George E. Gaddy's Deposition

Or what our Grandpa said........

George Ellis Gaddy after being duly sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth testifies as follows--

1. My name is George Ellis Gaddy. I am 55 years of age, a resident of Carroll County, Arkansas and have been a resident there for....
for the last 28 years. My occupation is that of farming.

2. I am not related to the claimant (Squire Blackie Blevins) and have no interest in the success of the claim.

52. I am here to testify in favor of Squire Blevins.

53. I have known claimant for 28 years and have been intimately acquainted with him for the last 25 years.

54. I lived within 3 miles of the claimant during the War.

55. I presume that I met claimant as often as about once a week from the commencement of the War up to about February 1864 at which time I organized a company of Federal Militia and claimant was one of the first to join the company and he also had one son and two son in laws in my company and the claimant remained with the company until the close of the war during which time I was almost constantly with claimant.

56. Claimant urged his neighbors to vote for union candidates and against convention at the time in question of succession was submitted to a vote.

57. I know the claimant fed and assisted union people and union families before he entered the service and since in my company from February 1864 until the close of the War.

58. I never knew or heard the claimant saying anything against the Union cause.

59. ---

60. Claimant's reputation with both parties was that of a Union man. I never heard any person doubting his loyalty. I am satisfied that Leroy Ayers and W. W. Davis could testify to his loyalty.

61. Leroy Ayers, James L. Hopper and W. W. Ayers were Union men and I am satisfied that either could testify to his loyalty.

62. I was a Union man and claimant knew it from the fact that we
talked and worked together freely.

63. It was general talk here that all Union men had to go in the Rebel service or die and threats of that kind were made to the claimant and one of the claimants sons in laws was killed and another injured and I know they took some of his property.

64. not transcribed

65. Claimant made as good a soldier as I had in my company. Claimant was a man of considerable property and had a large number of good horses and claimant could not have moved north after the commencement of the War without loosing his property and probably his life.

G. E. Gaddy