Evening star., 1944-01-30
Capital Sidelights
By Will P. Kennedy.


The last surviving claimant for
pension as the son of an American
Revolutionary soldier died on January
4, according to a telegram received by
the United States Veterans Bureau.
which had Just completed an investi-
cation prerequisite for congressional
action on the pension application spon-
sored by Representative Butler B. Hare
OF South Carolina. The applicant was
Oliver M. Abbott. who claimed to be the
son Of John Abbott (sometimes spelled
Abbett), supposed to have been born
October g., 1852, near Spartansburg,
s, G. A War Department record shows
that John Abbott enlisted November
II. 1776, in the I'd South Carolina
Regiment and served under 1t. Col.
Marion. The War Department in 1899
sent a marker for John Abbott's grave,
which had not been placed" up to the
date OF the claimants death. The Vet
erans' Bureau investigator found John
Abhotts grave In a tangle Of over
growth, with stone which said he
died November Is, 1856. aged 80, and of
the claimants mother who died No.
vember IA, 1843, aged u. He also found
John Abbott's will. recorded November
"a. 1856, mentioning his son Oliver.
But there was no positive proof OF the
right OF the claimant to a pension.
Oliver M. Abbott had been a school
teacher up to 1918 and had never mar
ried. - ..t~.1- s!..c-
The last surviving daughter OF the
American Revolution, well authenti-
Gated by the War Department and the
DAR,' was Mrs. Ann Knight Gregory
for whom q pension application was
sponsored by Representative Peterson
Of Georgia. Mrs. Gregory died Deem
Der IT, 1913. Her father was Richard
Knight. drummer boy, who later held
commission as an of1cer in the War
Of 1912.
The last survivor of the Revolution
to receive a pension was Daniel Fred
erick Bateman, who died April S, 1869,
at Fredonia, N. Y. aged 109 years and
months. A special act of Congress was
passed two years before his death giving
him a pension Of $500 year.
The last pensioner of the War of 1912
was Hiram Cronk of Ava, N. Y, who
died May l3, 1905, aged los years and 16
days, for whose benefit a special act
was passed three years before his death.
The last pensioner of the Mexican
War was Owen Thomas Edgar, who
died September %, 1929, at the John
Dickson Home. Washington, in his 99th
year.
From the foundation of our Federal
Government-and even during the
Colonial period-provision was made for
relief for ex-service men. In 1924 Vir-
ginia was the first Colony officially to
recognize this obligation The Plymouth
Colony took similar action in 1886 and
the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1908.
Bounty land warrants aggregatinp
100000 acres have been issued to the
following prominent men:
Abraham Lincoln, service in Black
Hawk Indian War, 1892
Jefferson Davis, President of the
Confederacy, service in Mexican War.
U. S. Grant, later President, service
in Mexican War.
Robert E. Lee, leader of the Con-
federate forces, service in Mexican War.
William T. Sherman, service in Semi
mole and Mexican Wars.
David G. Farragut, service in War of
1912 and Mexican War
Winfield Scott, service in Mexican
War
Philip H. Sheridan. service in Indian
War in 1858.
Representative and Senator Dixon
Hall Lewis Of Alabama, who served In
the House from 1929 to 1874, and in the
Senate from 1874 until his death In 1s48.
is considered the largest man who ever
sat in the Congress All his life he was
afflicted with excessive flesh and in his
later years weighed $50 pounds. His huge
bulk necessitated special ARRANGEMENTS
on stage coaches, in the legislative
chambers and halls Of Congress. He was
also q big man politically and In 1889
came within four votes Of being elected
Speaker in bitter contest with the
Benton faction. A State rights extrem-
iSt, he also vigorously opposed the