This 1927 letter is on 8 1/2" x 11" bond paper with no visible watermark. The primary return address and the phrase "In Reply Refer to" are preprinted in blue, and everything else is typed excepted for the stamped signature. A slightly rusted triangular paper clip was at the top; it left some rust on the top of the page and at the bottom, which apparently rested against the clip at some point. The sheet of paper has two sets of folds that look as though the letter was folded to fit into two different envelopes. I've underlined everything but the printed information.
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IN REPLY REFER TO
Widow Division 3–1865
W. O. 1560956 —————
Jean L. La Foret UNITED STATES
U.S.M. C. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON May 17, 1927Mrs. Emma M. La Foret
615 Indiana Avenue
Vallejo, Calif.
Madam:
Your above entitled claim awaits the evidence indicated
in the accompanying circular letter and also your sworn state-
ment showing the designation of the marine's service in the
United States Army.
There are also required the sworn statements of two persons
who were acquainted with the marine from about the timehe attained
the age of 21 years to 1896 when it appears that Hector Orrick and
James Grant became acquainted with him, showing whether during
that period of time he was ever married.
Respectfully
Winfield Scott [stamped signature]
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner
AVG/EW
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A letter that appears to be the "accompanying circular letter" mentioned above was also in the collection of Emma's materials I received, although it was not clipped to the cover letter. This letter is also on 8 1/2" x 11" bond with no watermark. It also has two sets of folds that look as though the letter was folded to fit into two different envelopes. The back side of the sheet has a rusty mark that seems to match the position of the clip as it sits on the front side of the cover letter, as though this second page was lying on top of the cover letter.
This sheet is a form to be filled out. Almost everything is preprinted on it. The exceptions are the return address in the upper left, the code over the main address, Emma's address and salutation, the items checked off and filled in, and the rubber-stamped signature. Here again I've underlined everything but the preprinted information.
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WIDOW Division AVG/EW 3–2053
W. O. 1560956
Jean L. La Foret UNITED STATES
U.S.M.C. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON May 17, 1927Mrs. Emma M. La Foret
615 Indiana Avenue
Vallejo, Calif.
Madam:
In the above-entitled claim the evidence indicated in paragraphs No. 2, 4, 5,
15 and 17 --------------------------------------------------------- should be furnished.
1. A verified copy of the public record; or, if no such record exists, the sworn
statement of the attending physician, showing the date ........................... of the
.......................... death.
If such evidence can not be obtained, the sworn statement of witnesses present
at the death, or having personal knowledge of same, should be furnished, showing the
fact and date of the ................................................. death.
✓ 2. A verified copy of the public or church record of the claimant's marriage to
the marine ; or, if no such record exists, the sworn statement of the person
who performed the ceremony; or, if that can not be obtained, the sworn statement of
two persons who were present at the marriage, showing the date thereof.
If the evidence of marriage above indicated can not be obtained, there should
be furnished the sworn statement of two persons showing whether the marine
and claimant lived together as husband and wife and were so recognized, and showing
where and how long within the knowledge of the person testifying marine
and claimant so lived together.
3. The claimant's sworn statement showing whether either she or the ...............
had been married prior to their marriage to each other; and, if so, the number of
times, the name of each former husband or wife, the date of each former marriage,
and the date and manner of dissolution of each former marriage.
✓ 4. If the claimant had been previously married, her sworn statement showing whether
any former husband served in the Army or Navy of the United States; and, if so, the
designation of such service, and whether any application for pension has been made
by herself or any other person based on such service.
✓ 5. If the claimant had been previously married, the fact and date of death or di-
vorce of each former husband should be proved; in case of death, by a verified copy
of the public record, or, if no such record exists, by the sworn statement of wit-
nesses present at the death, or having personal knowledge of same; in case of divorce,
by a verified copy of the decree of the court.
6. If there ................................................................................................... marriage of
..................................................................................................................................
the fact should be shown by the sworn statement of witnesses who have known her and
are able to testify from personal knowledge.
(over)
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7. If the ................................... had been previously married, the fact and date of
death or divorce of each former wife should be proven: In case of death, by a veri-
fied copy of the public record; or, if no such record exists, by the sworn statement
of witnesses present at the death, or having personal knowledge of same; in case of
divorce, by a verified copy of the decree of court.
