Case of Julia A. Fingar, No. 655747

On this 25 day of July, 1902, at Philmont, county of Columbia State of New York, before me, Allen F. Church a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Jane S Harder, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogations propounded to her during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:

I am 71 years of age, my address is as above. I am a sister of the claimant, and have known her all my life. I am the widow of Allen Harder who died 11 years ago. I knew the soldier Jacob Fingar about two years before he married my sister Julia Ann Clum, both of them were young and I feel sure he had never been married before, if he had been I think I would have known about it. My sister Julia was never married before. I was present when they were married as was also my late husband and his brother George L. Harder, and Mr George Rogers (now dead). They were married in the parsonage of the Reformed Church at Mellenville by the pastor Rev John Himrod about a year before I was married. My marriage was Nov 12, 1850. After their marriage they lived with father until they could build a house. Father gave them the land and part of the money to build with, and I think they got into the house that year. Mrs Burger, a ministers wife who lived in Mellenville had a mortgage on the place for the balance of the cost, and Jacob Fingar and my sister lived there five or six years, then they moved to Germantown about twenty miles away and were there two years. Then came back to the tenant house on Mr. Fingar's fathers farm where they lived when he enlisted. The house father helped them to build had been sold at foreclosure of mortgage in the meantime, as Jacob Fingar made no attempt to pay off the mortgage or pay interest and he was heavily in debt. I don't remember what Co. and regiment he served in, but he was an officer. I don't think, in fact I know he did not desert her until after he enlisted. He used to run around with women before he enlisted, but he took good care of his family and lived well up to the time he went into the Army, and while he was gone away my father got her to move from his fathers place up to Philmont, and she went into the mill about a month later. They had had five children but only two were then living. No, Jacob Fingar had no property and did not leave any money when he enlisted. She worked in the mill about twenty years and lived in Philmont. Father gave her the lot and the old house, and when he died and his estate was settled she got about $800, and when mother died there was something more came to each I don't remember how much she got. She built the other house on the lot and went in debt $800 on it for which she gave a mortgage to Wm Nacer in Hudson, and it is still unpaid. She has never been able to pay a cent on the principal, but pays her interest twice a year. She has no other property of any description, no money in the bank stocks, bonds or investments and has hard work to get along. I know she has a great deal of expense, but cannot give you details of what she receives for rent or what her expenses are. My sister Catherine is boarding with her and pays 12 shillings a week ($1.50). She has no source of income except rent of the houses and her daily labor.

Jacob Fingar made no attempts at reconciliation with his wife after he left the service until two or three years before he died, and then he came and wanted to live with her, was old and feeble and nearly blind then, and she would not consent. Yes he had visited her several times between war times and his death, but the marriage relations were never resumed. She has never remarried from the time he left her up to the present. She never applied for a divorce from him. He said he got a divorce from her but my sister never had any notice. I do not know the names of any of the women he is said to have lived with. Don't remember.

/s/ Jane S Harder