Dilcy Ann Bailey And Aaron Shively Who Lived In Taylor And Green County, Kentucky

Marriage Of  Dilcy Bailey & Aaron Shively

The Civil War Widow's Pension File for Dilcy Bailey Cox Shively is a valuable file for the genealogist in that it contains approximately 250 pages of information.  The African Americans mentioned in these files lived in Taylor and Green County in Kentucky.  Dilcy Ann Bailey was first married to George Cox in Taylor County, Kentucky on 15-November-1857.  George Cox  served as a private in the 108 Regiment, Company D, US Colored Infantry.  George Cox died on the 20-May-1866 in Green County, KY from Camp Diarrhea he contacted at Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Dilcy married second to Aaron Shively in Green County, KY on 29-December-1870.  Aaron Shively served as a private in Company F of the 125th US Colored Infantry.

Some of the history of Dilcy Bailey and Aaron Shively are best told in their own words:

Case of Aaron Shively--On the 6th day of October, 1897 at National Military Home, County of Grant, State of Indiana, before me, Chas. E. Paul, a special examiner of the pension file, personally appeared Aaron Shively, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid pension claim, eposes and says:  I am 50 years of age; occupation, common laborer.  I am at present an inmate of the National Military Home, Grant County, Ind.  I was born a slave near Roachville, Green County, Kentucky.  I first was owned by Price Roach; after his death I became the possession of John Wesley Shively and was with him for a least ten years before my enlistment.  Ben Wakefield, Caesar Cox, Natkins Motley and Hanover Williams knew me long before service and were raised in the vicinity of Roachville, Green County, Kentucky.  They also knew me after my service until about 1873 as we all went back near Roachville and farmed for six years after the war.  I enlisted in April, 1865 in Co F, 125th US Colored Vol. Inf., served as Private, and was discharged about Dec 23, 1867.  I had no other service. I am pensioned for chronic diarrhea and piles under the new law at $12 per month.  I am pensioned un the old law for the same disabilities.  I now claim additional pension under the old law for sore mouth, loss of teeth, affliction of eyes and hearing.  My left ear and left eye are most affected. I claim no other disabilities and had no other disabilities in service but the diarrhea and piles.  I think upon recollection that I also had a pain in my left side from a strain while lifting a wagon in service. That happened in 1866 while we took provisions across the plains from Leavenworth, Kansas to the Rio Grande river in New Mexico (Fort Selden).  There is a pinch in my side and I have worn a truss or belt for it ever since the war.  Before the war I had no sickness that I recall but chills and fever.  I worked on the plantation of John Wesley Shively before the war and also worked for him about three years after the time I was discharged.  At my examination at enlistment I was stripped and my sight and hearing were tested.  There were several doctors and I was rolled around and measured and also had my teeth examined.    The first disease I had in service was diarrhea shortly after my enlistment and while we were at Louisville, Ky.  I had this off and on during the rest of my service.  Also had piles.  I next contracted small pox at Cairo, Ill. about New Year 1866.  Some said I had varioloid.  I was placed in Hospital No. One at Cairo, Ill......

Case of Dilcy A. Shively--On this 8 day of May, 1907, at Greensburg, Count of Green, State of Ky., before me, H. B. Swearingen, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Dilcey A. Shively, who being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to her during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:  I am 66 years of age, my post-office address is Greensburg, Green Co., Ky.  I do not do anything any more.  I have paralysis and have to depend on my friends for my living.  I was a slave belonged to Grief Bailey.  He lived in Taylor Co. between here and Campbellsville.  I was married to George Cox.  We had the consent of our owners to marry and were married in my mother's cabin.  My master and mistress gave us a wedding supper and my young mistress Mary Ellen Bailey set the table.  My husband belonged to Mr. Fred Cox who lived about 4 miles from us and after our marriage he would come to our place Saturday night and go back Monday morning.  I had two children before the war but they are both dead.  I was 15 years old when I married and it was 5 years before the war.  George Cox went to the Army and was gone a year and a half.  He came home the first of April and died the third Sunday in May following.  I stayed at Mr. Baileys while he was gone but when he came home from the Army he took me to Mr. Cox's place and died there.  He was sick with Camp diarrhea when he came home and died of that disease.  He belonged to Co. D, 108 USC Inft.  After Cox died I went to Tinsley Webster's and was there till I remarried.  Webster lived on Winston Anderson's place and while I was there I worked in the field.  One of my children died before the war but the other one Jimmie lived until 3 years ago.  He drew pension after my remarriage till he was 16 years old.  Aaron Shively had belonged to John Shively prior to the war and was a soldier in the War.  He was in the 125 Regt but I do not know what Company.  Five years after George Cox died I married Aaron Shively.  He passed for a young man but I had known him only a year when we married so I knew only by what I heard that he had not been married before.  I lived with Aaron a little better than 3 years.  He lived at Mr. Shively's place one year and there went to John M. Robinson's place. We made 2 crops there and then Aaron left me.  He went off with my sister Mary Catherine Bailey.  I do not know where they went but I heard they went across the Ohio River.  He sold all our things.  We had three horses and 6 hogs and he sold them all.  My sister was staying with me then they went away together.  My sister came back within two years.  She wrote to ____ for money to come back on.  She had a child about a year old when she came back.  She afterwards married Archie Ward and died at Lebanon.  I have never seen Aaron since he ran off that time.  I got a divorce from him about a year ago.  I never tried to get a divorce till I heard that I could get my pension back.  I never married after Aaron left me and never lived with any man as his wife.  I had two children by Aaron Shively, but one of these is dead.  I have only one child living, Bertha J., wife of Jerry White.  No, Sir, I never tried to get a divorce till last year.  He never tried to get a divorce from me that I know of.  I have never heard from him in any way, shape, nor form.  No, I did not know my attorney found him when he got my divorce.  After Aaron left me I had to make my living the best way I could.  I worked in the field and washed and ironed and cooked.  I have lived right within neighborhood all the time except one year that I lived near Lebanon.  I was paralyzed 6 years ago and since then have not been able to do anything.  I lived for a while with my son in law Jerry White in Taylor Co. and he put me on the County and got pay for keeping me but within County my friends here kept me for nothing.  I have heard this read, have understood your questions and my answers are correctly recorded.