Josiah Hoppes

  General Notes:

General Notes: Josiah Hoppes, a younger brother of 1141 Elias and 1142 Joel Hoppes, was born in Meigs County, OH about 1828. He married Elizabeth Harrison on June 17, 1852 in Madison County, IN. Josiah Hoppes enlisted at Independence, MO for three years on January 17, 1863 and was mustered into Captain Ross’ Company (B), 11 Regiment MO CAV as a Sergeant on March 28, at St. Joseph, MO (Ref. #1). Like his older brothers, he brought his own horse and equipment with him. He was a farmer with black eyes, dark hair, and a ruddy complexion, and stood 5 feet, 5 inches in height. On the May/June muster roll for Company B, his rank was listed as a Private, and he continued to hold this rank until his discharge with his Company at New Orleans, LA on July 27, 1865. From the time of his enlistment until his discharge, he was listed as Present on each bimonthly muster roll, although a casualty sheet indicates he was wounded at the battle of Rolling Prairie, AR on January 23, 1864.
B. PENSION FILE INFORMATION
Josiah Hoppes signed a DECLARATION FOR ORIGINAL INVALID PENSION on December 22, 1883 while a resident of Dawson, Richardson County, NE. He stated he was 53 years of age; 5 feet, 6 inches in height; of dark complexion; had black hair and gray eyes; and that at Duvall’s Bluff, AR in July 1864 he contracted chronic diarrhoea and resulting dyspepsia.
A month later, on January 23, 1884, the Bureau of Pensions informed the Adjutant General of his alleged chronic diarrhoea & dyspepsia at Duvall’s Bluff, AR in July 1864, and requested a full medical history. On February 16, 1884, the Adjutant General’s Office responded: Return for July 64 does not report him absent . . .No evidence of disabilities. Regimental Hospital Records not on file. However, on March 28, 1884, the Surgeon General’s Office provided the following report from Hospital Records of the 11 MO CAV for Hoppis of Co. B:
July 5,6/64 Dysentery
July 7 to 10, 13/64 Diarrhoea
July 14/64 ________
July 15/64 Diarrhoea Return to duty July 17/64
July 26/64 Diarrh. & Int. fever
Aug 3/64 ________
Aug 5,6/64 Debility
Aug 7, 20/64 ________
Aug 24/64 Neuralgia
Aug 25/64 Interm. Fever Return to duty Aug 27/64
Sep 7/64 Diarrhoea Return to duty Sep 15/64
Nov 5 & 6, 8/64 Diarrhoea Return to duty Nov 10/64.
Later in 1884, Josiah Hoppes supported his original pension claim No. 503,956 with a series of affidavits, including the following one of his own:
I was living in Salem, Nebraska, Richardson County from 1855 until Jan17–1863 when I enlisted in the 11th Mo. Cav., Co. B. for three years or during the war. I was a Farmer prior to my enlistment and since up to 1880. Since then my health has become so poorly, I have done nothing but light jobs in town, occasionally when health would permit. Immediately after discharge I went to St Joseph Mo., remained there a short time, came from there to Dawson’s Mills, Richardson Co., Neb. which has been my residence since. On or about July 1864 near Duvalls Bluff, Arkansas while on duty contracted a Severe Diarrhoea, received treatment from Regimental Surgeon and was continued on light duty in Quarters and was treated at different times and places for said diarrhoea up to my discharge. Since have been treated by Dr. J. M. Tessy, since deceased from 1866 to 1872. Since 1872 treated by Dr. W. G. Hanlin my family physician except occasionally by Dr. J. W. Waggenor.
An AFFIDAVIT TO ORIGIN OF DISABILITY was furnished by William C. Hamlin, the 1st Lieutenant of Co. B, 11 MO CAV under whom Josiah Hoppes served, who stated that:
On or about July, 1864 . . .near Duvalls Bluff, State of Arkansas, said soldier incurred chronic diarrhoea . . .and was treated by Regt Surgeon, said soldier doing such light Company and Camp duty as was required by Officers; Remember of said soldier being sick at Ashley Station on R. R., Ark. Sept - 1864; Brownsville, Ark Nov or Dec. 1864, Little Rock Ark April 1865, and was complaining and unfit for the active duties of a Cavalry Soldier in consequence of chronic diarrhoea, Piles and disease of Kidneys contracted while in the line of his duty as a Soldier and from which he was treated from time to time by Surgeon up to the time of my resignation in July 1865. I further state said soldier was a sound healthy man and free from disease upon which pension is claimed up to the above date of the incurrence of his disease and was always ready for the active duties of his command.
Another affidavit was given by Dr. John Slade of Pike County, IL, who was the Regimental Surgeon of the 11th MO CAV; he testified that he:
knew the above named soldier . . . (that he) contracted acute diarrhoea and was treated in quarters by me for said disease, and soon assumed a chronic form and for which I treated him at the following times and places, complicated by Piles and a Renal difficulty: Ashly Station, Ark September 1864; Brownsville, Ark. Nov 1864; Little Rock, Ark. April 1865; Carlton, La. July 1865. Think the Piles was resulting from said Diarrhoea and do not now remember what was the distinct character of his Renal trouble, but think he had chronic nephritis. Treatment was pills or powders composed of Opii, Camphor, Tannin, and such other remedies at hand for controlling diarrhoea and alleviating pain and distress from complication of Piles. Balsam, Copaiba, Sweet Spirit Nitre, etc. in view of Renal difficulty. . . .Saw said Josiah Hoppes at his house in Dawson, Neb., April 9th 1884 and fully identify him as the above named Soldier whom I treated in the service.
Josiah Hoppes’ uncle, Ephraim Aleshire age 64 of Richardson County, NE also submitted an affidavit on his behalf, which stated:
