Individual Details

In 1900, I found George Hasket, brother-in-law, living with Silas Hays in Van Buren Twp, Crawford Co. He was said to be 65, b. May 1845. Born Tennessee as were his parents. He was listed as Widowed and a Pensioner.
There was no one else of this surname in Crawford Co in 1900.

1910 Census. Van Buren, Crawford Co, AR, Hh 296
George T. Haskett, age 73, widowed, b. KY, father b. KY [no, it was Tennessee]
Benjamin T., son, age 23, b. MO, father b. KY, mother b. AR [by 1915, George stated that all of his children were dead]

Ancestry.com. Shows George Hasket as having served in the Union Army, 2nd Arkansas Infantry, Company C. There is a card for his application for pension: #808250, Certificate #574319.
Second Arkansas Union Infantry, states he applied for his Invalid pension in 1890; he died 25 May 1916 in Van Buren, AR.
He enrolled on 15 Sep 1863 in Springfield, MO at age 25; was born Henry Co, TN. He signed his enlistment application with his mark. His enlistment was for three years. He had hazel eyes, light hair, light complexion, 5 ft 11 in tall. [A later description card in his file stated he was 5 ft 8 in tall.]
His service record is on Fold3.com. He was mustered in at Ft. Smith, AR, 9 December 1863. Beginning 20 December, he was on detached service at the general hospital in Ft. Smith. A Hospital Muster Rolls shows him as a nurse. In January of 1864, he was on scout, but returned to duty at the hospital where he continue to serve through November of 1864. Dec 1864 and Jan 1865 he was on detached service in Scot Co AR, beginning with 18 December. In February of 1865 he was listed as absent sick in Hospital at Little Rock since 27 February. He was mustered out with the rest of the unit, 8 Aug 1865. They had last been paid on 28 Feb 1865. His clothing account was last settled on 1 Oct 1865, he had drawn since then, $31.48. He owed the U.S. for arms, equipment, $2.82 - one knapsack and one haversack. He had been paid $25 bounty and was due another $75.


I ordered the Pension file from the National Archives.

George first applied under the Act of Congress, 27 Jun 1890, wasting no time, as his application was dated 5 Jul 1890. He stated he was a resident of Van Buren, Crawford Co, Arkansas. He was enrolled on the 1st of October 1863 in Company C of the 2nd Arkansas Regiment, Infantry Volunteers commanded by Capt. N.T.B. Schuyler and discharged at Clarksville, AR on 8 Aug 1865. He had dark complexion, dark hair, hazel eyes. He was disabled because he had broken both arms between the wrist and elbow and had dislocation of his left wrist. The accident happened in 1881 near Granby, MO, when his mules ran away with the wagon, throwing him violently to the ground. He has lived in Missouri and Arkansas and always been a farmer. He claimed to be 1/2 disabled. He signed: George Hasket. W. H. Lapole of Dora, AR and J. F. Jenkins of Van Buren were witnesses. The War Department military rolls had his record as above. He was awarded Pension of $6 per month, beginning 9 Jul 1890.

George was medically examined on 19 Feb 1891. At that time he was said to be 5 feet 10 3/4 inches tall [his height varies by several inches], 160 pounds, age 47 [this is strange - he was born 1838 and should have been age 53] He stated he was thrown from a wagon seven years ago [doesn't agree with a year of 1881 as in the application - it had been 10 years] They did note the fractures of his arm with deformity of the left wrist - one arm was 1/2 inch longer than the other. Otherwise said to be healthy

On 23 Jun 1902, George applied for an increase in his pension due to increasing disability. In addition to the previous disability he now had an injury of his left ankle, a broken finger, heart disease, catarrh [inflammation of nose and throat], he staggers when he gets up at night - kidney affliction. He stated he was now age 63. [His age will become an issue. He was said to be 25 when he enlisted in 1863, or born 1838. In 1902, he would have been 63 or 64 depending on his birthday.] Witnesses were P. H. Morris and Dock Liles, residents of Van Buren. A copy of his age at enlistment is included, dated 28 Oct 1902. He was again medically examined by the Pension Board in Fort Smith, 12 Nov 1902. He was now 5 feet 9 inches tall, 130 pounds, hair was now gray. They found no problem with his heart. His liver was greatly enlarged. His urine was clear. The fractures of the arms were noted. The ring finger of his left hand was flexed from fracture at the middle joint. He had an enlarged ankle, but motion of the join was almost normal. They found is condition due to injury and poor nutrition, not "vicious" habits and recommended $12 per month. In spite of these findings, his claim for increase was rejected.

George reapplied for an increase on 4 Apr 1904. He gave his age as 65. He felt his disabilities had increased and he was entitled to a higher rate. His rate was increased to $8 per month, beginning 18 Apr 1904 and medical action was not required, probably because he was now age 65.

Later that same year, 30 Dec 1904, he again applied for an increase. This time he states that he was born on the 15th day of May, 1838 - the year agrees with his enlistment age. His disabilities have increased and his eyes trouble him; he is growing deaf; his afflictions of the liver and stomach trouble him constantly; his right lung is deceased. His left ankle is crippled, caused by a loaded wagon running over it about five years previously. Witnesses were T. W. Davis and J. S. Dunham of Van Buren. This time there was another medical examination, dated 8 Mar 1905. He had cataracts in both eyes, catarrh and pharyngitis, enlarged liver, fractures of both arms. No evidence of injury to his left ankle was noted. There was a heart murmur and other heart symptoms. Goerge claimed to suffer vertigo almost constantly. Again the board recommended $12 per month. This time he was approved for an increase to $10 beginning 8 Mar 1905.