8. If there ......................................................................... marriage of ................
................................................................................................................... the fact
should be shown by the sworn statement of witnesses who knew him and are able to
testify from personal knowledge.
9. The sworn statement of witnesses having knowledge of the facts, showing whether
.......................... and claimant were ever divorced, and whether they lived together as
husband and wife ........................................................................... to the date of the
................................ death.
10. If the claimant has not remarried since the .................................... death that fact
should be shown by the sworn statement of witnesses who have known her during this
period. If she has remarried, the date of remarriage should be shown by evidence of
the kind indicated in paragraph 2.
11. The date of birth of each child claimed for should be shown by evidence in the
following order: By a duly verified copy of the public record or the church record
of baptism; or, by the sworn statement of the physician who attended the mother; or,
by the sworn statement of a person who was present at the birth, who should state how
she is able to fix the date.
12. The sworn statement of two witnesses showing whether the child ........... claimed
for (naming child...........................) ......................living; if any has died, proof of the
date of death should be furnished.
13. The claimant's sworn statement showing the name under which she was married to
the ...................................................................................................................................
14. The claimant's sworn statement naming the places of her residence since the
death of the .............................................................., giving dates.
✓ 15. The claimant's sworn statement showing the marine's height and complexion,
the color of his hair and eyes, his age and occupation at the date of enlistment, and
the place of his birth.
16. The discharge certificate of the ..........................................................................
✓ 17. Some paper bearing the marine's signature made about the time of his service.
✓ All sworn statements should be made before some officer authorized to administer
oaths for general purpose.
✓ Persons testifying should state their ages, post-office addresses, and means of
knowledge of the facts to which they testify.
✓ Copies of records should be over the signature and official seal of the person
having custody of the record. If such person has no seal of office, then the correct-
ness of the copy should be sworn to.
✓ Do not fail to inscribe on each paper furnished the name and service of the
marine and the number of the claim to which it relates.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott [stamped signature]
Commissioner.
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Oh, don't you just love government red tape! This paperwork is for the first claim for which Emma received an acknowledgment. It's the same claim number, WO1560956, and the same government office, the Bureau of Pensions in the Department of the Interior. Both sheets also have a stamped signature of Winfield Scott, whose name appeared on the acknowledgment postcard. The correspondence was apparently requested by someone with the initials AVG and typed by EW, as evidenced by the letters in the lower left of the cover letter and upper left of the "circular letter."
You have to admire the thoroughness of the person requesting the documentation of Jean La Forêt's history. It sounds as though he was trying to account for every day of La Forêt's life.
I wonder if the Bureau of Pensions didn't receive many pension applications from Marines. I've never heard of a "marine's service in the United States Army." Not only has the United States Marine Corps (under that name) been in existence as its own branch of the armed forces since 1798 (with the Corps' birthday celebrated as November 10, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Marines), it is the under the Department of the Navy and has been since 1834. Maybe the Bureau was staffed by a bunch of Army people.
Emma must have supplied some documentation when she first filed her application for the pension. The form did not ask her to supply a copy of La Forêt's death certificate (#1), nor to make a statement as to whether she had been married previous to her marriage to La Forêt (#3). She was not asked to send his discharge certificate (#16). She also was not asked to supply the facts for #13 and #14, which would seem to apply to her.
The pension might have been requested solely for Emma, because the questions about children (#11 and #12) were not checked off. On the other hand, perhaps Emma sent documents about Rosita with the application.
I'm a little amused at the requirement that Emma swear to La Forêt's height, complexion, hair and eye color, age, and occupation at his date of enlistment. His first term in the Marines was well before she even knew him. Maybe she was able to supply all that information for his second term, during World War I.
I'm starting to wonder what those numbers at the tops of these letters, and the ones similar to them, mean. The cover letter has 3–1865; the form has 3–2053. The postcard acknowledging this pension application has 6–6441 on the address side and 3–837 on the other side. The acknowledgment postcard from the Veterans Bureau has 2–13703 on both sides. The second postcard has "Form 7201" on one side; does that mean the other numbers do not refer to forms? Anyone out there who can enlighten me?
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