James Fielding: The Stay at the Home for Disabled Veterans and Death

This blog post is the seventh in a series on my ancestor, James Fielding, one of my more fascinating ancestors. After his early life, his stint in the Civil War, having to change his profession, his police officer days, and his involvement in the GAR, and the house on Norwood Avenue, this was the next logical step.  This is the story of his final days.

Like my hangman's ropemaking ancestor Jacob Bupp,  James Fielding spent his final years at the Central Branch of the Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton Ohio.  This blog post on Jacob Bupp's stay there has some research on the start of the Central Branch.  Of course, since James was there almost fifteen years after Jacob's stay, the home had changed a bit.

The Soldier's Home at Dayton in 1902, taken by Underwood and Underwood
Source: Library of Congress, Stereograph Cards, digital id cph 3b41068, photo in the public domain

**Note here - There are more images of the home online, but many of them are not in the public domain or I cannot ascertain the rights for them - one such site is My Genealogy Hound -  others can be googled if you are interested in seeing what the home looked like.**

James was likely sent to live at the home when his disabilities became too great for his widowed daughter and sons to care for him at the home on Norwood Avenue.  After all, Nellie Fielding Anderson also had to care for her ailing elder brother, James Henderson.  Since James the elder was eligible for care at a Soldier's Home because of his Civil War service and the injury he sustained then, the family probably took advantage of that resource.

James likely traveled by train to get from Pittsburgh to Dayton, Ohio as that was the most convenient means of travel at the time.  It is not known if anyone accompanied him.

On 13 January 1909, James Fielding was admitted to home with defective vision (almost blind in right eye), loss of teeth, bayonet would to his left foot, slight cardiac hypertrophy, arteriosclerosis and hypertrophy of prostate.   Interestingly enough, his page from the historical register for the Soldier's Home listed his occupation as wagoner, a trade not reflected in any of his directory listings.  It also made no mention of his shoulder injury.  

Veterans living at the home had to follow a code of conduct subject to the Articles of War.  This allowed for a structured environment for the former soldiers who lived at the home.  They were organized into companies with a captain and had a ranking system similar to the military in which they once served.  The entire home was overseen by a governor, who at the Central Branch in 1913 was "Colonel W. J. White."

James, like all of the men, was required to wear a uniform, likely one of the surplus of uniforms from the United States Army.  He probably attended the Protestant weekly prayer meeting held on Sundays and listened to concerts at the bandstand that was located on the campus. Because he was literate but blind in one eye, he likely did not take advantage of the library on the campus but may have visited the menagerie.  Because he was a member of the Grand Army of the republic, he likely attended meetings that they held on the campus, despite his ailing health.

Of course, all of this is circumstantial, given the lack of evidence on what exactly James did while he lived at the home.   But veterans living there at the time James did were afforded all of these amenities.

What is known is what James was treated for in the home.  From a page of his pension file, this was listed:

Certificate of Medical History for James Fielding, Form Number 147, Filed by the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 16 April 1913; Scanned copy provided in the pension file for James Fielding from NARA sent to Kelley Wood-Davis 29 Jan 2020 by Deidre Erin Denton, genealogist

As once can see, he had many health issues that needed to be addressed.  Given his advanced age, these conditions had to have been debilitating for him.

James lived in the home from January 1909 until his death on 18 February 1913.  He probably had family members visit, as visitors were encouraged at the home and the trains ran from Pittsburgh to Dayton.  

He was enumerated in the 1910 Federal Census on 10 May 1910 as a widowed inmate at the home, with no occupation listed for him.

James was awarded $18 per month beginning 6 June 1912 and then $21 per month beginning 14 September 1912, the higher amount the result of the Pension Act of 1912.  However, in a letter written in 1919 by daughter Nellie, he never received the final pension amounts, as "he was entitled to the increase of $1.00 per day for all old soldiers over 75 years of age, had been advised of the fact in May 1912 but he had never received but $15.00 per month till his death."  This was likely because the certificate that did finally grant him these amounts was issued over a month after his death, since the certificate issued on 29 March 1913.  This would cause issues for his children later.  

On 18 February 1913, James Fielding died in the hospital at the Central Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers at the age of seventy-five.  His death certificate and records found in his pension files list his cause of death as diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis and senility.  Interestingly enough, his death certificate also lists his occupation as "teamster."

His body was shipped back to Pittsburgh by the undertakers J. P. Boyer and Sons from Dayton, Ohio with permission from the governor of the Home, Colonel W. J. White.  

James Fielding was buried on 21 February 1913 at Union Dale Cemetery in Division 1, Section G, Lot 5, Grave 4. Funeral Services were provided by R. T. Rodney, Funeral Director at 715 Arch Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh.  The total cost of the funeral services was $42.80 for a hearse, 3 carriages, fee to open the grave, cost of the permit for opening the grace and services rendered, as well as notices posted in the newspapers and a telegraph sent to Washington D.C.  

One obituary noted that he was survived by four sons, three daughters and four brothers, including his brother John, who was a former councilman in Pittsburgh.  Incidentally John was listed erroneously as James' son, not his brother, on James' page from the register of the National Soldier's Home.

