Transcription of Azarias Capper's civil war pension file:

April and May 1865
Army of the United States
Certificate of Disability for Discharge

Private Azarias Capper of 1st Lt Samuel Young's Company of the 85th
Regiment of the United states Ills. Infty Vols, was enlisted by C.W.
Houghton of the Regiment of  ___ of Mason County, Illinois on the first
day of August 1862 to serve three years.  He was born in Cass County in
the State of Illinois, is twenty-three years of age, is
six feet high, fair complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair, and by
occupation when enlisted, a farmer.  During the last two months the
soldier was wounded   in the leg severely, while charging the enemies
works near Marietta, GA  June 27, 1864.
Station: U.S. General Hospital, Quincey, Illinois April 26, 1865.
D.G. Brinton, Surgeon Res., Hospital
I certify that I have carefully examined the said Azarias Capper and
find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of
disabling gunshot wound of left leg; unfit for duty; disabling 3/4.
D.G. Brinton, Surgeon.
Discharged this 18th day of May 1865 at U.S. General Hospital, Quincey,
Illinois.  The soldier declares his address to be town of Bath, Mason
County, Illinois.

May 1865
Claim for Invalid Pension
State of Illinois, County of Mason (?)
 "....since leaving the service, this applicant has resided at Quincey,
Illinois and his P.O. address is Bath in the county of Mason, State of
Illinois and his occupation has been "nothing since discharge".  Signed:
Azarias Capper.

Jan 4, 1876
State of Illinois, County of Champaign
Surgeon's Certificate
I hereby certify that I have carefully examined Azarias Capper....in my
opinion, the Pensioner's disability continues from the disability
resulting from gunshot wound, left leg.  A more particular description
of pensioner's condition is subjoined:  Height 6 ft.,  Weight 160.,
Complexion: Dark;  Age:  35;  Wounded at Kenesaw Mt. 24 June 1864. Ball
struck tibia anteriorly below patella glancing off and chipping the
bone; cicatiex? is nearly as large as palm of hand and adherent to the
bone; matter forms and breaks occasionally when pieces of bone come
away.   E.Arhaznes, Examining Surgeon.

July 31, 1879
Champaign County, Illinois
Examining Surgeon's Certificate
Height: 5'11", Weight: 160; complexion: dark; Age: 40.
Side of left leg very much affected, complains of pain in ankle and that
cannot stand walking, disability total.
E.A.Mazine, Examining Surgeon

July 1880
Ford County, Illinois
Declaration for Increase of Invalid Pension
Pensioner declares that due to gunshot wound of left leg which inflames
and renders him entirely helpless. For the period of months past, said
wound breaks open...he can only move about with crutches or by the
assistance of others.  The pensioner's address is Elliott, Ford County,
Illinois.   Signed, Azarias Capper

April 4, 1894
State of Missouri, County of Atchison
On the 4th day of April, personally appeared, Azarias Capper, age 55
years.....that he believes himself to be entitled to an increase and
re-issue of pension on the account of varicose veins of right leg and
paralysis of left leg, foot, ankle.  That his P.O. Box is Magnet,
County, of Atchison, State of Missouri.   Signed, Azarias Capper

Jan 15, 1898
Department of Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Please reply to the following questions:
Are you married, if so state wife's full name and maiden name:  Yes, Ida
Vance Capper, maiden name Ida Vance Woodard.
When and where married:  Champaign Cty, Ill., May 10, 1875 by Justice of

Peace of Hess by name.
Were you previously married, if so, state name of former wife and date
and place of death or divorce:
Yes, Mary Eliza Woodward, died Nov 2, 1873 in Watson, Missouri.
Do you have children living, if so, state their names and dates of
birth:  Yes.  Rosa Lauen?  born Sept 1, 1868;  Wm. Prentiss born Dec 19,

1879, Bessie Rorrine born March 30, 1884, Leo Raymond born Aug 17, 1889.

Signed, Azarias Capper
July 5, 1898

Oct 1908
Atchison County, Missouri
On the 20th day of October 1908, personally appeared,  Azarias Capper.
Declares that he is 70 years of age, and a resident  of Rock Port,
County of Atchison, State of Missouri, and that he is the identical
person who enrolled at Bath, Mason County, Illinois, on the 1st day of
August 1862 as a Private in Co. D  85th Ills. Vol. Infty. That his
personal description at enlistment was as follows:  6 feet, complexion
light, color of eye, blue, color of hair auburn; that his occupation was
a farmer; that he was born Oct 10, 1838 near Beardstown, Ills. That his
places of residence since leaving the service was:  Atchison County, MO
until 1873;  Champaign County, Ills. near Ludlow until 1880,  and
Atchison County, MO since 1880.  That his P.O. address is Rock Port,
county of Atchison, state of Missouri.   Signed,  Azarias Capper.

