William Franklin Keepers[1]
Rank: Private, Company D, 20th
Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Born/died: August 3, 1834 –
December 1, 1905[2]
Cause of death: ?
Residence at death: probably, Wetmore, Nemaha County, Kansas
Served: September 30, 1864 –
June 5, 1865
Age at enlistment: 30
Claim filed: April 4,
1897
Remarks:
In his original pension
application, William listed places that he lived during the five years before
his enlistment. “Fulton County,
Pennsylvania until April 7, 1860, then, Hannah (?) City, Peoria County,
Illinois, resided there until March 1st, 1862, then Cook County,
Illinois, and my occupation has been that of a farmer.” After his discharge, a physician, from
Chicago, Illinois, had treated him. No
physician affidavit of disability is in the file. William claimed that he suffered from “chronic headaches, roaring
in the ears, and whenever (he) gets home from work, diarrhea (?) sets in.” On April 5, 1899, his claim was rejected on
the basis that there was no record or satisfactory evidence that his deafness
and diarrhea originated during service, “and claimant’s declared inability to
furnish same.”
In 1898 the bureau of
pensions asked William to fill out a form with his family information. He replied on July 7, 1898, listing names
and birthdates of nine living children, and noted his divorce from Mary E.
Houser in 1884.
In a declaration dated
September 8, 1900, William is described at enlistment as 30 years old, 5’ 6 ˝ ”
tall, light complexion, light hair and gray eyes. He was unable to earn his own support by reasons of “inability to
perform manual labor…further, am troubled with pains in my head and rheumatism,
defect in hearing, (and) cramps in stomach.”
He received $8/month.
There appear to be two
requests for an increase in pension.
One, dated August 31, 1901, was rejected. The other, August 6, 1904, additionally cited “natural
infirmities of age, entitling him to the rating for age under Order no. 78 as
he was born August 3, 1834.” The amount
of any increase was not in the file.
William’s brother, Stephen
Folk Keepers, served as a Sergeant in Company H, 158th Pennsylvania
Infantry.