Army of the United States
Private William Argo of 1st Lieut Will Burley (comdg) Company (A) of the 12th Virginia Regiment of United States Volunteer Infantry was enlisted by Lt. Magruder at Cameron Va on the eighth day of August 1862, to serve 3 years; he was born in Ohio Co in the State of W. Va is thirty four years of age, five feet ten inches high, dark complexion, dark eyes, black hair, and by occupation when enlisted a farmer. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for duty 60 days.

Station: Cumberland, Md.
Date: June 4, 1864

I certify, that I have carefully examined the said William Argo of 1st Lieut. W. Burley (comdg) Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of permanent, intractable, organic stricture of the urethra, in which the urine is passed drop by drop, causing serious ulceration of genital organs. Cause or origin of disability undetermined, but believed to be venereal, and incurred since last enlistment. Physically unsuitable to enter or re-enlist in the Vet. Reserve Corps. Not a probable case for pension.
Discharged this 13th day of June 1864 at Cumberland Md

Signed by J. B. Lewis

Letters of Guardianship

The State of Ohio, Jefferson County, ss.
Probate Court
To all to Whom these Presents shall Come, Greeting:

     Know ye, That the Honorable the Judge of the Probate Court of the county of Jefferson, and the State of Ohio, has appointed, and by these parents does appoint NIMROD P. MANSFIELD Guardian to the person and estate of CATHERINE ARGO, AN IMBECILE of Jefferson County, Ohio, hereby granting to said Guardian all and singular the power necessary, and by law required, to enable him fully to do, act and perform all and singular the duties of Guardian for the aforesaid Imbecile, according to the statute in such case made and provided.

In testimony whereof, I have hereto affixed my signature and the seal of said Probate Court, at Steubenville, this 12 day of March Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred eighty nine.

Signed by John A. Mansfield, Probate Judge.

Articles of Agreement

     Whereas I NIMROD P. MANSFIELD, guardian of CATHERINE ARGO, widow of WILLIAM ARGO late a Private in Company "A" of the TWELFTH Regiment of Va. Infantry Volunteers war of 1861-5, having made an application for pension under the laws of the United States.
     Now this agreement witnesseth: That for and in consideration of services done and to be done in the premises, I hereby agree to allow my agent, Wm. W. Rogers #1503 Chaplain St. of Wheeling, W.Va. the fee of twenty-five dollars, which shall include all amounts to be paid for any services in the furtherance of said claim; and said fee shall not be demanded by, or payable to my said agent, in whole or part, except in case of the granting of my pension by the Commissioner of Pesnions; and then the same shall be paid to him in accordance with the provisions of sections 4768 and 4769 of the Revised Statutes, U.S.

Signature of Nimrod P. Mansfield
Fernwood, Jefferson County, Ohio
Witness, Geo. W. Boring

16 March, 1889.

Widow's Declaration For Pension Or Increase Of Pension

State of West Virginia, County of Ohio, ss:
     On this 16th day of March A.D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty 9 personally appeared before me a clerk of the circuit a sourt of Records within and for the County and State aforesaid NIMROD P. MANSFIELD, Guardian of CATHRINE ARGO, "An Imbecile" aged 70 or 75 years, who, being duly swoen according to law, maked the following declaration in order to obtain the Pension provided by Acts of Congress granting pension to widows: That she is the widow of WILLIAM ARGO, who was enlisted under the name of WILLIAM ARGO on the 8th day of August A.D. is 1863 in Co. A 12th Regt Va. Volunteer Inft. in the war of 1861-5 - Discharged for disability incurred since last enlistment & physically unsuitable to enter or re-enlist in the Veteran Reserve Corps. on the 13th day of June A.D. 1864 who bore at the time of his death the rank of Private in the service aforesaid....
Wm. W. Rogers, #1503 Chaplain St. Wheeling, W.Va her attorney to prosecute the above claim; that her residence is Fernwood P.O. Jefferson County, Ohio and her Post Office address os Fernwood, P.O. Jefferson Co. Ohio, Care of Nimrod P. Mansfield, Guardian.

Signed by Nimrod P. Mansfield
of Catherine Argo, widow of William Argo, Co "A" 12th Va. Infantry.
Witnesses: Jno Walton & M. Bennett

Affidavit That Pensioner Has Not Re-married

     We, BENJAMIN SPRINGER of Triadelphia, Ohio Co W.Va and Mrs. AMANDA MANSFIELD of the town of Fernwood County of Jefferson and state of Ohio do solemnly swear that we are neighbors of CATHERINE ARGO who is the widow of WILLIAM ARGO deceased, on whose account she applies for a Pension - and that for the 15 & 15 -- years we have been well acquainted with the said CATHERINE ARGO; that from our frequent intercourse and conversations, and from other circumstances, we have every reason to believe and we do believe, that the said CATHERINE ARGO has not re-married since the death of the above mentioned WILLIAM ARGO.

Signed by Benj. Springer and Amanda Mansfield
Attest: John E. Turner & M. Bennett

State of West Virginia, County of Ohio, ss:
On this 23rd day of March A.D., 1889....

