Using Civil War Pension Records, Part VI, The Case of Ernst C. Reif Final

On our last posting, we revealed the second marriage of Catherine (Foy) REIF, to Samuel NEITZ in 1869.  The pension detectives found the paperwork to prove this marriage, and no paperwork that Catherine had reported the marriage.  That would have suspended her pension support from the government.  She continued to receive support during this second marriage. Catharine's pension support ended June 6, 1875, upon her marriage to Simon Geeting, who passed away in 1905.

page 178-179/220 of the Reif Civil War Pension files

The Declaration for Widow's Pension, Act of September 8, 1916. Notice: this can be executed before a Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, or a Court of Record, or any officer duly qualified to administer oaths.

This form is typed, with a notation that the official is a Justice of the Peace.  Catherine Geeting is now aged 73, still living in Forreston, Ogle County, Illinois.  Furthermore, it repeats all of the facts regarding Ernst Reif and his service in the U.S. Army, Company H of the 34th Illinois Infantry.  It confirms that she was married to Ernst (the second time, because the first could not be proven from 1861) on October 4, 1863, officiated by Rev. J.K. Bloom. Catherine Geeting has signed her name to this document. Also signing as witnesses to the document: Jacob F. SWANK and High S. STANLEY, both of Forreston, Illinois.  Cyrus BILLIG has signed as the Justice of the Peace, dated October 14, 1916.

Page 180/220 The official record of the second marriage of Catherine

The affidavit from the county clerk of Ogle County, in the town of Oregon:
I, Robert F. Adams, clerk of the county court in and for said county, hereby certify that Samuel L. Neitz and Mrs. Catherine Rife (sp) were joined in Matrimony on the 20th day of May, 1869 by J. N. MOHR, Minister of the Gospel in the said county, as appears on the records in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of said county, at Oregon, Illinois this the 24th day of February, 1917. signed Robert F. ADAMS, clerk of the county court, Lillie SHELLEY, Dep. Clerk

Page 181-186/220  The Divorce Decree: Catherine vs Samuel

handwritten document, dated January 31, 1873, State of Illinois, County of Ogle, Circuit Court

Catherine NEITZ appears with her attorney, Thomas J. HEWITT, with summons issued against Samuel L. Neitz.  The county Sheriff has returned the summons to the court, without being able to find Samuel in this county, and inability to locate him elsewhere. Proof of the publication of this summons was shown to the court, and approved. It was considered that Samuel NEITZ has willfully deserted Catherine for over two years without just cause, since the ninth day of September, AD 1869.  Catherine has received no word or support from Samuel during this time. It has been decreed that the bonds of matrimony between both parties are hereby dissolved. Both parties are at liberty to marry again in like manner as if they had never been married.  Catherine was ordered to pay the costs and charges of the court of this suit.  Signed by W. W. HEATON, Judge.

Clerk of the Circuit Court notes that he certified the foregoing decree is a true, full and perfect copy of the decree in the said case as appears in the records of his office, Record E Chancery, page 210
signed H.P. LASON, clerk. The gold seal of the county is affixed to this document

Page 187/220  General Affidavit, Henrietta Swank
Sister of Catherine, Henrietta Swank, age 63, appears in the matter of Catherine Geeting, formerly widow of Ernst C. Reif, deceased veteran. She testifies her statement to the Notary Public, William H. HETRICK, age 69, both being residents of the town of Forreston, Ogle County, Illinois. The statement reads that Catharine is will known to the Swanks, and know from personal knowledge that she has never married since the death of her late husband, Simon Geeting, and that they are of such close acquaintance with her, as that they would have known if she had re-married, and that at this date she is still unmarried. Both Henrietta Swank and William H. HETRICK sign the document. Notary Public, Joseph M Myers, certifies this document.

Page 188-191/220   Rejection of the Widow's Request


  Rejection on the grounds of no title under the Act of March 3, 1901, Catherine was not proven to be the wife of the soldier during the period of his military service, even though cohabitation and the birth of a son, soon deceased, occurred prior to his return from service.  Only the marriage decree of 1863 was recognized. signed by the legal examiner, R. L. FORD.  This document goes further to say the claimant, Catherine Geeting, does not write.

Page 192-195/220  Index, Tally sheet for the claim of Catherine Geeting, remarried widow of Ernst Reif

The page mentions 19 records of proof of marriages, co-habitation, soldier's disability, dependency and general assessment of the case using the testimony of the listed persons who have been previously mentioned. Following are copies of claims submitted by Catherine, supposedly signed by Catherine (remember that the rejection notice stated that Catherine did not write)
 So, dated Dec 13, 1905, Edward Haller, Notary Public, swears that Jacob F. PYFER and Minnie H. GEETING, both of Forreston, Illinois, witnessed Catherine Geeting sign her name to the documents, and that they have both known her for thirty years and twenty-five years, respectively.  Signatures of both appear on this witness document. The signatures look eerily like that of the script used for the signature of Catherine Geeting, known to not be able to write.

Pages 196-203/220   Letters from Congress and the Pension Bureau, 1917

Apparently, someone (Mr. Edward HALLER???) had been inquiring about the status of Catherine's widow's claim for support. There are a series of letters written to Mrs. Catherine GEETING, from the Pension Commissioner, G.M. SALTAGABER,regarding her widow's claim.  A February letter asks her to send some proof of her marriage to Knight (meaning NEITZ) and a death of him or divorce decree.  Also, they ask her to send testimonies of persons having knowledge of her and her marriages.  Haven't we been down this road previously?

