David F. Mihm

1824-1907

David Mihm was born on 28 Jan 1824 in Pennsylvania, the son of Valentine Mihm 1799-1861 and Rachel Holben 1796-1892. He married Delilah Brouse 1832-1922 in 1850 in Van Wert, Ohio. They had 5 children: Thomas Fredrick 1852-1931, Orlando R. 1855-1937, James Douglas 1860-1937, Harriett Rachel 1862-1933 and Mary Louise 1867-1953. David Mihm served in the American Civil War. Special Civil War census (#1065).  He died on 24 Aug 1907 in  Mercer County, Dublin Township, Ohio. David Mihm and wife Delilah Brouse are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio. Record of death Van Wert Ohio (#110).

Obituary from "Rockford, OH, Friday, August 30, 1907
David Mihm, aged and highly respected citizen passes to his eternal reward. Again the dark pall of death is cast over our neighborhood. Another family circle broken. Death has claimed one more of our number and we are called to stand with sad sorrowing heart by the side of our friend, David Mihm. To some the summons comes in the morning, to some at the noon tide, some in the shades of the evening. He heard the voice in the evening of life and answered its call. In his removal much of the sunshine of his home has been taken away, a faithful member of the church and a true and loyal friend from his associates. With him life was not a failure, it was real. It was earnest and the grave was not its goal. We who knew him best shall be better, purer lives because of his example. David Mihm was born in Seneca County, NY, January 28, 1824. His parents moved from New York to Pennsylvania and later on to Wayne County, Ohio, where on the second day of October, 1848, he was united in marriage to Miss Delila Brouse. To this union were born six children, four sons and two daughters. Of these three sons and two daughters still survive with their mother, one son having answered the call in the morning of life. After his marriage, he with his wife moved to Van Wert County where he lived until 1860 when he moved to Monitor County, Missouri. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in the 42nd and later in the 43rd mounted state troops where he served in the defense of the Union. In 1867 he moved back to Van Wert County, thence to Mercer County, where he lived until his death. In 1878 he was converted to God and united with the Church of God. Mr. Mihm was a true and faithful member of the church of his choice until his death, which summons was answered August 24, 1907, being 88 years, six months and 24 days old. The funeral services were held from the C.B. Coutch, Rev. Thomas Cost officiating Internment in Riverside Cemetery.

Summary of David Mihm's Civil War pension records obtained from the National Archives. The records are mostly a series of applications for pension starting in 1880 and ending in 1904.

The earliest document copy I have is called a Declaration of Invalid Army Pension, dated May 1, 1880. The document is a sworn statement in which David Mihm appears before Charles W. Day, Clerk of Common Pleas, Van Wert, Ohio. He was 55 years old at the time. He lists his address as Shaves Crossing, Mercer County, Ohio. In the document he swears to be David Mihm who enlisted in Company F, of the 43^rd. Regiment , and served under a Colonel John Ligg (Legg ?). He said he enlisted at Jefferson City, Missouri,  in 1861. He swears that while serving as a soldier at a place called Clark Station Missouri, on about November 25, 1861, while exposed to the cold weather, he contracted rheumatism. He says that at times this disables him for the performance of manual labor, for which he asks for a pension. He states that he was treated at camp by hospital surgeons. He lists his occupation on the document as "farming." The document appoints the law firm of P. H. Fitzgerald & Co. as his attorney in this matter. David signed the document with an X, the manner in which he signed all the documents I have, indicating he could not read or write. The claim is marked “received by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Pension Office on May 27, 1880.

This claim was apparently denied since he again filed a claim in 1882. The next document is a request from David’s attorney, asking for information regarding his claim. David Mihm supplied a physical examination taken on March 8, 1882, by Dr. William Smith MD, Van Wert, Ohio. David is described as being 5 ft. 81/2 inches tall, light complexion, and 135 pounds. He is 58 years old at this time. His general health is described as not good, with chronic rheumatism affecting the whole system, particularly the left side causing constant pain in his left shoulder, arm and side. It is very severe at times, especially when the weather is damp or changing, or upon exposure to any kind of attempt to labor. He says that labor causes partial paralysis of left shoulder and arm. The doctor also reports a hernia or rupture from injuries.

He also submits another sworn statement that he was a member of Company F, 43^rd Regiment of the Missouri Volunteers. He said he enlisted in October 1861 and discharged in 1864. These dates are not consistent with previous dates in his first claim. The document is signed with his X. (Name).

 On April 12, 1882, David Mihm dictated a statement to a Notary Republic that reads as follows: Shaves Crossing, Ohio, April 12, 1882  P. F. Fitzgerald .