Marriage Record

Date of marriage: March 24 (?), 1855
Place of marriage: Morgantown, Va.
Name of Husband: Wm. R. Argo
Name of Wife: Catherine Bankerd
Age of Husband: 26 years
Age of Wife: 21 years
Single or widowed: Single
Place of birth - husband: Marshall Co. Va.
Place of birth - wife: Monongalia Co. Va
Names of husband's parents: Wm & H. Argo (?)
Names of wife's parents: I (or J) & A. Bankerd (?)
Occupation of husband: Farmer
Name of person performing marriage ceremony: A. J. Bowman

State of West Virginia
County of Monongalia

Certified by W. T. Willey, Clerk

General Affidavit

State of West Virginia, County of Ohio, ss:
     In the matter of Catherine Argo Widow of William Argo Co "A" 12th W.Va. Inft on this 9th day of April A.D. 1889; personally appeared before me Notary Public in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, CHARLES SNEDEKER age 59 years, a resident of Wheeling in the County of Ohio and State of West Virginia well known to me to be repuitable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declared in relation to aforesaid case as follows:
"I first became acquainted with Wm Argo in 1875. I employed him on my farm. I am a farmer, he lived on my farm but a very short distance from my house. He then complained of Gravel, Rheumatism, & Chronic Diarrhoea, & said he contracted it in the army, he was in such a condition that he could not perform a days manual labor, would hardly make a half hand in fact I only employed him through charity sake & others did the same as he was an Honest, good and disposed man. He could not hold his water, produced a very bad smell, could not have him at our house, he Boarded himself. Walked crippled up, hurt him to stoop, could not lift or do any heavy work acted as others do with Rheumatism, As for his Chronic Diarrhoea he was compelled to go to stool so frequently that I could not help but notice it when he lost so much time and he was continually complaining of severe pains in his bowels & in fact he was badly used up altogether - He could not move about lively as other men and from his Honesty & the way he often told me I do believe his ailments were due to the service & he never asked a pension shows it was not for that purpose he complained and was so affected up to his death.
     I further declare that I have no interest in said case and I am not concerned in its prosecution. I was also at his funeral & think those diseases help cause his death, or produced a disease that did.

Signed by Charles H. Snedeker

NOTE: Affidavits, with essentially the same content as above, were given by ISREAL SHOOK (Fulton Station, Ohio County) & DAVID MONTGOMERY (Near Wheeling, Ohio County, but in Marshall County)

Proof of Disability

State of West Virginia, County of Marshall, ss: on this 25th April A.D. 1889; personally appeared before me W. J. Burley age 46 years, a resident of Moundsville WVa in the County of Marshall and State of WVa and T. W. Manning age 49 years, a resident of Moundsville WVa in the county of Marshall and State of WVa & Geo. A. Jones a resident of Moundsville who being duly sworn according to law, state that Wm. Argo, whose widow is an applicant for Invalid Pension, and know the said William Argo to be the identical person of that name who enlisted or volunteered as a Private in Company "A" 12th Regiment of Va. Vol. Infantry and who being discharged at Cumberland, Md., or or about the 13th day of June, 1864...
     That the said William Argo while in the line of duty, at or near Martinsburg Va in the State of Va or WVa did, on or about fall, 1863, become disabled in the following manner, viz:
From hard marching exposure or other cause he became unable to hold his water and by continual wetting his clothing would become discolored, rotten and smelled so badly none of the men were satisfied to mess with him. He was sent away to Hospital several times and finally was discharged from some of them. I never recollect of him coming back to the Co after we left Cumberland Md in the winter of 63 & 64. I have never seen him since the war but learn from his comrades that he never recovered. He certainly was not afflicted in this way at his enlistment as he was some time in the Army before we noticed anything was wrong and all our men were subjected to a rigor examination before being accepted as recruits.
I have no interest in this suit in any way.

W. J. Burley
late Major 12th regt WVa Vol Infy
T. W. Manning, late 2d Lieut Co "A" 12 Regt. WVa
G. A. Jones Co A 12 WVa

War Department

#395.195
Adjutant General's Office,
Washington, July 10, 1889.

     Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions.
WILLIAM ARGO, a Pvt of Company A, 12 Regiment WVa Volunteers, was enrolled on the 9 day of August, 1862, at Cameron for 3 yrs and is reported: On rolls from enrollment to June 30, 1863 present; July & Aug 1863 absent on detached duty driving team at Chambersburg Pa since July 9, 1863; Sept & Oct 1863 present; Nov and Dec '63, same; Jan & Feb 1864 absent sick at Cumberland since Feb 1, '64; Mch & Apr 1864 same; - Cert of Dis shows him discharged June 13, 1864, at Cumberland, Md - Co morn. repts (numerical only) furnish no information. - The records of this Office furnish no further evidence of disability.

J. C. Kelton, Adjutant General.
by J. Bigelow, Jr
1" Lt 10" Cav(?)