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Note: William Armstrong Denniston enlisted in the Union Army on 8-10-1861 and was assigned to Company F, 8th Iowa Infantry. He was mustered into service by Lt. Alexander Chambers, U.S. Army, at Davenport, Iowa on 9-21-1861. William was 35 years old and stood 5'9-1/2" and was dark complected. He had blue eyes and black hair. He was discharged on a Certificate of Disability on 1-17-1862 at St. Louis, Missouri. He was absent from Company F from 11-27-1861 until his discharge, while in the NEW HOUSE OF REFUGE GENERAL HOSPITAL, in St. Louis. In October, 1862, he was listed as a deserter by the Union Army. On 2-20-1871, a letter from the U.S. Department of War stated" The charge of desertion against this man is removed as he was admitted to a hospital at St. Louis, Missouri, on 11-28-1861 and was discharged 1-17-1862 at St. Louis, Missouri." Records show he became sick while on a march to Springfield, Missouri. He died of chronic bronchial pneumonia. He also suffered with inflammation and ulceration of the ear, causing partial deafness. Although Williams' last name is spelled DENNISTON by the U.S. Government, his marriage license spelled it DENNISON. After Williams' death, Mary Ann applied for a widows pension, claiming one child under the age of 16, being Mary F., born March 15, 1863. Her guardian was Francis Swearinger of Keokuk County, Iowa. The rate of pension granted to Mary Ann was $8.00 per month and $2.00 per month for Mary F. until age 16, on March,15, 1879. In the records in Washington, D.C., there is a statement that Mary Ann remarried on April 1, 1874, to a S.E.Essex and her pension was stopped at that time. However, she was buried under the name of Dennison. No records were found in Keokuk County, Iowa on the remarriage or of a divorce. The Census Records of Keokuk County, Jackson Township, Iowa, on June 18, 1880, listed Mary Denniston as age 56(should have been age 65)and being a widow. Living with her were her following children: Zachariah, age 27; James, age 21(should be 25),divorced and a farm worker; and Nancy(should have been Mary Fyda)age 18. No further information was found on Catherine, William Zachariah,James, or Mary Fyda.
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