Civil War Record - Frances H. Aven
Hunt County, TX - Aven, Frances Henderson Civil War Pension Application Submitter: Connie Welch

STATE OF TEXAS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: COUNTY OF HUNT Now comes F. H. Aven of Celeste, Route #2, Hunt County, Texas, formerly of Route #1, Hunt County, Texas. Applicant for a Confederate Pension under the law of the State of Texas and under oath makes the following statement, supplemental and explanatory to statement filed in said application.

“I was born and reared near Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia. Being born September 14, 1847, I was about 14 years of age when the Civil War began, which was in 1861.

After I reached the age of 16 years, I enlisted and became a member of what was called the "Home Guard" which was a military organization composed of the men in the neighborhood, who were either too old or too young to go and to serve in the regular Army. As far as I recollect the commanding Officer of this Company was an old man by the name of Capt. Campbell.

The duty and purpose of the "Home Guard" was to repel raids made by the enemy in this section, and to hunt and arrest deserters from the Confederate Army. This section being a mountainous section, we were on duty a great deal.

The military age at the time I was serving in the "Home Guard" was by law fixed from 18 to 45 years inclusive, and while this law was in existence I was too young to be enrolled in the regular service, but in 1864 the Confederate Congress amended this law and made the military age for service in the regular Army to be from 16 to 60 or 65 years inclusive, and as far as I recollect this Law became effective about Sept. 1864. After passage of this law, I thereby became subject to Military service in the regular Army and as I recall about Oct. 1864 I was duly enrolled and enlisted in the regular service as a member of Company or Troop "F" 21st Virginia Calvary, in Gen. McCoslin's Brigade and I served in this Company until Lee's surrender on or about April 1865, being approximately 8 months. Prior to this I had served as a member of the "Home Guard" for approximately 12 months, making 20 months service in the Confederate service, which is the service referred to in the statement made in my application, wherein I stated that I served about 20 months, from the__ day of October 1863 to the 9th day of 1865. It was not my intention to state that I had served in Company "F" or Troop "F" 21st Virginia Calvary for a period of 20 months. The Capt. of the Company or Troop "F" was Capt. Gray, with Col. Peters commanding the regiment. I do not recall if I ever drew any actual pay for service as a member of Troop "F" 21st Virginia Calvary, but my name was called at every Troop Roll Call from and after the time I served in this Troop. This Brigade was in the field when the news came of Gen. Lee's Surrender and Gen/ McCoslin then and there disbanded us and the entire command scattered and each one of us headed for home on his horse. I went directly home in Washington County, Virginia arriving there April 1865 on Saturday before Easter Sunday.

Soon after I returned home the Kennedy family moved in our neighborhood in Washington County from Tenn. F. C. (Frank) was one of them, he and I from the beginning became acquainted and became chums, he had also served in the Army. This was in 1865. In 1866 Kennedy's father and Uncle decided to move their families to Texas and F.C. (Frank) Kennedy persuaded me to come to Texas with them. Frank Kennedy, myself and his younger brother and Dave Gray drove the teams with two wagons to Texas. We located in Hunt County Texas. I lived with the Kennedy's the first year and then moved to what is now called Delta County, near Ben Franklin and stayed there 4 years then moved back to Hunt County and have been here ever since.

Witness my hand this 16th day of December A. D. 1926 F. H. Aven Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of December A. D. 1926 Joseph Nichols Notary Public Hunt County Texas.”