Note: It appears George W. Dilley served in Wisconsin, deserted, then went to Illinois and re-enlisted under an assumed name of George H. DeLea or DeLee. Volunteers were given a bounty (money) for enlistment, and it most likely was that if the government knew George had deserted previously, he would not have received this second bounty money. It is very interesting to see the lengths his widow and witnesses went to explain why he used the two different names. They even went as far as to say Deriah Dilley was actually named Deriah DeLea, and that he died early on (which he did not, he died after 1866), and George assumed the surname Dilley from his step father Daniel D. Dilley!
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Declaration for Invalid Pension. State of Louisiana, County of Orleans. On this 16 day of March 1892 personally appeared before me, a Notary Public, within and for the county and State aforesaid, G.H. DeLea, aged 54 years, a resident of the City of New Orleans, county of Orleans, State of Louisiana, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical G.H. DeLea who was enrolled on the 17 day of April 1864, in Co. I, 140 Reg Ill. Infty Fols. in the service of the United States, in the War of the Rebellion, and served at least niney days, and was Honorably Discharged at Chicago, ILL on the 19 day of Oct 1864. That he is wholly unable to ear a support by manual labor by reason of Piles, Impaired Vision (Feb. 6 '93 rupture).
Signed: G.H. De Lea
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DEPOSITION: On this 20 day of August 1894 at New Orleans, County of Orleans, state of LA, before me James H. Clements, a special examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared George H. De Lea,......deposes and says: My age is 56 years, occupation Carpenter, PO address 524 Custom House Street, new Orleands, LA. I was a private in Co. I (i) 140 Ill Vol. Inf. in the late war of the rebellion, enlisted about April 1864 at Mount Morris, Ogle Co., IL and was mustered out at Chicago Oct 19, 1864. After discharge I lived at Floyd Co., Iowa about 3 years, then lived at Osage, Mistchell Co., Iowa about 8 or 9 years, then moved to Elma, Howard Co., IA and lived there aobut 2 1/2 years, then moved to Tangipahea Parish, LA, lived there about a year, then came to New Orleans and have resided here ever since. I put in claim for pension under the Act of June 27, 1890, through George W. Dearing Jr. about March 1892. dearing wrote my application in his office. My identifying witnesses were Richard Sheppard and Francis Lewis, both colored. I had known them two or three years before the date of my application. I got acquainted with them through GAR associations, had met them in their Posts...........
Signed Geo. H. De Lea.
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19 February 1898, George W. Dilley died at Ponchatoula, Louisiana, at age 60.
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Declaration for Widow's Pension. State of Louisiana, County of Taugipahoa, on this 19th day of July, 1898, Mrs. Martha Jane De Lea, aged 53 years, a resident of the town of Ponchatoula, County of Taugepahoa, State of Louisiana, declares that she is the widow of Geo. H. De Lea, who enlisted under the name Geo. H. De Lea, Co. I, 140 Reg't, Ill. Infty, and served at least 90 days in the War of the Rebellion, and died on or about the 19 day of Feb 1898. That she was married under name of Mrs. Martha Jane Harris to said Geo. H. De Lea on the 26 day of Jan 1878, by Rev. O.H. Truman, at Charles City, Oowa, there being no legal barrier to said marriage, both had been married, her first husband died, he was divorced. That she has not remarried since the death of the said Geo. H. De Lea. Signed by Martha Jane De Lea, witnessed by Virgie C. Moon (sister of Martha) and Chas. D. Abels.
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State of Louisiana, Parish of Taugepahoa. In the matter of the claim for pension of Mrs. Martha Dilly, widow of George H. DeLea, deceased. Personally came and appeared.....Mr. Samuel L. Moon, and Mrs. Virgie C. Moon who are well know to me to be crdible persons, and who after being sworn said we have know the deceased soldier George H. DeLea for over 22 years, and he has been known to us by the names of George H. De Lea and also as George W. Dilly and we know that he received mail by both names. This seems to be accounted for by a statement which we have often heard him relate as follows: That his Father Derial DeLea died when the said soldier was very young and his mother married again in a short time to a man named Daniel Dilly and for that reason the boy was often called by that name (Dilly) and he further stated that the man that he sent for his marriage license taken them out in the name of his step father (Dilly) and he was married in Charles City Floyd Co., Iowa in Jan 1878 to Mrs. Martha J. Harris in the name of George W. Dilly. We gained a knowlege of these facts by personal acquaintance with the parties. Signed Samuel LO. Moon and Mrs. Virgie C. Moon. 24 June 1899.
