ALLEN SIDORA SELLERS (Elizabeth Perlina Banta McDonald Sellers) CW pension

From TERRI
Terri Leinneweber [mterril@rcn.com]

MAY 2004

I have 34447 Mrs. Elizabeth Sellers.

Elizabeth did not apply until August 31, 1918, so a lot of her application is quite off from the records.

For example, she says she was married on October 10, 1872, but the actual marriage certificate does not reflect Navarro; it shows Freestone Co. and it shows 1871. The counties may have changed of course.

She says she was born in Hunt County. To the question: In what State was your husband's command originally organized? she answers Mississippi. She then says she does not know the name or letter of the company, the number of the battalion, or any other thing at all about his service, except that he served about 3 years.

There is then an affidavit from one of her daughters and the daughters

husband that she was married to A. S. Sellers, and is his widow, and has not remarried since his death. The same two also fill out an affidivit that she has been a Texas resident since before 1900.

Then E. M. Overshiner, County Judge, Taylor Co., certifies that Elizabeth Perlina appeared before him, and made affidavit that she is the widow of Allen Sidoras Sellers, who was a confederate solder and served more than

six months and was honorably discharged at the time of the surrender of the Confederate armies and that she has searched and cannot find information on his regiment, and that her first husband Zachariah McDonald was also a Confederate solder who served four years in the Confederate army and was

honorably discharged at the surrender, the said Zach McDonald having served

under the brother of affiant, Capt. W.M. Banta. The said affidavit is on file with the county clerk as required by law. And having heard the evidence, I find that the said Elizabeth Perlina [Banta McDonald] Sellers is the widow of a Confederate soldier, that all the witnesses to said fact are dead, or their whereabouts unknown to said widow and are unascertainable, whereupon I recommend to the pension commissioner that she be granted a pension.

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It appears to me that they basically "waived" the requirements that she prove the service for Allen. Zach's service was certifiable, so I suspect they granted her the pension on his service. I wonder if the judge knew Zach was tried and convicted of murder in 1871 (leaving Elizabeth Perlina

with 5 little children), and died in Huntsville Prison in 1884. The murder was part of the whole gang activity that was occurring after the War against the German settlers in Texas (who were anti-slavery).

I would also surely like to come upon a divorce record showing she was divorced prior to her marriage to Allen Sidoras.

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