Conger, Abraham

Abraham Conger

Pension file documents of Abraham Conger:

1. Marriage Certificate
2. Soldier's Declaration for Pension
3. Department of the Interior Bureau of Pensions - Questionnaire
4. Drop Order and Report

The State of Ohio, Franklin County, SS.
I Certify That I this day solemnized the Marriage of Abraham Conger with Elizabeth Brintlinger.
Witness my Hand, this 21st day of Dec A.D. 1871
s/Wm G. Heyl J.P.

The State of Ohio, Franklin County, SS.} Probate Court.
I, SAMUEL L. BLACK, Judge of the Probate Court, within and for the County of Franklin, and State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a full and correct copy of the Certificate of Marriage of the parties therein named, as the same appears of record and on file in said Court, to-wit:
Marriage Record, No. 12 Page 91
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court, at Columbus, this 17" day of June 1905.
s/Samuel L. Black, Probate Judge.
s/Alexr Carpenter, Deputy Clerk.
(Source: Civil War Pension Record - furnished by Robert Guilinger - extracted by Richard E. Henthorn)

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Soldier's Declaration for Pension
Under Dependent Act of 51st Congress, Approved June 27, 1890.

State of Ohio, County of Franklin, ss:
On this 14th day of July A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety, personally appeared before me, W.P. Dunlap, Notary Public in and for said County and State aforesaid, Abraham Conger aged 54 years, a resident of Columbus County of Franklin State of Ohio, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Abraham Conger who served the full period of ninety days in the military service of the United States in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, who enlisted first for three months in Co "G" 15th Ohio Inft Vols; then 3 months in Co. K 86th Ohio then at Bucyrus Ohio, on the 8th day of September 1863, as a Saddler (Boyfol) in company "A" in the 12th regiment Ohio Cavalry vols. , and was honorably discharged as a Corporal or Saddler at Nashville, Tenn on the 14th day of November 1865.

That his personal description at the time he last enlisted was as follows: Age 27 years; height 5 feet, 7 3/4 inches; complexion light; color of hair Sandy; color of eyes Brown; was born at Seneca County Ohio; occupation when enlisted, a Saddler.

That he is at this time afflicted with a disability which is not the result of his own vicious habits, and as he verily believes is permanent in character.

That said disability is first a Sunstroke at Parkersburg, W Va while in the Service, effecting him ever sincere also piles since his return, and these diseases so debilitate him that he cannot labor much.

That by reason of said disability he is incapacitated from the performance of manual labor, which renders him unable to earn a support about three fourths disability at least.

That he makes this declaration for the purpose of being inscribed upon the Pension Rolls of the United States as a disabled ex-soldier of the last war, being incapacitated from performing manual labor to earn his support as provided for under the act passed by the 51st Congress of the United States for disabled soldiers and sailors, approved June 27, 1890, and hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation,

T.W. Tallmadge, of Washington, DC
his true and lawful attorney to prosecute this claim and obtain a certificate for pension under the act foresaid.

That he has not received or applied for a pension under the laws of the United States.

That he has ever been a loyal citizen of the United States and will support the Constitution of the United States.

That his post-office address is at Columbus County of Franklin State of Ohio or at Mifflinville, Franklin Co, Ohio.

Attorneys fee to be ten Dollars.

s/Abraham Conger (Signature of claimant)

s/Joel L. Skillen
(Two persons who can write sign here.)