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Declaration for Widow's Pension. State of North Dakota, County of Oliver, on this 27th day of June 1908, Martha J. De Lea, age 63 years, resident of Ellis P.O., county of Oliver, state of North Dakota, declares that she is widow of George W. De Lea.............. Signed Martha J. De Lee.
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General Affidavit. State of North Dakota, County of Oliver, in the matter of Martha J. De Lea, widow of Geo. W. De Lea. On this 17 day of August 1908 personally appeared before me......Martha J. De Lee, a resident of Hensler, in the County of Oliver, state of ND.......I was married to George William H. De Lea Jan 26 1878 at Charles City Iowa, Floyd Co., by Re. O.H. Freeman. My husband's name was George William Henry De Lee. His step father's name was David D. Dilley, the younger children usually went by the name of Dilley, he was the youngest of 8 children. He would be 70 years old if living. I never heard of him speak of doing any service in the navy. I think he was born in the year 1838 and died Feb 19, 1898 at Ponchatalla, Louisiana. This is what my hsuband told me concerning his family history. Signed Martha J. DeLee.
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DEPOSITION: Case of Martha J. De Lea, #679990. On this 29 day of June 1911 at Hensler, County of Oliver, State of N. Dak........I am 66 years of age, my post office address is Hensler, Oliver Co., ND. Occupation doing a little housework. Used to be a midwife. I am the claimant in this case. I claim pension as the widow of George H. DeLea who served in Co. I, 140 Ill Vol. Inf. He was in that service a little more than six months and I think he was discharged in Oct 1864. He served in this organization under the name of De Lee which was the correct name of his father. His step father's name was Dilley. Before his enlistment in the Illinois regiment he had served in a Wisconsin regiment. H said that he was in the second battle of Bull Run and was taken prisoner there and was five months and twelve days in Libby Prison. He was exchanged he said and went home. He had a leg broken while in Libby Prison and was walking on crutches at the time he was exchanged. I can't remember what Wisconsin company or regiment he was in, but it was early in the war. After leaving that organization he was not in the service again until he enlisted in the Illinois regiment. He was not in the service after his discharge from the ILL regiment.
I think he was born at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, but would not be sure of that. Anyway he lived there when he was a very little chap and I think that is where he was born. At the time he enlisted they were living at a place called Prairie du Sac, Sauk Co., Wisconsin, but I think he went back to Mineral Point to enlist. After he left the Wisconsin regiment he went home to see his mother, at Prairie du Sac. I have no idea of how long he stayed there. He went from there to Mt. Morris, Ill, where he was working at the carpenter trade at the time of his enlistment in the Illinois regiment.
After his discharge from the Illinois regiment, he went back to Mt. Morris again, but I don't know how long he stayed there. From there he went back to Prairie du Sac again but I wouldn't tell you how long he stayed there. From there he came to Iowa where I met him in 1877. We were married at Charles City, Iowa, January 26, 1878, by Rev. O.H. Trueman, a Christian Disciple Preacher. We lived together from the time of our marriage to the time of his death, we were never separated or divorced. He died the 19th of February 1898. I have not remarried since his death. Mr. De Lee had been married once only before his marriage to me. His first wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Scott (Who is this?? ted). They were married at Prairie du Sac, WI after he came back from the army. They only lived together about 2 years when she skipped out with another man. I never heard who the man was. About 6 months after his wife left him, Mr. DeLee came to Iowa where he got a divorce from her at Charles City. She was dead at the time he got the divorce from her but he did not know it.
I don't know anyone living who knew my husband before his marriage to Elizabeth Scott. I don't think he has any brothers or sisters living. He was the youngest of the family. His mother had no children by the second husband. No, I don't know the name of one who served with him in the Wisconsin regiment. No I never heard him say how much bounty he would have received had he served out his enlistment in the Wisconsin regiment. No I do not know how much bounty he may have received by reason of his enlistment in the Illinois regiment.
