JOSEPH C. POLSTON
Certificate # 133052
Pension # 88011 (Widow's Pension)
Co. D, 12th KY Cav - Private
Enrolled 12 Aug. 1862 at Owensboro, KY (3 year term)
Mustered In: 17 Oct. 1862 or 17 Nov. 1862 at Owensboro, KY (both dates
noted in file)
Died In Service at Louisville, KY
Two different dates are given for his death: 15 Sept. 1864 or 11 Oct.
1864.
(The October date is probably the correct date. One letter in the file
states that Laura Polston , widow of Joseph C. Polston, received letters
dated Oct. 1864 from her husband. The letters that were referred to were
NOT in the file.)
ILLNESS & DEATH
According to one of the documents in the widow's pension file, Joseph C.
Polston first became ill on 10 Aug. 1864. He developed "flux" or dysentery
which eventually caused his death in either Sept. or Oct. that same year.
According to one of his comrades, Joseph C. Polston "became disabled 10 Aug.
1864 - the effects of Flux. Near Atlanta (another place in the file says
near Decatur) in the State of Georgia. about the 10th day of August 1864
from exposure. and active Hard service. on Skirmish line, in rifle pits
and building breast works".
At the time of his death, he was in charge of U. S. Medical Officers in
hospital at Louisville, KY.
MARRIAGE
Joseph C. Polston married Laura Jane Hoover 3 Jan. 1862 in Spencer Co, IN.
Marriage Bond dated: 1 Jan. 1862
They were married by Felix McKenney, J.P. in Eruka (? Eureka), IN.
Laura Jane Hoover was apparently a widow with 2 small children at the time
they married.
CHILDREN
Several times in the pension file it was stated that "no children now
survives", referring to the question of whether or not Joseph C. Polston had
any surviving children. It is unclear whether or not he had had children by
a previous marriage or if he and Laura Jane lost an infant child. However,
several years after his death, Laura Jane Polston wrote a letter to the
Commissioner of Pensions; she was trying to get the government to hurry up
the process of sending her a pension check. In that letter she stated that
she and her two small children were nearly destitute. It appears that she
had two children prior to her marriage to Joseph C. Polston. According to
statements made in the pension file, she did not re-marry after Joseph's
death.
PENSION
The delay in sending the pension check to Laura Jane Polston was due to
charges that Joseph C. Polston had deserted at some point during his
military career. However, there was a note that he had re-joined his unit.
Supposedly this matter was being investigated. The file does not say what
the investigation showed or whether or not Laura Jane ever received the
pension check. There was much bickering between two attorneys as to who was
trying to fleece the government. Each attorney wrote rather lengthy letters
defending his position. Meanwhile, Laura Jane and her two children were
trapped in the legal red tape.
RESIDENCE OF WIDOW
1 April 1865 - Laura Jane Polston was 29 years old and living in Hancock Co,
KY. Her Post-Office address was Cloverport, Breckinridge Co, KY. She lived
on the wagon road connecting Henderson and Cloverport, about 7 miles
outside of Cloverport.
24 May 1869 - Laura Jane Polston was 30 or 35 (handwriting not clear) years
old and was living in Henderson, Henderson Co, KY. It appears that she
lived there for many years.
SPELLING VARIATIONS
Most of the forms, letters, affidavits, documents, etc. contained in the
pension file, give Joseph's surname as POLSTON. However, occasionally the
last name was spelled POLSON or POULSTON.