Case of Julia A. Fingar, No. 655747

On this 24 day of July, 1902, at Philmont, County of Columbia State of New York, before me, Allan F. Church a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Sylvanus Fingar, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogations propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:

I am 46 years of age, residence and P.O. Address as above, occupation boss carder in Aken Knitting Co. Mill at this point. Jacob Fingar, the soldier was my father, and the claimant Julia A. Fingar is my mother. I have not seen my father more than three times since his enlistment. I don't remember what company and regiment he was in or what his rank was. I could not tell you what the cause of his not coming home after discharge was. I do not know. I was only 6 or 7 years of age then. She has lived with and brought up the children my sister and myself and never applied for a divorce from my father, and she has not remarried since he died. I never heard that he ever applied for or received a divorce from him. I think my mother has seen my father at least once since he left home. I think he came here and I think it was twice. No, I don't think marriage relations were continued at those times. I am pretty sure he did not stay in the house, it would be merely a call. When father left home to enlist he left nothing for his family to live on, and did not send home anything. My grandfather (mother's father) brought us up here and mother worked in the mill for twenty years or more until we children were grown. I don't know where father lived from his discharge until his death. I did hear he had been in Ohio, and he died in Syracuse, don't know what part of Ohio. Don't know the date or cause of his death.

The first time I remember seeing my father after his discharge was when he came up to the house about or within two years after the time he left home. My grandfather brought us up here and we lived for a time of not more than a year and a half or two years in Mrs. Phelps house, and we were living there when he called. He was here only part of a day. The next time was about six years later when we were living in the old house next door and he only stayed an hour or so. He made no attempts at reconciliation, and mother did not. I saw him at his fathers funeral about 18 or 20 years ago down in Smoky Hollow, and once since he was down to his mothers and I saw him but did not speak to him. Yes I have heard that he was married again, or I should say he lived with other women but I don't know whether he was married or not. Don't know who the woman or women were or where he lived with them except at Syracuse, N.Y. All the property my mother has is these two houses and lots. The old house there father bought and we lived in part of it for 5 or 6 years, paying a small rent and one Christmas several years before he died he gave it to her (mother).

This house was built with money left by my grandfather to my mother in the division of the estate, the amount was $800. No it was not as much as $1000. She had to borrow $800 more to build it and mortgaged the place. The mortgage has not been paid, it is held by William Naver, Hudson and the interest is six per cent. She has no other property except her household goods. She rents out all of both houses except the lower floor of the new house where she lives, and receives $26.00 per month rent. Why I should say about $4500 would be what the two places are worth, but you probably could not get that. Don't remember what the assessed value is. Her taxes are between $50.00 & $60.00 per annum; interest $48.00; insurance about $20.00 and repairs from $15.00 a year up to $25.00 or $30.00. She has no money in bank or invested in any way that I know of. My aunt Caroline lives with mother and pays 1.00 per week board and any other income she has is the result of her own labor.

I cannot think of any one except my uncle Peter Fingar, an insurance agent down at Claverack, this county, who would know where father has lived from discharge to death. No, my father did not have any other woman with him on the 4 occasions on which I have seen him since he left home.

I am the son of claimant and of course would like to see her get a pension, but am not personally interested. This statement has been read to me. I have understood your questions, and my answers are correctly recorded.

/s/ Sylvanus Fingar