Pension Application of Adaline Hillbun, widow of James H. Hillbun

From US Archives, Washington, D. C. 

Notes by Joy Hilbun Mohr, 2015.

The following is information gleaned from the 1921 pension application of Adaline Hillbun, 76 year old widow of James H. Hillbun, Civil War veteran. (Names are spelled like the documents read and in same way the applicant signed her name).

Adaline Hillbun gave her testimony for this pension application on September 29, 1921 in San Bernadino, California while visiting her sister.  Her permanent address was in Yerington, Nevada and she stated that her occupation was housekeeper for her son Charles E. Hillbun.

She stated that she was the widow of James Henry Hillbun who served in Company K, 9th Missouri., then in Co. M, 13th Missouri Cavalry. Her husband  was called James or Jim and was born in Indiana not far from Indianapolis. His parents were  William and Jennie Hillbun and his mother died in Indiana when James was four years old.   The family then moved to Boone Co., Missouri and lived near Claysville.

Adaline Bledsoe married James Henry Hillbun in Jefferson City, Missouri on March 8, 1861.  James’ older brother John Hilbun was a witness to the marriage; John died before 1921.  Her cousin, John Bledsoe, from Boone, Missouri was a witness to the marriage, in addition to Samuel Scaggs.

Adaline, also known as Ad, Addie, was born in Boone County, Missouri on January 1, 1845 to William Hamilton Bledsoe and Nancy Utt.   Her siblings were  Austin, who died at age ten, Aurene who died in infancy and Judy.  She lived there until 1875.

James Hillbun died in Boone County, Missouri on February 6, 1873.  His younger brother Stephen was living in Nevada and “sent for Adaline” and they married May 20, 1877 in Mason Valley, Nevada.

Adaline stated that her husband James’ father William Hillbun remarried but is dead now.  In addition, she reported that “James had only 4 full brothers & 4 full sisters, and named them in the order of birth-  Bettie, John, Elias, Bob, Linda, James H. and Stephen.”  Adaline also said she had never met Bob and Linda but that Bob may still be living, and perhaps in Texas.

According to Adaline’s testimony, James didn’t own property and he died February 6, 1873.  They had six children:  William Hamilton, Mary Ellen, Amanda Elizabeth Perry, Harriet Little, Charles and James H.  After his death she went to Mason Valley, Nevada in October 1875 and married James’ brother Stephen on May 20, 1877.  They had three children- Sylvia A. Robinson, Henry who died at 19, and Sylvester who died at two days old.  Stephen Hillbun died in 1892.

Several witnesses gave statements in support of Adaline’s application.  One was Bessie Perry, a daughter of Adaline & James Hillbun. She stated that her father died when she was about seven.

Another daughter, Mrs. Mary Ellen Brooks also provided a statement to support Adeline’s application.  The third witness was Adaline’s sister, Mrs. Judah W. Grant, age 65.  Three other witnesses were another daughter, Harriet E. Little, and two neighbors in Nevada,  Mr. William H. Camic and Frank Feigenspan.

James and Stephen’s father, William,is likely the son of William Hilbun who died in 1827 in Barren County, Kentucky.  William Hilbun Sr., left a will naming several children.  A later blog will provide this information.