Nov 11, 1908
Commissioner of Pensions,
Dear Sir and Friend,
I send you today my own and my sister's affidavit and trust that they
will be the evidence needed and will state positively that I cannot
furnish the proof  called for in the enclosed circular letter. Yours
Truly,  Azarias Capper, Rockport, Atchison County, Missouri

Nov 11, 1908
State of Illinois, McLean County

Azarias Capper, late of Company D., 85th Ill. Vol. Inft'y, being duly
sworn doth depose and say that he is a pensioner and holds certificate
No. 62,847 and that he is past seventy years of age, that he was born
Oct 10, 1838 near Beardstown in the State of Illinois. That the record
in the old family bible is lost and cannot be found, that he has
diligently searched for it and neither the bible nor the leaf in the
bible wherein the recorded names of  the family were written can be
found and all have been lost by transferring from one member of the
family to another, the affidavit of my sister, Hannah V. Harper, is the
only evidence.
Signed, Azarias Capper
Suscribed and sworn to me this 11th day of November 1908, John S.
Harper, Notary Public    (** Note:  John S. Harper is Hannah V.
Capper Harper's husband)

Nov 11, 1908
State of Illinois, McLean County

Hannah V. Harper being duly sworn doth depose and say, that she is the
sister of Azarias Capper the soldier,  and that she is past 78 years of
age, that she positively knows that her brother Azarias Capper is past
seventy years of age, that the family bible and age record therein has
been lost in the transferring it to different members of the family,
that the said soldier Azarias Capper was born near Beardstown, Illinois
on Oct 10 in the year 1838, that she knows from personal knowledge.
Signed, Hannah V. Harper
Subscribed and sworn to me this 11th day of November, 1908
John S. Harper, Notary Public

Nov 25, 1913
State of Missouri, County of Atchison
To the Commissioners of Pension, Washington, D.C.

In answer to your letter of Nov 20, 1913 asking for a statement of my
place of residence  during the time period between 1850 and 1860. Also
of the name of my father and mother.  I am sending you the following
statement and memoranda.  My father's name was Meredith Capper. My
mother's name was Eliza Capper.  My step mother's name was Margaret
Capper.  My mother died in 1850  and my father married again  about a
year after.  I lived with my parents on a farm in Cass County, Illinois
for two or three years from 1850 then my parents moved into Beardstown,
Cass County, Ills. where he lived unti his death in 1864.  I lived with
my parents until about 1854 when I went to live and work for George
Briar near  Chandlersville, Cass Co., Illinois.  I worked for him two or
three years as a farm hand.  I then went into Mason County, Illinois and
worked  for  James Blunt as a farm hand until August 1862 when I
enlisted in the 85th Ills. Vol. Infantry for three years and during the
War of the Rebellion. My further history you have there in the war
records and subsequently.  Respectfully replied, this 25th day of Nov
1913. The number of my pension certificate is 62847.  Signed, Azarias
Capper

Dec  1913
Hon. G.M. Satlzgarber, Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Comrade,
In answer to your letter of inquiry of Dec 6, 1913, I will state that in
1850 I lived on a farm seven miles northeast of Beardstown in Cass
County, Illinois with my parents Meredith and Eliza Capper.  That in
1860 I was living with a man by the name of James Blunt on  a farm six
miles east of south from Bath in Mason County, Illinois. As further
evidence I have a sister  Hannah V. Harper living in LeRoy, McClain Co.
Ill who is eight years older than I am who can verify these statements
if necessary.    Signed,  Azarias Capper

Dec 10, 1913
State of Illinois, County of McLean
Before me the undersigned Notary Public, this day appeared Hannah V.
Harper who being duly sworn according to law deposes and says: That she
is a resident  of LeRoy, McLean County, Illinois and has been for the
past twenty years; that she is a sister of Azarias Capper now of
Rockport, Missouri and late a private in Co. D 85th Ill. Infantry and
pensioned under Invalid's Certificate 62847.  That to the best of her
knowledge and belief of this deponent said Azarias Capper, her brother,
lived at her father's home on a farm 12 miles east of Beardstown,
Illinois in the year 1850.  That this deponent fixes this date and fact
by the reason that this was about the time of their mother's death and
personally knows that the said Azarias Capper was living at home at that
time. Deponent further states that to the best of her knowledge and
belief, said Azarias Capper was living at Bath, Ilinois in the year
1860. Deponent does not know who he was living with as he was working
out by the month at that time and was supporting himself. Deponent
further states that she is 83 years of age past; that she personally
knows that  the said Azarias Capper was born on the 10th day of October
1838. That this deponent was home at the time and personally knows that
this was the date entered in the family record of the date of birth of
the said Azarias Capper as deponent personally copied said birth from
the family record when Azarias Capper was sixteen years old. That
Depondent does not personally know now where this record is, as the
family bible which contained the said record was taken away by the
stepmother of this deponent and deponent has in later years endeavored
to locate same but has been unable to do so.  Signed, Hannah V.
Harper.   Subscribed and sworn to me this 20th day of Dec. 1913, in
LeRoy, Illinois,
Leslie S. Owen, Notary Public

April 21, 1915
Department of Interior
Bureau of Pensions
To:  Azarias Capper
Please answer questions listed:
Date  and Place of Birth:  Oct 10, 1838, Beardstown, Illinois
Wife's Full Name and Maiden Name:  Eliza Woodard 1st marriage, married
the 19th day of July 1866
Ida V. Woodard, 2nd marriage (no date given for the second marriage)
Are you Living with your wife?  No, both dead
State the names and dates of birth of all your children:
Dessie Elvira Capper died June 29, 1888
Meadie ? Capper born March 20, 1867, died June 25, 1867
Wm. P. Capper born Dec 19, 1879
Bessie A. Capper born March 30, 1884
Leyd? Capper born Sept 14, 1886, died July 21, 1888
Leo R. Capper born Aug 17, 1889
Rosa Capper born Sept 1, 1868

May 4, 1920
Chief, Finance Division
Dept of Interior, Bureau of Pensions
In the matter of Azarias Capper of Rockport, Missouri
You are hereby notified that a check in the amount of $120. has been
returned to this office by the postmaster with the information that the
pensioner has died on Feb 21, 1920 and the said check has been
cancelled.
Resectfully,
Guy O. Taylor, Disbursing Clerk


File submitted by Candace Gravelle
P.O. Box 3
Albany, Oregon  97321