I recently wrote about young John F. Bahn, the ward of Henry Trisel, who lived near Chattanooga, Ohio, in the late 1800s. Young John Bahn (1865-1876) was the son of Henry’s wife Elizabeth (Feldman) Trisel and her first husband Johann Bahn. Johann Bahn served in the Civil War and perished in the Sultana explosion on his way home from the war in April 1865. Young John Bahn is buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery, but his real last name is not inscribed on his tombstone.

Young John’s mother Elizabeth (Feldman) married Henry Trisel in September 1865. Henry Trisel also served in the Civil War. Young John Bahn, Elizabeth (Feldman) Trisel, and Henry Trisel were all eligible for Civil War pensions at one time or another.

In order to prove their eligibility for their pensions they had to submit various documents to the government, documents which are now stored at the National Archives.

Among these documents are affidavits from some of the Trisel’s Mercer County neighbors. Last week I transcribed an affidavit made by their neighbor Jasper Byer.  

Today, 2 more transcriptions of affidavits by Trisel neighbors John Leistner, Adam Bollenbacher, and Caroline Baker.   

Henry Trisel died 16 February 1896 and these affidavits were taken for Elizabeth Trisel’s [Henry’s widow] Widow’s Pension Application claim. Elizabeth was entitled to a pension because Henry served in the Civil War. The affidavits were taken by attorney Albert G. Stewart, South Main Street in Rockford. I have left out some of the boilerplate and transcribed just the main parts.

Affidavit by Adam Bollenbacher & John Leistner.

24 April 1896
Personally came before me Adam Bollenbacher aged 53 years and John Leistner aged 50 years, citizens of the County of Mercer, State of Ohio, and whose Post Office addresses are Chattanooga, Ohio, and entitled to credit and who, being duly sworn, declare in relation to aforesaid claim as follows:

We were well acquainted with Henry Trisel the above named soldier and his wife Elizabeth Trisel the above named claimant and have known them intimately ever since the year 1870 when they moved from Cincinnati Ohio to Liberty Township Mercer County Ohio. We know that during that time they lived together as husband and wife and raised a family of five children and that they so lived together up to the death of said Henry Trisel. We also know that said claimant was never divorced from said Henry Trisel.

We also know that said Claimant has no other property except a widows dower interest in an 80 acre farm that the improvements on said farm are very poor, consisting only of a [?] frame house of few rooms, and an old log barn, almost rotted down.

There are about 55 acres under cultivation. Such a farm would rent for about three dollars an acre for improved land or from 160.00 to 200.00 for the farm.

She has one son living at home at present but she has no means of compelling him to remain at home and he is already talking of leaving her and going for himself.

She is still living on the farm because the estate of Henry Trisel is not yet settled and there is no probability that she will be permitted to remain more than a year as the children will demand a division and then she can hold only a one third dower interest. We also know that the children of said soldier, Otto Trisel and Mary Louisa Trisel, are both alive at this date.

We further declare that we have no interest in said claim and are not concerned in its prosecution. This affidavit was written by A.G. Stewart at Rockford Ohio on the 24^th day of April 1896 in my presence and from my oral statement above and I was not aided or prompted by

[signed] John Leistner and Adam Bollenbacher

1896 affidavit by John Leistner & Adam Bollenbacher.

The other affidavit:

15 October 1896
On this 15^th day of October, 1896 A.D., personally appeared before me a Notary Public in and for the aforesaid county, duly authorized to administer oaths, Caroline Baker aged 54 years, a resident of Liberty Township in the County of Mercer and State of Ohio, whose Post Office address is Chattanooga, Mercer Co Ohio, well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit and who, being duly sworn, declares for himself, in relation to aforesaid case, as follows:

That she has been acquainted with the Claimant Elizabeth Trisel, and her late husband Henry Trisel, ever since the spring of 1870 when they moved from Cincinnati Ohio to Liberty Township Mercer County Ohio. They moved on to the next farm to ours and we were very intimate friends and were much together visiting back and forth. I learned from our intercourse and from Henry Trisel’s early history as he gave it to us that he had never been married previous to his marriage to the Claimant who was then the widow of John Bahn.

From my information on the subject I am perfectly satisfied and willing to state that Henry Trisel was never married prior to his marriage to the Claimant. I am also satisfied and convinced that the Claimant was not married to any person other than John Bahn, previous to her marriage to Henry Trisel. I know that Elizabeth Trisel the Claimant has not remarried since the death of Henry Trisel, her late husband. I have lived near her all the time and know she has not remarried.

I further declare that I have no interest in said case and am not concerned in its prosecution.

[signed] Caroline Baker

1896 affidavit by Caroline Baker.

Who were these neighbors of the Trisels?

John Leistner (1845-1917), was the son of Andrew and Barbara Leistner and was married to Leanna (Hinton) (1848-1928). He lived in Black Creek Township, a little north of Chatt, on route 49. He and his wife are buried in Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County.

Adam Bollenbacher (1840-1901), was the son of Johann George and Maria Elisabeth Henrietta (Alt) Bollenbacher and was married to Christina (Koch) (1842-1908). He lived northeast of Chatt in Black Creek Township, on the Black Creek/Liberty Township line, about 4 miles east of route 49. He and his wife are buried in St. Paul UCC Cemetery.

Caroline Baker (1842-1914) was the daughter of Johann George and Maria Elisabeth Henrietta (Alt) Bollenbacher and was the wife of Jacob J Baker (1840-1889). She lived north of Chatt in Black Creek Township, on the Black Creek/Liberty Township line, about a mile east of route 49. She is buried in St. Paul UCC Cemetery.

Interesting that Adam and Caroline were brother and sister.

Sources:
Affidavits by John Leistner, Adam Bollenbacher, and Caroline Baker, Elizabeth Trisel’s widow’s pension appl. no.629450, 24 Apr 1896 & 15 Oct 1896, service of Henry Trisel (Pvt., 4^th Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15, National Archives, Washington, D.C.