Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Certification of Abraham Lincoln to Commissioner of Pensions Concerning Thomas Davis1

I do hereby certify that I was personally well acquainted with ^2^nd^ Lieutenant Thomas Davis, who served for a time in as a private in Captain Frank S. Early's company, of the 1^st Reg^t[Regiment] of Texas volunteers, and who was transfered from that service, by a commission of a 2^nd Lieutenancy in the United States Rifle Regiment, which Regiment served in Col: Harney's Brigade, at the battle of Cerro Gordo, and who fell in that battle; that I am also well acquainted with the family to which said Lieu^t[Lieutenant] Davis belonged; that his father has been dead for many years; that his mother, Maria Davis, a widow, is still living, at Springfield, Illinois, and that said Lieu^t Davis was never married–
A. Lincoln–
a member of Congress–April 14^th 18482

<Page 2>

[ docketing ]
04/14/1848
2^d Lieut &c.[etc] Texas vols.[volunteers]
Presented for his mother, Maria Davis, by Hon. A. Lincoln.
Rec’d[Received] April 14, 1848.

[ docketing ]
In U.S. Service.
Col[Colonel] Harney’s Brigade.
Dragons[Dragoons]
died in Battle of Cerro Gordo–

[ docketing ]
M^r Harney

[ docketing ]
Address Hon M^r Lincoln

[ docketing ]
Stone 4

1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this certification.

2Correspondence between Abraham Lincoln and Walter Davis, in the spring of 1848, indicates that Lincoln was offering Davis and his mother, Maria Davis, assistance in getting pension and land warrants due Thomas Davis, Walter’s brother, who died in battle during his service in the Mexican War. The Pension Office approved the claim for bounty land in March 1849.
Abraham Lincoln to Walter Davis; Abraham Lincoln to Walter Davis; Walter Davis to Abraham Lincoln; Abraham Lincoln to Walter Davis; James L. Edwards to Maria Davis in Care of Abraham Lincoln.