Also, letters to and from the State Representative, John C. McKENZIE, House of Representatives, stating that this claim of Catherine's has been rejected because of her multiple marriages. They mention the Widow's claim filed in October of 1916, being the last one filed and rejected, along with all documentation attached.....the ones with Catherine's signature......and she could not write.????

There is a letter from acting commissioner, E.C. TIEMAN, to Rep. John McKENZIE, House of Representatives, Wash. DC, stating that the claim of Catherine's is now being considered! What?  This letter is dated July 6, 1917.  They previously said it had been rejected.

Pages 204-215/220    Repeated records of files previously in this claim packet

Pages 216-218/220     Folded forms filed for the support of the minor child of Ernst Reif

Ludwig FOY, father of Catherine, was named the legal guardian the child of Ernst REIF, Mary REIF.   The support payments were given to Ludwig Foy, until the 16th birthday of Mary REIF.

Page 219/220  A letter to Representative Frank O. LOWDEN, June 1, 1907

From the office of the Acting Commissioner of the Pension Bureau, stating that Catherine's pension claim as a remarried, but now widow, dated 1906, filed by herself without representation had been rejected because it could not be proven that she was the lawful wife of Ernst REIF on the day of his enlistment into military service, as required by the provisions of the pension act.  This, indeed was the last claim that Catherine, herself, had filed.

The claims submitted after this were inducted by Edward HALLER, himself, as was his practice until he was finally caught.  He insisted that widows asked him to file for pensions, and if so awarded, they would give him part of the support payments.

Page 220/220 the ending cover of this lengthy soap opera.

Edward HALLER did not have a good future.  In 1919, he was accused of having a cache of alcohol in the attic of his drug store in Forreston, Illinois.  His store was raided and he was arrested.  Federal officers took the 1200 whisky bottles stash.  Apparently, Mr. HALLER had the alcohol shipped into the county under the label, "Malted Milk".  The federal agents followed the purchase of the booze in Chicago, which had been shipped in barrels to Harper, Illinois. It was then transported by team and wagon to Forreston, Illinois under cover of night. The final delivery was made at midnight at Haller's Drugstore.  He was prosecuted under the Illinois search and seizure act, and under the Federal war-time prohibition act. He claimed that he had no intention of breaking the laws, and had the right to store the wet goods for legitimate purposes.

State by State Research : Alaska

Last week I mentioned the Family Tree Magazine  listing of state archive websites for genealogy and historical research.  The state of Alaska is one of their entries, and I'd like to review it for you.

The Alaska Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums, found at www.lam.alaska.gov , is just what one needs when researching historical Alaska.  Databases include newspapers, naturalization and probate records, in addition to a gold rush pioneer index.

How many glaciers are in Alaska?  I don't know for sure, but there is a section in the Alaska State Library tab that shows the location of each glacier, it's common name and it's elevation .  The Library also mentions the newspapers that are featured in full-text, most of which are pre 1923.

Alaska free clip art is also a feature of this library.  Much too many topics to mention here.

In the Genealogy section of this site is Finding Your Gold Rush Relatives.   Links to repositories, societies, resources, books, cemeteries, etc. are plentiful.  Your could sit all day and still never cover every one of these.

Alaska and Yukon Vital Records are in PDF form, and volumes cover 1898 through 1936.

The digital archives include collections of the State Library and the various campuses of the University of Alaska, in addition to several museums.

Researchers can be employed if you don't have the time to do it yourself.  Just ask.

Although I don't have any family members who lived in Alaska, this is a site that I'd like to revisit simply because the history of Alaska is just so different from  the other 49 states.  I hope that you, too, will take some time to see what this site has to offer.

Research Using the U. S. Federal Government Agencies

Last year, an article was written by Diana Crisman Smith for the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly.  She warned of the possible shutdown of the U. S. Government, and how it would impact persons using Federal records for their historical research.

Luckily, we  don't seem to have a shutdown looming at the moment.  But the article was a good review of exactly what resources are available to the community of researchers in our nation.  Here's a few of the repositories mentioned by Diana, what they can provide in the way of documents and records:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)


census records, immigration records, military records, homestead records.  see www.archives.gov 

Library of Congress (LOC)

books, microfilm, newspapers, periodicals, directories, manuscripts and maps. see www.loc.gov 

Department of the Interior

park services, civil war soldiers database, civil war battles and battlefields and all military units involved.  see www.doi.gov 

The Bureau of Land Management  holds records of land owned by the federal government, excluding the thirteen original colonies, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.  The records of the first sale of public land to individuals.  see www.blm.gov

The U.S. Geological Survey holds a collection of maps from the 1850s to the present.  It also has a gazetteer of place name with locations.  see www.usgs.gov

The Copyright Office

registration and verification for copyrights for works of art or literature.  see www.copyright.gov
Diana Crisman Smith has some suggestions to those researchers using these and other government resources.  She highly suggests to transcribe all the information that you need the first time that you find it, including full citation.  Take a screen shot of a web page that has helpful information on it.  Things change quickly on the web, and that web page may not be available again.  She adds that assuming resources will always be available is a mistake, so use these resources as soon as you need them.

In the event of another government shutdown, various genealogy websites may have information from the U.S. Federal Government websites mentioned here.  But, let's hope we don't have to worry about that.