Date:  ca. 1900

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Comments:  Oswin Smith Harris was born on 03 August 1834, in Albemarle County, Virginia, and was the son of Thomas W. Harris (1803-1861) and Elizabeth Maupin (1805-1881).  Oswin married Mary Sydney Maupin (1835-1893) on 21 Dec. 1858 in Albemarle County, VA.  Oswin and Mary S. Harris were the parents of six children: Thomas Ashby Harris (1863-1958), Elva Elizabeth Harris (1866-1937), Lily Jane Harris (1868-1941), Sally May Harris (1870-1943), Ora Smith Harris (1874-1947), and Maggie P. Harris (1877- ).

In this ca. 1900 photo above, Oswin Smith Harris (left) is shown
with his grandson, John Hildrup Duncan (1895-1983).  John was
the son of Lily Jane (Harris) and William James Duncan.

Oswin Smith Harris passed away on 08 March 1911 at the age of 76, and his wife, Mary Sydney (Maupin) Harris passed away on 28 September 1893.  Oswin and Mary Harris are both buried at the Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery at 2620 Mount Zion Church Rd. in Esmont VA; see their gravestones below:

Oswin S. Harris was a Confederate Soldier of Virginia, who served for approximately two years (1863-1865) during the Civil War.  He served with the Post Quarter Master Department under Captain Thomas Wood, Charlottesville, and retired at the Surrender of the Confederacy in April 1865.  During his service, Oswin suffered a gunshot wound in his arm which resulted in eventual paralysis of nerves in his arm.  The bruising done to his nerves in that arm from this war injury eventually resulted in Oswin's inability to continue his farming (or any other job) to earn a living and support his family.  On 15 March 1904, Oswin S. Harris applied for aid from the State of Virginia via an 'Application of Soldier, Sailor, or Marine for Disability by Reason of Disease or the Infirmities of Age'.  His aid application was notarized by Samuel A. Gault, Postmaster of Scottsville, and witnessed by Jackson Beal, Sr. (Mayor of Scottsville from 1905-1930), and T.T. Omohundro, Jr. (a Scottsville businessman).  The oath of Beal and Omohundro on Oswin's disability document stated that "�they know that he can't work on account of his disabilities.."  See this application below, which was submitted by O.S. Harris on 16 March 1904 to the Virginia General Assembly:

I, O.S. Harris, do hereby apply for aid under the act of the General Assembly of Virginia, approved April 2, 1866, entitled an act to aid the citizens of Virginia, who were disabled by wounds received during the war between the States while serving as soldiers, sailors, or marines of Virginia, and such as served during the said war as soldiers, sailos, or marines of Virginia who lost their lives in valid services, or whose death resulted from wounds received or disease contracted in said service, and providing penalties for violating the provisions of this act, and I do solemnly swear that I am a citizen of the State of Virginia, resident at Near Scottsville. In the County of Albemarle in the said State, and that I have been an actual resident of the said state for two years, and of the said city (or county) for one year next preceding the date of this application, and that I was a soldier (or sailor or marine) of the State of Virginia in the War between the United States and the Confederate States as a member of (here state specifically the command and branch of service to which the applicant belonged, and the name of his immediate superior officers) Post Quarter Master department, Captain Thomas Wood Wood, Charlottesville, VA and that I am now disabled by disease (here state the nature of the disease and the reason from which it resulted: Paralysis of the Nerves and that from the effects of such disease I am now permanently disabled from following my usual and ordinary occupation or any other occupation for a livelihood (in the case of disability from infirmities of age, strike out all relating to disability by disease, and then proceed as follows: ), and that I am now suffering from the infirmities of age and permanently incapacitated thereby from following my usual and ordinary occupation, or any other occupation, for a livelihood (here state specifically the nature and character of the disability which prevents the applicant from following any occupation for a livelihood) on account of my disease I am not able to work to make a living and that during the said war I was loyal and true to my duty, and never at any time deserted my command or voluntarily abandoned my post of duty in the mid service, and that by reason of such disability I am now entitled to received under the said act the sum of _________ dollars annually. And I do further swear that I do not hold any national, State, city or county office which pays me in salary or fee one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, nor have I an income from any other employment or any source whatever which amounts to one hundred and fifty dollars per annum; nor do I receive from any source whatever money or other means of support in value of the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum; nor do I own in my own right, nor does any one hold in trust for my benefit or use, nor does my wife own, nor does any one hold in trust for my wife, estate or property, either real, personal or mixed, either ___ or for life, of the named value of five hundred dollars; nor do I receive any aid or pension from any other State, or from the United States, or from any other sources, and that I am not an inmate of any solders' home, or of any other public institution; and I do further swear that the answers given to the following questions are true:

1. What is your age? Ans. 69 years "69"

2. Where were you born? Ans. Near White Hall in Albemarle Co.

3. How long have you resided in Virginia? Ans. All my life.

4. How long have you resided in the city or county of your present residence? Ans. All my life in Albemarle

5. What is your usual and ordinary occupation for earning a livelihood? Ans. Farming

6. How long have you followed such occupation or employment? Ans. Since I was a boy.

7. Have you followed such occupation or employment, or any other occupation or employment, within the last two years? If so, state when and where and the amount of your annual income from the same. Ans. None

8. State specifically the nature of your disability or disease. Ans. I am suffering from nervous paralysis.

9. What was the cause which led to the disease which has resulted in your disability? Ans. By bruising that in one arm.

10. How long have you suffered from such disease, and when did you first become aware that you were afflicted by the same? Ans. About 3 years.

11. With what disease or sickness did you suffer during the time of your service? Ans. Only from being shot in my arm.

12. Are you totally disabled because of such disease, or the infirmities of age, from following your usual occupation or employment, or any other occupation or employment, by which to earn a livelihood? If not totally disabled thereby, but only partially, state the extent of your partial disability. Ans. I can't do any work of any consequence.

13. When and where did you enter the service of Virginia, or of the Confederate States? Ans. In Charlottesville

14. In what command and service were you engaged during the war between the states? Ans. As stated above

15. How long were you in the service. Ans. Two years and over

16. When did you leave the service, and under what circumstances. Ans. At the Surrender

17. If suffering from disease, state what physician or physicians have attend you for the same. Ans. Dr. (illegible) and Randolph??

18. Give the name and addresses of two or more in the service of your command, if any such be living, and if so state. Ans. James Wray, Crozet, VA; Wm. Bishop, near C'ville, VA

19. Give her any other information you may possess relating to your service, or disability, that will support the justice of your claim for aid. Ans. I did my duty as far as it was in my power. I am now feeble suffering from the above as named, and I am not personally able to make my living.

20. Is there any camp of Confederate Veterans in the city or county of your residence? Ans. No

21. Is there any one living, the resident and address of whom is known to you, either comrade or otherwise, who has knowledge of your service, and of the cause of your disability? If so or not, state. Ans. As stated above, the names of two of my comrades

     I, S.R. Gault a Notary Public, in and for the County of Albemarle, in the State of Virginia, do certify that O.S. Harris, whose name is signed to the foregoing application, personally appeared before me in my County of Albemarle, in the State of Virginia, do certify that O.S. Harris, whose name is signed to the foregoing application, personally appeared before me in my County aforesaid and having the aforesaid application read to him and fully explained, as well as the statements and answers made, the said O.S. Harris made oath before me that the said statements and answers are true.

     Given under my hand this (illegible) day March 1904.

We, Jackson Beal and T.T. Omohunbdro, Jr. of the County of Albemarle, in the said State, and that we have known personally and well for 30 years.  O.S. Harris, whose name is signed to the annexed application for aid under the act of the General Assembly of Virginia, approved April 2, 1902, and that the said O.S. Harris is a resident of the said county (or city), and is a man of good reputation for truth and honesty, and that we have read the annexed application and the answers to the questions therein propounded, made by the said applicant, and verily believe that the said applicant has been truthful in the said statements and answers, and that from our personal knowledge the applicant is disabled *state the character of the disability, and whether it is partial or total).  (illegible) and know that he can't work on account of his disabilities and that we verily believe the said applicant is justly entitled to aid under the said act, and that we have no personal interest in the allowance of the applicant's claim.

The ca. 1900 photo of Oswin Smith Harris and John Hildrup Duncan is part of the Ron Turner collection at Scottsville Museum.
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The photo of the Oswin Smith Harris gravestone at Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery in Esmont is part of the Ron Turner collection at Scottsville Museum.
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The photo of the Mary Sydney Harris gravestone at Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery in Esmont is part of the Ron Turner collection at Scottsville Museum.
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