the Ordinance of Secession and does not answer questions from 9 to 14 in printed list.
He calls but one Witness to Confirm his claim to loyalty. And without going into any specific statements he says I always considered Claimant loyal and he was so regarded by his neighbors.
We reject this claim.
Testimony: Simon Stickley
United States of America
State of Virginia
I, W.G. Riley, a commissioner selected and designated by the Commissioner of Claims appointed under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1871 to take and record testimony Do hereby certify that the reason for takng the following depositions is and the fact is the matter of Claim of Simon Stickley vs. the United States of America and the witness herein named being the first duly sworn answereth as follows -
Quest 1 Witness Says - I am thirty two years old I live in Augusta County Va by occupation a farmer. I have resided where I do now for ten years.
3 Witness Says - I never passed beyond the Military or Naval lines of the United States and entered the rebel lines.
4 Witness Says - I never took and oath to the Confederate States.
5 Witness Says - I have taken an amnesty oath. I took it after the was ended. I have never been pardoned by the president.
6 Witness Says - I never was in any manner connected with the civil service of the Confederate States - I never held any office, under the Confederate Government.
8 Witness Says - I never held any clerkship or office of any kind or done anything whatever for the Confederate States.
9 Witness Says - I never was in any capacity in the Military or Naval service of the Confederacy. I have never done anything directly or indirectly for the Confederate Government.
14 Witness Says - I never was engaged in blockade running or anything of the sort.
15 Witness Says - I did not leave the Confederate States between the 19th of April 1861 and the 19th of April 1865.
16 Witness Says - I never owned any vessel. I never had any interest in any vessel.
17 Witness Says - I was arrested in 1864 by the Confederate Government, where I now reside. I don't know who arrested me. I took no oath to be released. I never was arrested by the United States Government.
18 Witness Says - I had some corn, bacon and a horse taken by the Confederate authorities. I don't recollect of being paid at all.
20 Witness Says - I was threatened or injured or molested on account of my union sentiments.
21 Witness Says - I contributed no money or property in aid of the United States Government.
23 Witness Says - I had no relatives in either the Union or Confederate Armies that I know of.
24 Witness Says - I have never owned any Confederate bonds, I have never contributed to support the credit of the so called Confederate States.
25 Witness Says - I have never given aid or comfort to the Rebellion.
26 Witness Says - I never was engaged in making raids into the Unted States from Canada.
27 Witness Says - I never was engaged directly or indirectly in holding in custody any persons taken by the Confederate Government as prisoners of war.
28 Witness Says - I never persecuted any person on account of their loyalty to the United States.
29 Witness Says - I never was a parolled prisoner of the United States
30 Witness Says - I have never held any office, in the army or Navy of the United States. I was not educated at West Point nor at the Naval Academy.
31 Witness Says - I did receive a pass from the Confederate Government, but I did not use it for any purpose.
32 Witness Says - I am under no disabilities. I have never held any office under the United States Government since the war.
33 Witness Says - At the beginning of the Rebellion I sympathized with the Union and not with the rebellion. I not vote at all on the Ordinance of Secession.
34 Witness Says - I declare that from the beginning of hostilities against the United States to the end thereof, I was constantly with the cause of the United States, and was willing to aid the Union at all times as far as I was able and further the deponent saith not August 22nd 1871
Simon Stickley
Testimony: George Welch
George Welch a witness introduced by Simon Stickley the claimant to prove property being first duly sworn answereth as follows
Quest 1 Witness Says - I am seventy two years old. I live in Augusta County Va, by occupation a farmer. I saw the property mentioned in the claimant's petition taken.
4 Witness Says - The property was taken in 1864. It was taken from my farm the horse was hired there, the property was taken by the soliders.
6 Witness Says - The Colonel was there at my house. I don't know to what regiment he belonged, but he was under the command of Genl. Hunter.
8 Witness Says - The horse was removed by soldiers.
9 Witness Says - The horse removed to Staunton.
11 Witness Says - No complaint was made on account of such taking.
12 Witness Says - No receipt was given and none was asked for.
13 Witness Says - The horse was taken about twelve o'clock in the day time.
15 Witness Says - He was very nice good and fat he was three years old and worth one hundred and thirty five dollars, what the claimant has charged.
19 Witness Says - I suppose that the horse was taken for the use of the United States Army, and not for individual use, and by some one who had authority to take it and I think it was taken for some purpose so useful as to warrant the Government to pay for it and further the deponent saith not. August the 22nd 1871
George Welch
Testimony: Daniel Fishburn
Daniel Fishburn a witness introduced by the claimant for proof as to his loyalty being first duly sworn answereth as follows -
Ques 1 Witness Says - I am fifty one years old. I reside in Augusta County Va. by occupation a farmer. I have known the Claimant for twenty years. I lived near him, and saw him often during the war. I always considered him loyal to the United States Government. He was so considered by his neighbors. I had frequent conversations with him, and I think he was too loyal to the United States Government to have been considered loyal to the Confederacy if it had been maintained as a separate Government. I have never known him to aid the rebellion. And further the deponent saith not.
Daniel Fishburn
Sworn & subscribed before me this 22nd day of August 1871
WG Riley
United States Commissioner and Special Com. for State of Va.
Bibliographic Information : Southern Claims Commission: Claim of Simon Stickley, August 22, 1871, Claim No. 978, Source copy consulted: National Archives, Washington, D.C., fiche #506.
