I, Geo. W. Cooley, a native of the State of Virginia, and now a citizen of Virginia, resident at Woodstock in the county (or city) of Shenandoah in said State of Virginia, and who was a soldier from the State of Virginia, in the war between the United States and the Confederate States, do herby apply for aid under the act of the General Assembly entitled "An act to give aid to soldiers, sailors, or marines of Virginia, maimed or disabled in the war between the States, and to the widows of Virginia soldiers, sailors and marines who lost their lives in said war in the military service." And I do solemnly swear that, while in the discharge of my duty in the service of the Confederate States, as a member of Company K 5 Regiment Virginia Infantry Stonewall Brigade on or about the 12 day of May 1864, I was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness and that from the effects of such wound I was disabled, as follows: I was wounded in the right hip, and the ball is still in the hip and that by reason of such wound and disability I am now entitled to receive, under said Act, the sum of thirty dollars annually. I further that I do not hold any national, State or county office which pays me in fees or salary over three hundred dollars per annum; nor have I an income from any other source which amounts to three hundred dollars; nor do I own in my own right, nor does my wife own, property of the assessed value of more than one thousand dollars; nor do I receive aid or a pension from any other State or from the United States; and that Iam not an inmate of any soldiers' home.

I do further swear that the answers given to the following questions are true:

1^st. What is the applicant's age? Ans. 45

2^nd. In what battle or combat, or under what circumstances was the applicant wounded? Ans. Wilderness

3^rd. What was the precise nature of the wound received? Ans. Right hip, ball still in hip.

4^th. What limb, if any, did the applicant lose by reason of said wound? What eye, if any, did he lose? Ans. Am not able to use my right leg

5^th. If no limb or eye was so lost, what is the precise nature of the disability occasioned thereby? Ans.           

6^th. Is it total? Yes now

(a) Is it partial, and, if so, to what extent does it disable him from manuel labor? Ans. Am utterly unable to do any manual labor

Given under my hand this 13^th day of April, 1896

Geo. W. Cooley (his mark)

Witness: L.S. Walker

I, E.D. Newman, Judge of the County Court for the County of Shenandoah do certify that Geo. W. Cooley, whose name is signed to the foregoing application, personally appeared before me in open court, and, having the said application fully read and explained to her, as well as the statements and answers therein made, she, the said Geo. W. Cooley made oath before me that said statements and answers are true.

Given under my hand this 13^th day of April, 1893.

This is to certify that I am the attending physician of George W. Cooley and have been for the past eight years, and that he is totally disabled for manual labor on account of wounds received in the late war, and from chronic rheumatism, every joint in his body being involved, and in my opinion he will never be able to earn a support for himself or family.

Apr 13^th 1896

I, E. D. Newman, Judge of the County Court for the County of Shenandoah, do certify that I have carefully enquired and examined into, and am fully satisfied from the evidence adduced before me that each and all of the facts set forth in the within application are true; that the applicant is the identical person named in the application; that the application is for these reasons approved, and it is therefore certified that Geo. W. Cooley is entitled to receive annually from the State of Virginia the sum of Thirty dollars

Given under my hand this 13^th day of March, 1893.

Facts certified do not indicate a disability equal to that which would be caused by the loss of a limb. Disallowed

Application of Soldier, Sailor or Marine for a Pension.

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I, George W. Cooley, a native of the State of Virginia, and now a citizen of Virginia, resident at Woodstock in the county (or city) of Shenandoah in said State of Virginia, and who was a soldier from the State of Virginia, in the war between the United States and the Confederate States, do herby apply for aid under the act of the General Assembly entitled "An act to give aid to soldiers, sailors, or marines of Virginia, maimed or disabled in the war between the States, and to the widows of Virginia soldiers, sailors and marines who lost their lives in said war in the military service." And I do solemnly swear that, while in the discharge of my duty in the service of the Confederate States, as a member of Company K 5 Reg. on or about the 12 day of May 1864, I was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness and that from the effects of such wound I was disabled, as follows: Received a ball from a gun shot in the thick part of thigh and that by reason of such wound and disability I am now entitled to receive, under said Act, the sum of fifteen dollars annually. I further that I do not hold any national, State or county office which pays me in fees or salary over three hundred dollars per annum; nor have I an income from any other source which amounts to three hundred dollars; nor do I own in my own right, nor does my wife own, property of the assessed value of more than one thousand dollars; nor do I receive aid or a pension from any other State or from the United States; and that Iam not an inmate of any soldiers' home.

I do further swear that the answers given to the following questions are true:

1^st. What is the applicant's age? Ans. 45 yrs.

2^nd. In what battle or combat, or under what circumstances was the applicant wounded? Ans. The Wilderness

3^rd. What was the precise nature of the wound received? Ans. Received gun shot in thick part of thigh

4^th. What limb, if any, did the applicant lose by reason of said wound? What eye, if any, did he lose? Ans. none

5^th. If no limb or eye was so lost, what is the precise nature of the disability occasioned thereby? Ans. Partially disabled, so that can not do such manual labor as before I was wounded

6^th. Is it total?           

(a) Is it partial, and, if so, to what extent does it disable him from manuel labor? Ans. same as recited above

Given under my hand this 13^th day of March, 1893

Geo. W. Cooley (his mark)

I, E.D. Newman, Judge of the County Court for the County of Shenandoah do certify that Geo. W. Cooley, whose name is signed to the foregoing application, personally appeared before me in open court, and, having the said application fully read and explained to her, as well as the statements and answers therein made, she, the said Geo. W. Cooley made oath before me that said statements and answers are true.

Given under my hand this 13^th day of March, 1893.

E.D. Newman

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Office of
L.S. Walker, Clerk
Shenandoah County Court
Woodstock, VA., March 17 1896


Col. Wiliam Marye
Auditor of ... (illegible)

My Dear Sir

Geo. W. Cooley made application for aid as a disabled Confederate Soldier on the 13 day of March 1893 an dsaid application approved by County Court and forwarded to you and for reasons known to yourself you declined to approve said application.

Mr. Cooley has been in bed suffering from Rheumatism resulting from the war for the past two years, and has not been able to use either his hands or feet in that time, nor in the opinion of the Physician, was able to get out of his room, his family in the meanwhile has become utterly destitute and are dependent on the charity of his friends. He has a wife and five small children, the eldest not over 15 years of age, and his wife, has been going around to her neighbors and doing the washing and such manual labor as she could get until now from exposure and hard work, she is down and in bed and the family are absolutely helpless.

Under these circumstances can't you in your wisdom and goodness of your heart, approve his application and grant him a pension. He is thoroughly deserving and I do not think you would be breaking the law to grant it, and thus, help a gallant Confederate soldier and his dependent family. If you can do so, please send me the check for his pension and I will prepare his application for 1894 & 95 and get them ready.

This case is absolutely the most pitiable one that I have ever known and you will have the grateful thanks of every man, woman and child of this community to grant it.

Hoping I may hear from you favorably in a few days.

Respectfully Yours

L.S. Wallker

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