**Note here:  John was the subject of an article I wrote, The Pittsburgh Steam Engine Accident, where he lost his leg as a teen... He still lived a long life and became councilman and did a number of great things and eventually I may write about him.**

John was also the executor of James' will, which left a great deal of his possessions to the children that still lived in the house he owned on Norwood Avenue.  But the execution of that will and the incidents that followed are a subject for another blog post on another day.  For there is more to this story, but that's for another blog post.

Sources Used

"1910 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 July 2016), Year: 1910, Census Place: Jefferson Montgomery, Ohio, Roll: T624_1218, Page: 26A, Enumeration District: 0135, and FHL microfilm: 1375231.

Application for Reimbursement, certificate number 11390, deceased pensioner James Fielding, E, 155th Pa Inf., dated 11 April 1913; Scanned copy provided in the pension file for James Fielding from NARA sent to Kelley Wood-Davis 29 Jan 2020 by Deidre Erin Denton, genealogist; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); Records Relating to Pension and Bounty-Land Claims 1773-1942, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, RG 15; 2,807 rolls, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Burns, Carolyn Johnson. Soldiers Home of Dayton, Ohio: Information about the Central Branch of the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers known today as the Dayton VA Medical Center (http://www.carolynjburns.com/soldiers/ : accessed 21 January 2021).

Central Branch Home for D. V. S. Admittance report for James Fielding, dated 16 Jan 1909; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

Certificate of Medical History for James Fielding, Form Number 147, Filed by the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 16 April 1913; ; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

Claim for Pension for James Fielding filed 5 June 1912; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

"Daily Life at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," article, National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/articles/daily-life-for-disabled-volunteer-soldiers.htm : accessed 3 February 2022).

"Fielding," death notice, The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, Page 29, death notice for James Fielding; online images, Google News (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 27 July 2016).

"James Fielding," obituary, Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 21 February 1913, Page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 27 July 2013).

"James Fielding," death notice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, page 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 27 March 2020).

"Fielding," death notice, The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, Page 29, death notice for James Fielding; online images, Google News (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 27 July 2016).

Gasbarro, Norman. "Old Soldiers' Homes," Civil War Blog: A Project of PA Historian, 9 May 2012 (http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

Letter from Mrs. Nellie Anderson to the Pension Agent in Washington D. C. dated 9 Jan 1917; Scanned copy provided in the pension file for James Fielding from NARA sent to Kelley Wood-Davis 29 Jan 2020 by Deidre Erin Denton, genealogist;  citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

"Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 July 2016), James Fielding, 18 Feb 1913; citing Jefferson, Montgomery, Ohio, reference fn 11097; FHL microfilm 1,953,599; citing data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

"Ohio Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, died 18 Feb 1913; Montgomery, Ohio; Volume 1008, Certificate 11097; citing "Ohio Department of Health. Index to Annual Deaths", 1958-2002. Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus, OH, USA. and Ohio. Division of Vital Statistics. "Death Certificates and Index, December 20, 1908-December 31, 1953". State Archives Series 3094. Ohio Historical Society, Ohio; Index only, no certificate.

"Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, born 1837, died 2-18-1913; citing Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1777–2012. Digital Images, 3–5. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Archives and History. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Plante, Trevor K. "The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," Prologue Magazine, Spring 2004; online, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue : accessed 11 November 2019), information on the Dayton Home.

Powell, Lisa. "Dayton’s soldiers’ home was among the country’s first to care for veterans," Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 24 May 2019, information on the history of the Dayton Home; online archives (https://www.daytondailynews.com/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

Receipt of Payment for Funeral Services For James Fielding from Mrs. Nellie Anderson to R. T. Rodney, Funeral Director; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

Unknown note reporting death and no payment made in pension file of James Fielding; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

"U.S., Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, died 18 Feb 1913; citing Burial Ledgers. The National Cemetery Administration, Washington, D.C. (Original records transferred to NARA: Burial Registers, compiled 1867-2006, documenting the period 1831-2006. ARC ID: 5928352. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773–2007, Record Group 15. National Archives at Washington, D.C. and Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Quartermaster General. (09/18/1947–08/01/1962). Burial Registers of Military Post and National Cemeteries, compiled ca. 1862–ca. 1960. ARC ID: 4478151. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C; Listed in the burial records for the Dayton branch of the Home for Disabled Veteran Soldiers.

"U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding born abt 1837, admitted 1909 to Dayton, Central Branch.; citing Historical Register of National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1749, 282 rolls); Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

U. S. Congress, The Statutes at Large, Treaties and Proclmations of the United States of America, vols. 19-125 (United States Government Publishing Office: Washington, D.C., 1876–2011), : 1912, 11 May 1912, "An Act Granting pensions to certain enlisted men, soldiers, and officers who served in the Civil War and the War with Mexico," 123

Will of James Fielding (1913), Probate Records of Allegheny County: Will Book 120, Number 20, Page 34; Register of Wills, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.