If you would prefer a synopsis (which I originally said) of the CW file, I can try to do that. Don't know how your space is. You will note that one of the witnesses for one of the affidavits was a John Neal. This is the John Neal that is buried in Dartt cemetery. His wife was Catherine Maria Shaff (sister to W.A. and Stephen). I am also descended from Catherine and John. (as well as Stephen and Cynthia (West) Shaff)

I am also attaching a .jpg image of W. A. Shaff's headstone. Thanks again for the wonderful job you are doing. Sharon Elliott - SElli47533@aol.com 

Civil War Pension File of William A. Shaff File Number SC197.726

Articles of Agreement Whereas I, William A. Shaff, late a private in Company 88th of 2d Batt. V.R.C. Volunteers War of 1861, having made application for pension under the laws of the United States: Now this agreement witnesseth that for and in consideration of services done and to be done in the previous, I hereby agree to allow my attorney F. G. Bishop of Tioga Penna. the fee of twenty-five dollars or such sum as the Commissioner of Pensions may (unreadable) which shall include all amounts to be paid for any service in furtherance of said claims and said fee shall not be demanded by or payable to my said attorney, or others, in whole or in part, except (unreadable) call of the granting of my pension by the Commission of Pensions, and (unreadable) shall be paid to him in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress. (Unreadable) July 8, 1870 William A. Shaff X - his mark

State of Pennsylvania Tioga County, Ss Personally came before me a Notary Public in and for the County and State aforesaid, M. M. (unreadable) whom I certify to be reputable and entitled to (unreadable) and who being by me duly sworn according to law, declares and says that he is a resident of the township of Tioga, County and State aforesaid and is personally acquainted with William A. Shaff, late a private of Company "H" 45 Regiment Penn. Vols. and subsequently transferred to Company "88" 2d Batt. V.R.C. and has been for eighteen years or more. Defiant has known him intimately since his discharge from the Army, knows that he has been all the time since his said discharge troubled with a difficulty about the kidneys to such an extent that he has to frequently stop work by reason of the (unreadable) flow of urine. that he is afflicted with said disease to such an extent as to prevent his laboring at anything requiring strength and often compelled to cease any kind of labor for days at a time. Defiant lives in the same vicinity with said Shaff and for some time lived in the same house with him. That he is almost wholly unable to earn his subsistence by manual labor by reason of said difficulty. that defiant has no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of this claim and that his Post Office address is Tioga, County of Tioga, Penna. Sworn and subscribed before me this 8th day of January,1878 and further I have no interest in this claim. John W. Germey - Notary Public DECLARATION FOR ORIGINAL INVALID PENSION State of Pennsylvania County of Tioga On this 16 day of May A. D. one thousand eight hundred and seventy nine, personally appeared before me Robert C. Lewis clerk; the same being a Court of Record of the County and State aforesaid, Wm. A. Shaff a resident of Tioga, County of Tioga State of Pa. who being by me duly sworn according to law, on his solemn oath, disposes as follows, to wit: I am the identical Wm. A. Shaff, who was enrolled on the 18 day of Sept. 1861, in Company _____ of the 45 Reg't of Pa. Vols. commanded by E. G. Sheffeline(?) and I was honorably discharged at Cincinnati, Ohio on the 18 day of Oct. 1864 and my age is now 69 years. While in the service aforesaid and in the line of my duty, I received the following disability, to wit: July 8, 1863 while on march from Vicksburg to Jackson, Miss. I got a weak back and pain in the left side caused by heavy marching. I am still getting worse and am only able to perform manual labor one third of my time. On account of which I claim a Pension. Nov. 11 to March. 11 1864 treated in hospital at Camp Dennison Ohio. From March. 11 to Oct. 18, 1864 in West End Hospital. I have never been employed in the military or Naval services of the United States otherwise than set forth above. Since leaving the Service I have resided at Pa. and my occupation has been Farmer before my entry into the Service aforesaid. I was of good, sound, physical health being at enrollment a farmer and I am now partially disabled from obtaining my subsistence by manual labor by reason of my disabilities above stated, received in the service of the United States and I make this Declaration for the purpose of being placed on the Invalid Pension Roll of the United States. I hereby appoint and empower, with full power of substitution, Nathan W. Fitzgerald, Of Washington City, D. C. my true and lawful attorney to prosecute my claim. My Post Office address is Tioga, County of Tioga, State of Pa. William A. Shaf X - his mark Witnesses 1. J. H. Mather 2 John Neal (brother-in-law)

SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE Washington D. C. July 24, 1880 Sir: I have the honor to return herewith your request for a report of hospital treatment in claim no. 290,108 with such information as is furnished by the records filed in this office, viz.: that Private.. Wm. A. Shaff, Co. H 45 Pa Vols. was admitted to Dennison G. H. of Dennison Ohio Aug. 12 '63 with Nephritis (acute or chronic inflammation of kidneys) and ret'd to duty Nov. 11, '63 ("Inv. Corps") Entered West End G. H. Cincinnati Ohio June 11 '64 (as of the 88th Co. 2d Batt. V.R.C.) with Corneitis and was transf'd June 14, '64. Entered Marine G. H. Cincinnati Ohio June 13, '64 with Manulated Eyelids and was ret'd to duty June 23, '64. No further record of soldiers treatment found. No records of the Reg't on file. J. J. Woodward Surgeon U. S. Army State of Pennsylvania Tioga County Before the (unreadable), a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally appeared William A. Shaff of Tioga Township in said county who being duly sworn according to law, saith as follows: That the pension Certificate No. (unreadable) dated the 17th day of November 1881 is intended for him and no one else but that his name is not spelled correctly, that it is spelled Shoff instead of Shaff, that Shaff is the proper name and that it should be spelled with an "a" instead of "o", that his application and affidavits were all made in the name of William A. Shaff but that he thinks his attorney or some one in the pension office read or wrote his name Shoff through a mistake and that he wishes to have his certificate no. 197 726 changed from Wm. A. Shoff so as to have it read William A. Shaff so as the make it all right. Wm. A. Shaff X - his mark Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of December A. D. 1881

State of Pennsylvania Tioga County, Ss Before the (unreadable), a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, personally appeared H. H. Borden of Tioga, Penna. in said County, a physician in good standing and fully entitled to credit who being duly sworn according to law saith as follows: I have known William A. Shaff, a resident of Tioga Township in said County, for at least _____ years and I have been is family physician during that time. I know that he was a soldier in the U. S. Army at the time of the rebellion and have not the least doubt but that he is the man described in pension Certificate No. 197726 dated November 17th 1881 that his name should be spelled William A. Shaff instead of William A. Shoff as he always spelled his name and pronounced it Shaff, not Shoff. I am pretty well acquainted through this County and never knew any one of the name of Wm. A. Shoff. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 29th day of December A. D. 1881

GENERAL AFFIDAVIT State of Pennsylvania, County of Tioga, Ss. In the matter of William A. Shaff claim for increase Invalid Pension No. 197726 of Co. H Regm't Pa Vol. On this 19th day of August A. D. 1884, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County, duly authorized to administer oaths, William A. Shaff aged 64 years, a resident of Tioga Township, in the County of Tioga and state of Pennsylvania whose Post Office address is Tioga, Tioga Co. Pa. I was a member of Co. h 45th Regm't Pa Volunteers. I enlisted in 1861 and was sent to hospital in Camp Dennison Ohio in 1863. I was sent from Camp Dennison to Washington (unreadable) Hospital and was sent from there to the West End Hospital Cincinnati Ohio where I was taken with inflammation of the right eye in May 1864. They treated me for that eye at the hospital for about two weeks then I was taken to the Marine hospital at Cincinnati Ohio where I was treated by Dr. Williams. He said they had put something in that had kept the sight of the eye. I remained there about two weeks and the inflammation was cured but the sight of the eye was not helped. l And the doctor told me that it never (unreadable) get well - it gradually failed me 'til I lost the sight entirely about six years ago, this was the right eye. And the sight of the other eye also failed gradually from about six years ago 'til a year ago last April when I became totally blind and cannot see at all now. I can not furnish the evidence of a commissioned officer or of members of my own Company or any other company in the Regm't for the reason that I was there all alone and did not go back to my regm't as I was discharged from the services at the West End Hospital, Cincinnati Ohio

