Since posting my original query, I checked further into how the quarterly pension payments were recorded prior to 1907. Apparently, they were recorded in large ledgers, not on individual cards. However, I do not know if those records are accessible to the public.
The purple stamped REIMBURSEMENT SEC 4718 R.S. on the above pension jacket means they paid either a widow or his children the accrued pension. The only other exception in 1891 was reimbursement to a person who bore the deceased's last sickness and burial expenses.
In William Henry Davis' case, he was paid at a rate of $24 a month and the accrued pension was $30.40. If they were paying on the basis of a 30 day month, the daily rate was $.80 which would put his date of death about a month and 8 days after his last pension pay period.
Unfortunately, I do not see any last payment notations unless the notation "1890 Nov 26..." on his jacket under Indorsements refers to a last payment or pay period end date rather than his date of death or the date his death cert was discovered. There was no Accrued Pension "action sheet' in his pension file which may or may not be the case in all files before 1895.
In W.H. Davis' CMSR, all his Civil War payroll payment cards are stamped on the back Nov 22 1890. Is it possible that date has anything to do with his date of death or a product of resolving his pension case?
In any case, it would seem he may have died late 1890 or very early 1891 as there was a complicated procedure each individual had to go through to receive their pension in order to prove they were alive so pensions did not end up getting paid to deceased individuals.
Thanks again,
Laura
Jun 28, 2018 5:16 PM
