Sarah Ann BRAY

Sie wurde wie auch ihre Töchter Rachel und Lydia Margaret auf dem Capp-Tucker Cemetery in Adams im Madison County im State Indiana beigesetzt, wo ihr Ehemann begraben ist wurde nicht ermittelt, er wurde bei einem Kampf mit Sioux Indianer im Dakota Territory getötet. B. PENSION FILE INFORMATION After Joel Hoppes' death, his widow Sarah Ann Hoppes returned to Madison County, IN with her children and began to reside in the town of Ovid (Ref. #2). On April 29, 1864, Sarah Hoppes appeared before a clerk of the Circuit Court of Madison County to file a claim for a WIDOW'S ARMY PENSION under the Act of July 14, 1862. In her declaration, she stated that Joel Hoppes: died on the 18th day of September 1863 above Fort Pierre, Dakota Territory; that his death was caused by wounds received on scout. She further declares that she was married to said Joel Hoppes on the 27 day of April 1845 in Madison County, Ind., by Joseph Peden, a public Justice of the Peace . . .the best evidence she is able to procure of her marriage is the evidence of eyewitnesses of marriage . . a certificate of which marriage is hereto attached; that the names and ages of her children under sixteen years of age at her husband's decease, and the place of residence, is as follows: Joel S. Hoppess 12 years; Mary E. Hoppess ten years; Lydia M. Hoppess aged eight years; Sanfrancisco Hoppess five years; and Emeline M. Hoppess seventeen months, all reside with the applicant in Madison county State of Indiana. Sarah Hoppes' application was supported by the affidavit of two witnesses, Hiram Peden and Andrew Bray of Madison County, IN. On April 29, 1864, they stated that they had more than twenty years acquaintance with (the) parties. They listed the names and ages of Sarah Hoppes' five minor children in the identical manner she did in her claim. Captain Daniel W. Allison provided a sworn statement from Richardson County, NE on May 24, 1864, affirming that he was the commanding officer of Co. L, 2nd Nebraska Volunteer Cavalry and that the accompanying declaration for pension of Mrs. Sarah Hoppes is true and correct. That the said Joel Hoppes died as stated and as will be more fully seen by reference to muster-out roll of said Co. and regiment, from wounds received in battle near White Stone Hills, Dacotah Territory. On July 2, 1864, the Pension Office requested the Adjutant General for official evidence of the service and death of Joel Hoppes near Ft. Pierre. On August 11, 1864, the Adjutant General's Office informed the Bureau of Pensions that Joel Hoppes: died of wounds recd in action Sept 18th/63 at Ft. Pierre, D. T. Sarah Hoppes' application for a Widow's Pension was approved and Pension Certificate No. 28,570 issued to her on August 22, 1864 at the rate of $8 per month commencing September 18, 1863 and $2 per month for each of the following children: Joel S., born June 1, 1852; Mary E. born March 5, 1854; Lydia M. born May 15, 1856; Sanfrancisco born December 23, 1858; and Emeline M. born November 5, 1862. On May 28, 1870, Sarah Hoppes placed her mark on a form titled Supplementary Affidavit for Widow's Increase of Army Pension. She listed the exact birth dates of each of her five minor children. Her affidavit was witnessed by her brother-in-law, 1143 Josiah Hoppes, and by his wife Elizabeth, who also had returned from Nebraska to reside in Madison County, IN. In addition, on the same date Elizabeth Hoppes signed a separate Affidavit as to Births of Minor Children form corroborating the dates Sarah Hoppes had given in her affidavit and stating that she was a close neighbor and was there within a few hours of each birth. On July 6, 1870, a reviewer at the Bureau of Pensions approved Sarah A. Hoppes' request for a pension increase. On August 27, 1870, Sarah A. Hoppes provided an affidavit clearing up several remaining questions the Bureau of Pension had about the dates of birth of several of her children, especially Lydia Margaret and Sanfrancisco. In this affidavit, she stated that: She cannot make any better proofs of the birth of her children than that already made and herewith filed \endash from the fact that they were born in the state of Nebraska and she cannot now tell the name or residence of any physician who was present or of any other person except Elizabeth Hoppes whose affidavit is already on file in the Pension office \endash she being near them and at my house as stated in her affidavit. There were no more recent documents in Sarah A. Hoppes' Pension case. She died on April 24, 1895.

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