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The
Southern Claims Commission
The Southern Claims Commission was created
by Congress in 1870 as a result of pleas from citizens
who had sustained losses during the Civil War
(1861-1865). This commission addressed claims (for
personal property only) from residents of Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,
and West Virginia. The Southern Claims Commission
appointed local commissioners to hear these claims,
determine the authenticity of the claim, and decide if
indeed the claimant had been loyal to the Union during
the war.
Between 3
March 1871 and 3 March 1873, Southerners filed 22,298
claims before the Southern Claims Commission (SCC)
based on the fact they
- were
loyal to the Union during the Civil War
- had
quartermaster stores or supplies taken by or furnished
to the Union Army during the rebellion
Southern
Loyalists made 22,298 claims for property losses totaling
$60,258,150.44. However, only 7,092 claims (32%) were
approved for settlements totaling $4,636,920.69. Each
claimant sought to prove their loyalty and loss through the
testimony of others. The paper trail created by the
claimants and the people who came forward to testify, for or
against a claimant, provide a wealth of information about
individuals living in the South during the Civil War.
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William Ragsdale
Obion County, Tennessee
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Johnson County,
Arkansas
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Limestone County, Alabama
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Troup County, Georgia
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Please send your Ragsdale-related information for inclusion on our pages!
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