From the Pension Papers File: John Andrew Irvin

Reproduced here are several letters and signed statements regarding the health of John Andrew Irvin. These statements were provided by John's neighbors, employers, and friends. These statements are on file in the Military Records collection at the National Archives.

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(affidavit signed April 14, 1890)

In the matter of John Irvin, late private Co. D. 209th Reg. Penna. Vol. Infantry:

     I have been a near neighbor and have known applicant for about fifteen years intimately, and know he has had Rheumatism every year, and almost constantly, in all this period. I often worked for him; he for me; and together at other farms for our neighbors, and he has always shown evidences of his alleged rheumatism in the lameness, soreness, and want of power of endurance. For about five years, the signs have been very manifest, and in my opinion he is fully one-half disabled. 

     I am 43 yrs old, a farmer, and have no interest in this claim. My Post Office address is Fannettsburg, Franklin Co. Pa.

Witness                                                        affiants signature

T. A. Morrow                                               William A. Stinger

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(affidavit signed November 28, 1890)

     I am a farmer and my books show charges with claimant since 1879, but I have recollection that he worked for me as a days laborer some during prior years. In 1882 I had him hired for the year and he frequently lost time by reason of Rheumatism. I found that he was not able to perform the work, as a farm laborer, that I expected him to do. Since 1882 most of the work he has done has been for me by the day or job. This Rheumatism has been continuous and growing worse ever since his first engagements with me, in fact a great deal of the work I have given him has been from the stand point of charity, since he has been unable to do near what we expect an able bodied hand to perform. I cannot rate at more than half labor, the service he gives, all round, when compared with full hands.

     J. S. Simmon

(Signature of Affiants.)

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(affidavit signed December 6, 1890)

     I came into this immediate neighborhood, where claimant resides, when I was 12 to 13 years old, and excepting only one year, I worked on one and the same farm for 10 years, this from 1867 to 1877-8. Claimant is a farm laborer, and while I am unable to exactly fix the dates of his labor and his earliest disabilities I know that he worked at intervals on the same farm from the earliest years of my engagement until the end of my ten years. I recollect for the whole period that he could not be depended on to endure a hard or quick job or day's work, on account of his back and legs giving out and he very often gave up his work to go home, complaining of Rheumatism.
     Since my marriage and housekeeping in June, 1879 excepting only three years when I lived about a mile from him I have been claimant's near or nearest neighbor, residing for more than eight years one-third of a mile from him. I see him 10 to 15 times a month when we are not working together, and I am satisfied that he has had rheumatism ever since I first knew him. He is not now and for several years has not been able to walk erect and is very sore and stiff and ought not to suffer exposure or do any heavy or quick work. Allowed all the leisure he needs he may do half a day's work but considered from the standpoint of an able bodied man he is fully two-thirds or three-fourths disabled.
Peter (his X mark) Runk
   (Signature of Affiants.)

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(affidavit signed December 6, 1890)

   I returned from the army in July 1865, and have lived only about a mile from claimant ever since, and know that he has had rheumatism from that time until the present, getting worse from year to year, until he is so stooped and sore and stiff that he labors, when he can, only under great difficulty. We harvested together during the harvest of 1866, and worked together some every year thereafter for 10 or 11 years, and he always had rheumatism. In 1870 he had an acute attack totally disabling him, and he required constant handling and care during a protracted illness of Rheumatism, and he has had many acute attacks since, totally disabling him, for long or short periods. I am very rheumatic which causes me to note and remember other rheumatic people. His motion is slow and unsteady, his power of endurance very limited his ability to engage in heavier or quicker labors of his engagements is rendered impossible and he can only do a half days manual labor when working alone in his own way; and considering generally he is almost totally disabled.
     Jacob Guyer
(Signature of Affiants.)

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(affidavit signed December 18, 1890)

     I was nearest neighbor of claimant from his return from the army until 1870. I would not at this time attempt to fix dates specifically, but remember well that he was crippled up with rheumatism all the time we were neighbors.
Mrs. Mary (her X mark) Johnston
(Signature of Affiants.)

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(affidavit signed December 2, 1890)

     I am a farmer and claimant worked for me prior to enlistment, loading manure for me only a day or two before going to the Army.
     I am satisfied he had no rheumatism then.
I saw him within a month after his return, and he had rheumatism. I continued to see him at short intervals ever since, and for the last twelve years have lived from two to three miles from him, giving me frequent opportunities to see and hear from him.
   He is not able to do much hard work any more in consequence of his rheumatism, and he has the reputation in this whole community of being very rheumatic.
     John Cowan
(Signature of Affiants.)