In
November 1863 Philander Peck attempt to obtain a family support exemption
from the Civil War draft. However, his mother, Harriett Peck failed
to file the family support claim prior to the second draft notice as
was required. After these statements were mailed, Philander purchased
his exemption for $300.00.
| |
|
| |
Philander
Peck's Form 39. Notification
of Draft.
Receipt
for $300.00 dollars paid by Philander, Chauncy's older
brother, after being drafted to obtain a release from military
service.
Philander
Peck's Form 31. Certificate
of Non-Liability to be Given by the Board of Enrollment. |
| |
|
Below
are the sworn statements made by the Peck family and neighbors to
support their late claim. These
statements were taken just days after the death of Philander's brother
Chauncy Peck in Nashville. |
| |
|
| |
I
the subscriber Philander A. Peck resident of the township of Montcalm,
Montcalm County Michigan hereby certify that I being liable to military
duty under the act of Congress for enrolling and calling out the National
forces &c approved March 3rd 1863. [A]m one of three sons liable
to Military duty as above of Harriett B. Peck an aged and infirm parent
and that she is dependent on my labor for support that the other sons
are John A. Peck and Frank S. Peck but that our said mother has resided
with me for the last twelve years.
Philander A. Peck |
| |
|
| |
I Harriett
B. Peck mother of Philander A. Peck[,] John A. Peck and Frank S. Peck
all liable to military duty do hereby certify that I am sixty nine
years of age and infirm, and dependent for support. That I have resided
with my said son Philander A. Peck for the last Twelve years and I
do hereby elect him to be exempt from military duty under the act of
congress above mentioned as the one upon whom I depend for support.
X Harriett B. Peck |
| |
|
| |
We the
subscribed citizens, heads of families, residents of the township of
Montcalm[,] Montcalm County Michigan do hereby certify that the above
named Philander A. Peck is the son of an aged and infirmed parent dependent
on his labor for support.
X Alonzo H. Monroe
X Jackson Carn |
| |
|
| |
State
of Michigan
County of Montcalm s.s. on this 16th day of November 1863 personally
appeared before me one of the Justices of the Peace of said County Philander
A. Peck, Harriett B. Peck Alonzo H. Monroe and Jackson Carn and severally
made oath that the above certificates by them respectfully signed are
correct and true to the best of their knowledge and belief.
Subscribed & sworn
to
before me this 23rd
day of November AD 1863
James L. Mann Justice
of the peace |
|
|
| |
|
| |
State
of Michigan
County of Montcalm s.s. Harriett B. Peck of said County being duly sworn
both depose and say. That at the time she first commenced residing with
her son Philander A. Peck twelve years ago, she elected him as the one
to support her and has resided with him even since in accordance with
such election. She further says that she was entirely ignorant of the
fact that the Drafting rules and regulations required an election to
be made in writing or in any other manner before the late draft and supposed
that a designation of her election at any time was sufficient and that
her certificate made on the 16th day of November just was made in perfect
good faith.
Subscribed
and sworn to before me this 21rd
day of November AD1863
James L. Mann Justice
of the peace
|
 |
X
Harriett B. Peck |
|
| |
|
| |
State of
Michigan
County of Montcalm s.s. Philander A. Peck of said county being duly sworn
both depose and say, that up to the time of the late draft and until he
made his certificate for a discharge from the draft on account of his being
the support of his mother Harriett B. Peck he was entirely ignorant of
the rules and regulations requiring an election to be made by his said
mother before the draft. That he had not seen any of the regulations nor
heard of it being necessary for such election to be made before the draft
and that he was in all respects acted in perfect good faith in the matter.
| |
|
|
Subscribed & sworn
to
before me this 23rd
day of November AD 1863
James L. Mann Justice
of the peace |
|
Philander
A. Peck |
|
| |
|
| |
State
of Michigan
County of Montcalm s.s. James W. Belknap of said county being duly sworn
both depose and say that the is the publisher of the Greenville Independent
a newspaper published in said county of Montcalm, and that his is the
only newspaper published in said county and is the only care taker in
many families in said County. He further says that he did not publish
the drafting rules and regulations and the act of Congress authorizing
the draft in said newspaper previous to said draft taking place – and
that he has not published the same since, and that he was entirely ignorant
where the draft took place that it was required that aged and infirm
parent or parents should make his her or their election of the son upon
whom they depended for support previous to the draft, and that in his
opinion the fact was not generally known if at all in the vicinity of
the township of Montcalm in said County.
| |
|
|
Subscribed & sworn
to
before me this 23rd
day of November AD 1863
James L. Mann Justice
of the peace |
|
James
W. Belknap |
|
| |
|
| |
State of
Michigan
County of Montcalm s.s. William C. Ellsworth Charles
J. Church and John Lewis of said county being duly sworn both depose & say,
that they are residents of the village of Greenville in said county of
Montcalm, and that they reside some four miles from the house of Philander
A. Peck. They further say that they did not know that the drafting law
passed by the last congress of the United States or the regulations under
the same required all aged and infirmed parent of more than one or two
sons to elect which he or she would have to support him on her before the
draft took place under said law, but supposed it might be done at anytime
and are of the opinion that it is so generally considered, that people
in said county are as a general thing not informed relative to said law.
| |
|
|
Subscribed & sworn
to
before me this 23rd
day of November AD 1863
James L. Mann Justice
of the peace |
|
John
Lewis
C J Church |
|