I cannot give answers in full to the within at the time I contacted rheumatism. We were camped at Clark Station Missouri about July 1861, had no treatment till we reached Greys Creek near Jefferson City Missouri where I was required to go into hospital. I considered it a disgrace for a soldier to go into hospital as long as he could stand on his feet, but while we were camped there I sent to Jefferson City for medicine for chronic diarrhea, used it in camp for 2 or 3 months, no further treatment in the Army.  

David (His X Mark) Mihm

The next document is a sworn statement by David Mihm on September 23, 1882, stating that he was a member of Company F, 43^rd Regiment Missouri Volunteers and while serving at Clarks Station on about 15 November 1864 through hardship and exposure, contracted rheumatism. This statement seems to conflict with the previous dates but as will be discussed later, David  receives 2 documents from the Adjutant General's office in Missouri, stating he entered the military two times:  once in 1861 and discharged a few months later and once in 1864 and discharged a few months later. In 1883 David sent a Doctor's statement to his attorney stating that his doctor has had knowledge of his rheumatism since 1874. On October 25, 1884, David signed a contract with his attorney agreeing to pay $25.00 in the event they were successful in the pursuit of his pension claim. The law at that time placed a $25.00 cap on the attorney’s fee for pension claims.

The next document I have dated October 13, 1885, clearly rejects his pension claim. It states, “Rejected on grounds that the applicant was not in the military service of the united states according to The War Department. Toward the end of the document it is written “State Organization and records are not on file in War Department. This raises a question in my mind, how could they reject his claim when they weren’t in possession of the documents/records needed to judge it one way or the other?

On July 17, 1890, David Mihm again files a document titled Declaration for invalid pension claim before the Court of Common Pleas in Van Wert, Ohio. He is now age 65 and lives in Doublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The statement says he enlisted in May of 1861 into Company D, 42 Regiment of the Missouri Volunteer Infantry. This information is not consistent with earlier claims. He is now 65 years old. It has been almost 30 years since he joined the army, he is illiterate and does not have the ability to write and keep records, and has been in poor health for years. Could this explain the inconsistencies in the dates and military units. I have been out of the military for over 40 years. I cannot begin to remember every company I was attached to. He goes on in the document to say he was discharged in September of 1861. He also says that he is unable to support himself because of chronic diarrhea, piles, rheumatism and a double hernia. He now has a new law firm representing him, Evens and Manshif. The claim fee is $10.00. His postal address is still Shaves Crossing, Mercer County, Ohio.

On February 25, 1891, David filed another medical exam to support his claim. In it he says that in the fall of 1861 at Grays Crossing, Missouri:  I first took diarrhea and about a year later, piles commenced to trouble me, both of which still trouble me. In the fall of 1863 I took rheumatism and still have it. Since coming home from service I have been ruptured."  David Mihm is now 66 years old. The doctor writes that David is in poor health, only moderately well nourished with a double hernia.

 The next document is dated June 19, 1891. It is a certification from the State of Missouri, Adjutant Generals Office, Jefferson City, and states that David Mihm enrolled for active duty on August 1, 1862, at Jefferson City, Missouri, and was ordered into active duty with Company B, 42^nd Regiment Missouri Militia. He was discharged on September 23, 1862, because of disability.

Another similar document from the State of Missouri, Adjutant Generals Office, Jefferson City, Missouri, says that David Mihm enrolled in Company F, 43^rd Regiment on September 13, 1864, at California, Missouri. He was released from duty on November 19, 1864, no reason given.  Though these seem like short stays in the military, it was common practice for military units to form for only 6 months duty.

Apparently even these documents did not sway the pension board since David again filed for his pension on May 17, 1904, at the age of 80 years. He is still listed as a resident of Rockford, Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. In the document he swears under oath that he was a private in Company B, 43^rd Regiment of the Missouri Mounted Militia, and that he was honorably discharged at Jefferson City, Missouri. He gives his date of birth as January 28, 1824.

David Mihm was still fighting for his pension for serving in the Civil War 40 + years after his discharge. It is odd that the documents from the Adjutant Generals office in Missouri were not enough to prove his military service. If he were not in the service, it seems unlikely he would have pursued his pension for over 40 years. Grandfather David Mihm died in 1907, 3 years after his last claim was filed. Did he serve his country honorably, or not? If so, how frustrating it must have been to have your service denied by the country you fought for. If he did not serve, it seems unlikely to me he would have pursued a lie for 40 years. His grave is marked as that of a Civil War Veteran