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Subject: [OHATHENS ] ANSWER to Military Affiants
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 07:53:48 EST

Here's the answers to the below posted question, for those of you who might
need to know as well. Thanks to everyone who answered this for me!! Julie

I'm wondering if anyone out there knows the answer to this....
       In the file from National Archives, Military records of John North,
there are several affiants on his behalf, ...... I'm wondering is if the
government just picked these people at random from within the same Infantry
Unit, or if the "Petitioner", John North, specified these people to be
questioned. Does anyone know what protocol was used for obtaining the
affidavits?  By knowing this info, I can determine some a probable
friendship/aquaintance with the affiants, or count them out as "random"
persons. Thanks!!  Julie

Hi Julie,
It was the soldier himself who gave the names of people he was acquainted
with and who knew him during the time period needed to vouch that he is who
he says he is, or who was witness to his illness and others he was in the
service with that he became acquainted with and could vouch for him being in
said company and regiment or was witness to him getting ill, etc. Sometimes
even their commanding officer if still living and soldier knows his
residence will request an affadavit from the commanding officer.
Many times it is family who gives these affadavits and says I have been
acquainted with said os and so all his life or for the last 25 yrs. but
never says they are a father, brother, brother-in-law.....etc. This just
drives me wild when they do this, but it happens alot, so it is best to try
and run them down when possible and you will probably find one or more were
related by blood or married into the family.
Hope this helps,
Judi Burkhardt, in Indiana

Julie, In the majority of the cases, the applicant gave the examiner a list
of people to get affidavits from pertaining to his service. They were trying
to prove their service, and it was up to them to furnish proof. There are
some very interesting stories in those affidavits, as sometimes the people
they listed gave negative affidavits, and the files can get huge. Hope this
helps a little.

Cliff

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