George applied again on 12 May 1906, for the same disabilities. He again stated he was born 15 May 1838. His disabilities were permanent. Samuel White and J. H. Miller witnessed his signature. He was again medically examined on 8 Aug 1906. The handwriting is practically unreadable but he was recommended to receive $12 per month. This time the $12 was allowed, to begin 8 Aug 1906.

On 19 May 1909, George Hasket reapplied stating he was now 73 years of age, still living near Van Buren. [He was actually 71 according to previous testimony and his enlistment record] He stated that he was born May 15, 1836 at Henry Co Tenn. He lived at Clarksville, AR the first year after his discharge and near Van Buren since then. John McGeen and D. W. Moore Jr witnessed his signature. This application was under a new act of Congress, dated 6 Feb 1907. This act stated that if a person had reached the age of seventy years, he was to receive $15 per month. He did receive the new rate effective 22 May 1909. Apparently the rate was not retroactive and pensioners didn't receive the increase unless they reapplied.

Under the act of 6 Feb 1907, a pensioner reaching the age of 75 was to receive $20 per month. On 19 Jul 1911, George applied, stating that he was now 75 years of age. He claimed he was born May 15, 1836, at Henry Co TN. [Unfortunately there were other places when he had stated 1838 was the year of his birth.] Henry F. Pope and B. A. Cornelius witnessed his now quite shaky signature. The Bureau of Pensions sent him a letter asking for a record of his birth, 28 Jul 1911. On 4 Aug 1811, George Hasket made affidavit that there was no public or baptismal record of his birth as none was ever made. If there was any family record, that has been lost or destroyed. His father died when he was very small. His mother died a year or so before the War. All his brothers and sisters are now dead. He supposes that the age stated at his enlistment, if they agree, are apt to be correct. [of course his age at enlistment does not agree with a birth year of 1836] Since he failed to prove that he was 75 on Jul 19, 1911, the claim for increase was rejected.

The Pension Bureau sent a Special Examiner, Charles W. Berry, to determine if there might be some question of identity, apparently in response to the confusion over the birth year. A letter from Berry back to Washington, DC, states that the pensioner didn't seem to know a lot about his service. He did feel he learned enough to warrant signing the certificate. Berry's handwritten deposition of George on 1 Dec 1911 reveals a bit more about his family. It is written that George said he was 70 years of age [still confused?] and his address was Rural Route 2, Van Buren. When he enlisted and now his occupation is that of farming. He was born about 12 miles from Paris, Henry Co, TN in 1836, May 15. His father was George Hasket; he doesn't remember his mother's name. He doesn't know where he lived in 1850. He thinks in 1860, he was living about 5 miles east of Springfield in Green Co, TN with his brother William Hasket. He had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. His brothers were John, Jess, William and Joe. And one other, James. All were older except for Joe. He had two sisters, Martha and Nancy. Nancy was older. All are dead. He enlisted in Fishbacks Regt in Springfield Mo in 1863, the regiment was never completed. He went to Fort Smith where he enlisted in Co. C of Col. M. L. Stevenson's regiment. The Company officers were Capt N.B.Schuyler, Lt Spradley and Stancel. The only name he remembers of men in the company is George Willis. He was in the hospital at Fort Smith in 1863 and after recovery was detailed as a nurse. After he left the hospital he went to Clarksville where he was in several skirmished and from there to Camden where he was in the Battle of the Saline River. From there they went to Little Rick and then back to Camden where they were discharged. Their Colonel was wounded at Salive River. He was never wounded. Will Anderson was witness to the deposition. There is a certificate signed by Chas W. Berry which says in part "I am satisfied that he is the soldier and pensioner that he represents himself to be".

On the 18th of May 1912, George Hasket declared he was now 76 years of age. George W. McAtee and Jno G. Catron signed his application, declaring they had known him for 40 years and 10 years, respectively. This claim was also rejected as his age shown by evidence was 74.

George never gave up. There were new pension acts, one dated 11 May 1912, and one 4 Mar 1913. Both dates are stamped on the form. He was pensioned at $21.50 under the first act, and $27 per month beginning 15 May 1913. Date of birth now stated as 15 May 1838 and he was 75 years old.

On 3 Aug 1915, George was asked to state his wife's name and her maiden name. She was Ellen Hays. They were married by Jesse Stewart, a Justice of the Peace, in Crawford Co, AR. There is no record because the court house burned in March of 1878. He was a widower, his wife having died more than twenty years ago. He has no living children.

A check dated 4 Aug 1916 for $81 was returned to Washington, with the notice that the pensioner had died 25 May 1916. He was last paid $27 on 4 May 1916.

Birth	15 May 1838	Henry County, Tennessee
Military	1863 - 1865	Co. C, 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA, Civil War
Marriage	Abt 1867	Crawford County, Arkansas - Mary Ellen Hays
Death	25 May 1916	Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas

Spouse	Mary Ellen Hays (1849 - 1895)
Child	W. S. Hasket (1868 - 1915)
Child	L. E. Hasket (1870 - 1915)
Child	Mattie Hasket (1875 - 1915)
Child	Benjamin T. Hasket (1887 - 1915)