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Certificate No. 935504
Name: Abraham Conger
Department of the Interior Bureau of Pensions.
Washington, DC, January 15, 1898
Sir:
In forwarding to the pension agent the executed voucher for your next quarterly payment please favor me by returning this circular to him with replies to the questions enumerated below.
Very respectfully,
s/Melay Evans; Commissioner

First. Are you married? If so, please state your wife's full name and her maiden name.
Answer. Mrs. Elizabeth Conger, Elizabeth Brintlinger
Second. When, where, and by whom were you married?
Answer. Dec. 21st 1871. Columbus O.Squyre Kyle
Third. What record of marriage exists?
Answer. Franklin Co. O. Probate Court
Fourth. Were you previously married? If so, please state the name of your former wife and the date and place of her death or divorce.
Answer. No.
Fifth. Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth.
Answer. Yes
Grant Conger born Oct. 12th 1872
Letta Conger " Sept. 14 1875
John Conger " Dec 19 1877
s/Abraham Conger (Signature. )
Date of reply, June 4, 1898.
(Source: Civil War Pension Record - furnished by Robert Guilinger - extracted by Richard E. Henthorn)

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Drop Order and Report
Department of the Interior Bureau of Pensions Finance Division.
Washington, DC, June 23, 1905
Pensioner: Abraham Conger
Certificate number: 93550
Class: Invalid
Soldier: Act of June 27, 1890
Service: A-12-O.V.Cavy
U.S. Pension Agent: Columbus
Sir: You are hereby directed to drop from the roll the name of the above - described pensioner who died May 31, 1905.
s/V. Warner (Commissioner)

Commissioner of Pensions:
Sir: The name of the above - described pensioner, who was last paid at $10 per month to 4 Mar, 1905, has this day been dropped from the roll of this agency.
s/illegible signature; U.S. Pension Agent
June 27, 1905
(Source: Civil War Pension Record - furnished by Robert Gulinger, extracted by Richard E. Henthorn)

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Conger, Abraham

Abraham Conger (1836-1905) and "Frank" The War Horse (1860-1886)

Everyone has read at least one story about a man's devotion to his dog but this is a true story about a man's devotion to his horse.

Abraham Conger was born in Seneca County, Ohio on 21 Jul 1836, the son of John Baker Conger (b. 1805) and Beulah Carson. He grew up in Ohio and at the time of the Civil War was a Saddler, one who makes, repairs, or sells saddles for horses.

Abe, as he was known, enlisted on 8 November 1863 at Bucyrus, Ohio in Company A of the 12th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry as a Corporal/Saddler. He was then assigned a three-year old horse named "Frank" as his Cavalry mount. The 12th O.V.C. served under General William T. Sherman throughout most of the Civil War, including the famous March to the Sea in Georgia. Abe and Frank were also under the command of General George Stoneman in the campaign that fought behind enemy lines. You might say that Abe's life literally depended on Frank getting him back safely to the Union lines on several different occasions.

Abe was promoted to Sgt. in 1864 and both Abe and Frank survived their war service without any wounds. Abraham Conger was discharged with his unit, at Nashville, TN on 14 Nov 1865. Abe was then offered the opportunity to purchase his mount, which he did. He took Frank back to a farm he owned in Eden Twp., Wyandot Co., Ohio. Abe and Frank lived alone on the farm until Abe married Elizabeth Brintlinger on 21 Dec 1871 at Columbus, Franklin Co., OH. Three children (Ulysses Grant on 12 Oct 1872, Lettie Leora on 14 Sep 1875 and John Curtis on 19 Dec 1877) were born to Abe and Elizabeth while they lived at Nevada, Wyandot Co., OH.

Certainly the children looked on Frank as a member of the family while growing up. Abe Conger took care of Frank for over 20 years, until the horse died in 1886. Abe, with the help of some of his Civil War friends, buried Frank on a farm in adjacent Crawford County, Ohio and erected a monument to Frank's war service. After 112 years this monument is in need of restoration.

It is rather ironic that shortly after Frank's death Abe's health began to fail and he was forced to sell his farm and move to the small community of Lewis Center, in Delaware County, Ohio

Abraham Conger received a pension in 1890 for his Civil War service. He died at Lewis Center, Ohio on 31 May 1905.

[Note: Doris Ann Conger supplied some of the material in this article and some came from Conger Family in America, Vol. II. The author, Robert R. Guilinger, is the grandson of Margaret (Conger) Guilinger (1863-1927)
(Source: Written by Robert R. Guilinger, January 1998)