William A. Shaff X - his mark

GENERAL AFFIDAVIT State of Pennsylvania, County of Tioga, ss. In the matter of Pension claim No. 197726 of William A. Shaf of Co. h 45th Regm't Pa Vol. on this 23rd day of April A. D. 1885, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths William A. Shaff aged 65 years, a resident of Tioga, in the county of Tioga and state of Pennsylvania whose Post Office address is Tioga, Tioga Co. Pa. I was stationed at Camp Dennison, Ohio before I was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corp. I was in hospital there. I was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. Nov. 11, 1863 and was sent to Washington Park Cincinnati Ohio March 11, 1864. I was transferred to the West End hospital Cincinnati Ohio where one of my eyes was taken sore and it never got entirely well my eye was doctored at the Marine Hospital for about two weeks, after leaving that hospital done some guard duty at the West End hospital in June 1864. Did not perform any duty in April or May 1864. I did not have any physician treat me for disease of the eye so that all the testimony I can furnish is that my sight has been failing ever since I left the army and I am now totally blind. I do not know of any old comrades that I could get(?) nor any neighbors that remember much as far back as when I left the army so that I do not know of any one but myself who can (unreadable) for me unless I get some physician here to testify that I am blind. My Post Office address is Tioga, Tioga Co. Pa. William A. Shaff X - his mark GENERAL AFFIDAVIT State of$Pennsylvania, County of Tioga, ss In the matter of claims for increased invalid pension no. 197 726 Wm. A. Shaff Co. H 45 Reg't Pa Vol. On the first day of February A. D. 1887 personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths Wm. A. Shaff aged ____ years, a resident of Tioga, in the County of Tioga and State of Penna. whose Post Office address is Tioga, Tioga Co. Pa. that he was in Cincinnati in the Fall of 1863 and staid (sic) there till discharged in Oct. 1864. Was taken from "West End" Hospital to Marine Hospital in June 1864 to be treated for my eye by Doctor Basilero and Simpson and at Marine Hospital by Dr. Williams. The inflammation was subdued but the sight of the eye was obscured and gradually failed until it was entirely gone. About five years ago the sight of the other eye began to fail and for the last two years have been totally blind. I do not know nor have I any means of learning the given names of these above named physicians. William A. Shaff X - his mark

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM A. SHAFF Register's Office September 8, 1904 March 7, 1904, the petition of Clara Dell Canedy (?) was presented representing: That William A. Shaff, late of Tioga County, deceased, died on or about February 1, 1886, leaving a will the date of which was unknown to the petitioner; that said Will is now in the possession of W. I. Urell(?) of Tioga Pa. who refuses to deliver up the same or to appear and make proof of same. That the petitioner was named in said Will as a devisee and was entitled to receive a certain piece of real property situate in said County. The petitioner therefore prayed that a citation be issued to W. I. Urell to appear on a certain day and produce said Will for Probate. March 7, 1904. Citation issued March 15, 1904 Citation returned served W. I. Urell March 8, 1904, personally in Tioga, Tioga Co. Pa. by handing to him a true and attested copy hereof so answers Edward B. Dorsett Sheriff. March 14, 1904. Filed notice to not grant Letters of Administration c.A.a. or otherwise without first giving notice to Frank D. Selph attorney for Clara Dell Canedy. September 8, 1904 was presented an instrument of writing purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of William A. Shaff, late of Tioga Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, deceased, as follows viz.: I, William A. Shaff of Tioga township in the County of Tioga and State of Pennsylvania, laborer, being of sound mind memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. And first I direct that my body be decently interred in Middlebury Tioga Co. Pa. by the side of my wife but if I cannot be buried there, I want to be interred by a chestnut on my lot Nealr my house on Ellshorn Creek in the township and county aforesaid and that my funeral be conducted in a manner corresponding with my estate and situation in life. As to such estate as it hath pleased God to entrust me with, I dispose of the same as follows viz.: I give and bequeath to M. M. Canedy$my son-in-law one post maul, two picks, one crowbar, one barn shovel, one buck saw, one hammer a five gr. auger and a "Methodist discipline". I give and bequeath to Charlie A. Canedy, my grandson, one cow, a book called "A Secret history of The War". I give and bequeath to my daughter Lucretia Rosina Canedy, one clock, one wash stand, one trunk, one wash tub, a pair of swifts, one pair quilt frames, and two cows. I give devise and bequeath to my grandson, M. M. Canedy Jr. one book called the "Life of Washington". I give devise and bequeath to my Grand daughter Gertrude Canedy one book called "Baxter's Saints Rest". I give devise and bequeath to Clara Dell Canedy one book entitled "The Life of Mrs. Judson" one feather bed, my house and lot on Ellshorn creek in the township, county and state aforesaid, containing about five acres of ground, after she becomes of age, and in case I should die her mother Lucretia Rosina Canedy is to have the use of said house and lot 'til such time as the said Clara Dell Canedy becomes of age. I give, devise and bequeath to Anice(?) Estella(?) Canedy my grand daughter one large bible, one bedstead, one bed and bedding including three pillows. I give devise and bequeath to Albert Canedy, one book called "Military discipline". I give devise and bequeath to Sarah Saxbury one pair quilt frames. The said quilt frames being now in her possession and at her house. Lastly, I appoint my friend W. I. Urell to be the Executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I, William A. Shaff, the testator, have to this my will written on one sheet of paper set my hand and seal this 19th day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three William A. Shaff X - his mark

ABSTRACTS OF DEEDS

On May 20, 1863, William A. purchased, from Mrs. Sylvia Parmentier of Brooklyn, NY, 5 acres of land for $25.00 in the township of Tioga, Tioga County, Pa., bordering land on Plank Road. 

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