He had one brother, Gilbert Austin Dilley, living at Georgetown, Colorado, the last time I heard of him, nearly thirty years ago.
My maiden name was Martha J. Cottrell. My first marriage was to John B. Harris, at Anderson, indiana, 17 Oct 1864. Mr. Harris was killed in a railroad accident between Jeffersonville and Indianapolis, Indiana, January 10, 1865. I had one child by Mr. Harris, Mrs. Mary Ida Winifred Belleville, a widow now, residing at Biloxi, Mississippi. I aslo had one daughter by Mr. De Lee, Almira, now the wife of P.W. Lesslie, 321 Morris Street, New Orleans, LA.
After my marriage to Mr. De Lee we lived about two years in Floyd, Iowa, about 6 years in Osage, Iowa, and about 2 years at Elma, Iowa. from there we went to Hammond, LA where we lived about 6 months. Then to Ponchatoula, LA where we lived about 2 years. Then to New Orleans where we lived about 9 years. Then back to Ponchatoula where Mr. DeLee died. After his death I stayed there 3 or 4 years and then I came out here where I have lived ever since on my brother's ranch. I have 4 brothers living, Daniel W. Cottrell, at Soldeir's Home, Marion, Indiana, John O. Cottrell, Riverside, CA, Francis B. Cottreel, Hensler, ND, Charles E. Cottrell, office at 2507 Hiawatha Ave., Minneapolis, MN. I have one sister, Mrs. Mary V. Moon, wife of Samuel L. Moon....Hot Springs, AR. She is the only one of the family that was present at my marriage to Mr. DeLea. They all know that I was only married twice, to Mr. Harris and to Mr. DeLee, as we always correspond.
My last husband was known both as Dilley and DeLee and the last name was spelled both DeLee and DeLea. We used to get mail as Dilley, DeLee and DeLea. No, I do not know which name he was married to me under. When I first knew him some called him Dilley and some called him DeLee. I never saw any of the family but him. I don't know anything of what name his brother was known by. Gilbert went by the name of Dilley. I don't know anything about it only what my husband told me.
Mr. DeLee was 5 feet 8 inches in height, blue eyes, brown hair, light complexion. He had a peculiar way of holding his head, a little to one side. He had a scar on his forehead extending up into his hair which he said was caused by a sabre cut which he received at the second battle of Bull Run. There was nothing out of the ordinary about his features or his speech. His leg, the right I think, was broken while he was in Libby prison and it was scarred where small pieces of the bone came out. He had a long scar on the front of the thigh of the right leg but I don't know for what caused. The fracture was between the ankle and knee.
I have not got Mr. DeLee's discharge papers. It, with his tools, were burned up before he left Wisconsin........Martha J. DeLee. 29 June 1911.
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Mandeville, LA, June 19th, 1935. Disbursing Clerk, Bureau of Pensions, Washington DC.
Dear Sir,
The widow Martha J. De Lee who is my mother, died Tuesday June 18th, 1935 at 10:45 PM aged 93 years six months of age. Yours very truly, Francis L. Meiners. Box 58, Mandeville, Louisiana.
P.S. Will you please let me know if the Federal government pays anything on Civil War Veterans widows funeral. Will appreciate immediate answer.
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July 9th, 1935
E.S. Bailey, Director, Widows and Dependants Claims Service.
Dear Sir,
Refering to MBAB-e. De Lee, Geo H. W.C. - 746,463. I am forwarding to in this this letter a true copy of the death certificate of Mrs. Martha Jane De Lee who was my mother. When the coroners made out the certificate he wrote my father's name down as Geo. W. DeLee, instead of Geo. H. De Lee, and I did not notice the mistake until I got this copy to send to you.
Very respectfully,
Mrs. Francis L. Meiners
Box 58, Mandaville, LA
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REIMBURSEMENT, Acrued Pension. Claimant: Francis DeLee Lesslie Meiners, Mandeville, LA. Pensioner Martha J. De Lee, widow. $24 approved, Aug 31, 1935.
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