DEPOSITION: H
Deposition of: SMITH WHITE
Case of: Charles N Nichols
Certificate #387.762, April 1900
On this 28th day of April, 1900, at 1 and 1/2 miles northeast of Wakelee, county of Cass, state of Mich., before me, H.L. Rothe, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Smith White, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:
I am 64 years of age; my post-office address is Marcellus, Mich.
I am a farmer.
I have lived on this place 37 years. I knew Charles N Nichols before he went into the army. Used to meet him at dances and places around, but I lived a mile west of Wakelee then. After his discharge he lived 3/4 miles north and 1/2 miles east of here. We worked together some after the war. He helped me dig several wells and we worked together by the day for Obijah Hike some. He lived in this neighborhood until he went north. I think it has been all of 20 years since he left this neighborhood. He went up north and then he went west.
After he came back from the army, while he lived in this neighborhood, he couldn't do a good days work. I knew in harvest, while we were working for Hike. He would have to get into the shade, when it came off real hot. He complained of his head. He didn't say he had been sunstruck, but claimed he'd get blind. He wouldn't own that he had ever been sunstruck. I don't know that he complained much else only of one hip, which he said acted as though it would slip out of joint. He acted like a person with rheumatism, but he wouldn't own he had rheumatism. I think he had rheumatism then. Further than that I do not recall what ailed him.
One time, while he lived here, he was down sick a whole spring. They thought, a while, he wouldn't get around again and he was not able to work all spring but, I don't know what ailed him. Well, I couldn't say whether that was an attack of lung fever or pneumonia. I did not see him while he was down sick as my folks were sick and I couldn't get away.
Did he have any lung trouble or chronic cough before he left your neighborhood?
He had a cough after he came home from the army and I never knew him to cough before he went into the army. I think that was from his lungs as he would wheeze a good deal and seemed short of breath. He couldn't run. He was a great hand to play ball before his service and I never knew him to play ball after he came home.
Did he have any bowel trouble, diarrhea, or piles to your knowledge, while he lived here?
Not that I know of.
Was he hard of hearing?
I never noticed it.
I have not known much about him since he came to Marcellus from the west. I see him perhaps two or three times a year and in a general way and from the looks of the man, I should judge that he couldn't do any work, but I don't know the nature of his ailments.
I have understood the questions and my statement, as read to me, is correctly recorded
Deponent, X (his mark)
Smith White
Attested: Geo A Paxson and Martha White
