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Wife Applies for a Pension, ainl thlt;Bureau Seeks Proof ofUcutli'-Wiis «n Iowa Solti-let* in Civil War.The “mysterious disappearance tiepartment of the I'nited States*pensio; service is al work upon the ease of { man once well known m NebraskijrfailronU and business circles who ha?apparently dropped out of existenciwithout leaving1 a record of his death says the Omaha Bee.in 1 sits Mrs. Alice Eaton, of Platts-mouth, Neb., applied for a position a.4 wiflow of William T. Eaton, wlio was 11 member of Company 11, Sixteenth iowa light artiliery. instead of furnishing proofs of death .Mrs. Eaton submitted an affidavit setting forth that her husband had been absent from his home and friends for a space of mure than seven years, which undei federal regulations establishes a pro* | sumption of death. As usual in these presumptive death” cases the department put. the case in the hands of pension agents and so’far they have been unable to find proof of the death or present life of the missing huband.Thodo” Eaton eaine to Nebraska shortly after the war, a beardless boy, and it will surprise some, of his intimate friends to know that he over saw army service. Jle married at PJatts-mouth in the early ’70s and until his mysterious disappearance was accounted one of the reliable young men of tin* community. Some time in the VOs Eaton was appointed as the pwr-ehnsing agent for the. Burlington and Missouri railroad and in the work of his department; was away from home a large portion of the time. Jlis work kept him in southern Missouri most I of the time .and lie made Poplar Bluffs I Ids headquarters.! In October, iSHU, lie wrote a letter from St. houis to his wife stating that he would be at home at Christmas and would bring presents homo to their children. The letter was of an affectionate tone. This is llie last that is known of “Thec’le Eaton. When the pension officers started on the case t hey began at Poplar Bluffs. He was traced to St. Louis anil lost. Then they started to work on the Nebraska end. inquiry at the Burlington and Missouri headquarters showed that he hail severed his connection with tlio road some months before his disappearance anti that his accounts were in perfect shape. Different Omaha acquaintances were examined and every theory for disappearance investigated with no result.Eaton was a member of the Masonic lodge at Plnttsinouth and the inenv hers of that lodge interested themselves. A. W. White, secretary of the lodge, sent inquiries among the lodges of the west. No definite word was received from Eaton, but from California came a story through Masonic sources that man supposed to be him had been seen in that state. 'The name of the town where he* was seen was not given.A BlnUsmutith woman, who was visiting Denver, Colo., later told the government officials that she had seen Eaton in that city; and he attemptedto avoid her and pulled Ids hat over his•*yes, but that she was certain that it was her Plattsmouth acquaintance. Tivestigntiou at Denver failed to locate him. Still later reports ioeatei him at. St. Louis, but Eaton cannot be found t lie re.During all the years from 3SS9 Mrs. Eaton has resided at Elattsmouth and lias educated her family in a manner commended by all of her acquaint-unces. The government is anxious to find proof of Eaton’s death, as all of the off leers connected with the case belie ve that Mrs. Eaton should receive a pension.
Newspaper Details
Spencer Clay County News
Spencer, Iowa, US
Thu, Jun 07, 1900
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 05 Oct 2022
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