I am personally acquainted with Josiah Hoppes. Since he was born have seen him almost every day except the time he was in the service. Saw him in two or three days after he was discharged & returned home. This was about the 15th or 20th of Aug. A. D. 1865; when he came home he was in very poor health & wholly unable to do any kind of work on account of Chronic Diarrhea. This lasted him from the time he came home in 1865 until he left this place in Richardson County, Nebraska & went to Madison County, Indiana in 1867 & was gone about three or four years. He returned to Nebraska still laboring with this disease. For three or four years he tried to farm but had to give it up being wholly unable to do anything of any amount. I know that prior to his enlistment he was in sound health & able to hold his own with any man in the line of work. We have been near neighbors most of the time. The reason of my knowledge of his disabilities or what he is troubled with is from what the physicians say & from his symptoms as they appear in his case. I am confident that he is not now nor has not for years (been able) to do an able-bodied man’s work in proportion ¼. There has not been any great changes in his Symptoms from year to year but continually complaining & is still in the same condition.
Josiah Hoppes’ wife’s family also supported his case. George Harrison, 72, and James Harrison, 43, of Richardson County, NE testified that they: saw him about the 15th of July 1867 at Madison County, Indiana after his discharge and his health was very poor. He was very weak. He was afflicted with chronic diarrhoea which had reduced him down.
Josiah Hoppes’ pension claim was allowed and Certificate No. 288091 was issued to him. In 1889, he applied for an increase in his pension amount. Once again, his Lieutenant William C. Hamlin testified for him, on this occasion mentioning a new malady. In an affidavit given at Oneida, KS, Hamlin stated that at Duvalls Bluff:
Said Hoppis was taken sick with scurvy. I remember circumstances as I was sick in Camp at the same time until about the 10th of July. Then I was sent to the officer’s hospital at Little Rock. I saw said Hoppis several times from about the first of July to the 10th of the month. He had black spots on his legs which the Surgeons said was caused by the scurvy. He showed them to me. When I came back to the Company in the latter part of Oct 1864 said Hoppis was not able to do any thing, but light Camp duty. I think that his sickness was caused by hardships and exp_____ in the swamps in Ark.
Earlier, on February 27, 1889, James Harrison also had testified again on Josiah Hoppes’ behalf, mentioning scurvy and stating that he, James Harrison:
Worked for him in 1868; lived ¼ mile from him in Madison County, Indiana . . .he was not able to work; he had the scurvy very bad . . . his disease would be in his legs and then in his arms. He would roll in his bed and cry with pain. He has been suffering all the time since he left the army up to the present time from the effects of the scurvy. . . .
In addition to the scurvy, Andy Ogdon of Salem, NE and Amos Evans of Dawson, NE based their testimony on Josiah Hoppes’ kidney troubles with a pain in the small of his back, which was so bad at times he could not get out of bed and which prevented him from following his occupation as a farmer.
A decade later, on March 18, 1899, Josiah Hoppes died at Dawson, Richardson County, NE. On May 1, 1899, his widow Elizabeth Hoppes supplied the information required for a DECLARATION FOR WIDOW’S PENSION asserting that she was married under the name of Elizabeth Harrison to said Josiah Hoppes on the 17 day of June 1852, by E. Klein, at Madison Co., Indiana. Her sister-in-law Elizabeth (Hoppes) Moore age 62 of Salem, NE and her brother James Harrison age 60 of Humboldt, NE testified that:
We were present at the wedding and saw the claimant Elizabeth Hoppes and the soldier Josiah Hoppes married on the 17th day of June 1852, in Madison County, Ind. We know that neither were ever married prior to that date. We know that they have lived together ever since until death of soldier.
On May 31, 1899, Elizabeth Hoppes made a Claimant’s Affidavit stating:
I own a house and a lot in the village of Dawson Neb., worth about $300. It is my home. I derive no income from it as I live in the house. I also own a small amount of household furniture. I have no income whatsoever as I cannot do any manual labor except my own housework. I own no property of any kind except as mentioned above. And I have no one who is legally bound to care for or to support me, since the death of my husband, Josiah Hoppes.
Elizabeth Hoppes’ claim for a widow’s pension was allowed and Certificate No. 484491 was issued to her. On October 13, 1916, she sent a typed letter to the Pension Commissioner requesting an increase in pension amount. In it she mentioned:
I was born on January 29th, 1833, at Columbus, Ohio; my name appears in my Pension certificate as Elizabeth Hoppes; my present Post-office address is Dawson, Richardson County, Nebraska.
Elizabeth Hoppes died at Dawson, NE in January 1923. At that time she was receiving a pension of $30 per month under Certificate No. 484491. She was dropped from the pension rolls on February 23, 1923.


¹¹

  Research Notes:

Research Notes: 1. Josiah Hoppes’ Co. B, 11 MO CAV Military Service File, the National Archives and Records Service, Washington, DC.
2. Josiah Hoppes’ Pension File WC-484-491, the National Archives and Records Service, Washington, DC.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Military Service: Civil War. ¹¹ Served 2 ½ years; WIA in AR

Josiah married Elizabeth HARRISON on 17 Jun 1852 in , Madison Co., Indiana, U.S.A. (Elizabeth HARRISON was buried in Dawson, , Nebraska, U.S.A..)