Pension application papers that I have seen usually contain one or more fellow soldiers who served with the applicant who attest to his service. Do the papers you have contain affadavites or similiar statements attesting to Jerry Fairburns service?
Lacking such evidence, and in light of the War Departments failure to find evidence of his service in the 7th Virginia cavalry, it is not suprising that his pension was not granted.
Other than the cards recording the War Department Adjutant Generals statement as to his service, the only other document in his files is the handwritten statement of his enlistment by Col. Turner Ashby, as follows:
"To All Whom it May Concern
The bearer hereof, Jeremiah Fairburn a, member of Captain
Jordan's Company Col Ashbys Regiment of Cavalry aged
18 years, 6 feet high, ruddy complexion, dark eyes, dark hair
and by profession a Farmer, born in the County of Shenandoah
State of Virginia and enlisted at Hawkinstown in the
County of Shenandoah on the 6th April 1862 to serve
for the period of 2 years & 9 months or the War.
Given under my hand at Hawkinstown This 7 Ap__
1862
/s/ Turner Ashby
Commanding Cavalry"
On the flip side of this note, it appears that Jeremiah receipted for a $50 bounty. The writting is very difficult to read on line.
..............................
Company D Muster Rolls
Nov. & Dec. 1861 station not stated
,
Jan. & Feb., 1862 Missing
Mar. & Apr, 1862 Missing
April 6, Pvt. J. Fairburn enlisted
May & Jun., 1862 Missing
Jul. & Aug., 1862 Missing
Sep. & Oct., 1862 Missing
Nov. & Dec., 1862 Stationed at New Market - Pvt. J. Fairburn
is not listed on the rolls
Nov. 4 J. Fairburn returned to Company at Berryville
[Nov., 1862 Regimental Return]
Jan. & Feb., 1863 Missing [Suggest he may have been dropped
from the rolls at this muster
Mar. & Apr. 1863, dated April 1, 1863, Stationed at Flowing
Springs, Virginia, Pvt. J. Fairburn is not listed on the rolls
May & Jun,, 1863 Missing
Jul. & Aug., 1863 Missing
Sep. & Oct., 1863 Missing
Nov. & Dec., 1863 Missing
Jan. & Feb., 1864 Missing
______ to April 30, 1864 Stationed at Waynesboro
Pvt. J. Fairburn is not listed on the rolls
May 1 to Aug. 31, 1864, dtd. Dec. 1864, Station not stated
Pvt. J. Fairburn is not listed on the rolls
No further muster rolls on record
M324: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia
........................................................................................
J. Fairburn, released Rebel Deserter, provided transportation to Philadelphia, Penn. March 11, 1864, Headquarters, Provost Marshal General, Defences North of the Potomac, Washington, D. C.
M347: Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging in Confederate Compiled Service Records
Note: This document provides no indication of his unit identification nor where he was apprehended
........................................................................................
Jeremiah Fairburn
Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 6/22/1861 as a Private.
On 6/22/1861 he mustered into "I" Co. VA 33rd Infantry
(date and method of discharge not given)
(Never joined Regiment)
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- The Virginia Regimental Histories Series
..............
Jeremiah Fairburn, Private, Company I, 33rd Regiment Virginia Infantry, enlisted June 22, 1861 at Harrisonburg by John R. Jones for 1 year, recorded on August 31, 1861 as "Absent without leave. Never reported," and on the muster roll dated February 28, 1862 as "Never been in nor mustered into service. Hence reported as deserter and dropped from the rolls"
M324: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia
.........................
His name is not included on the roster of the 59th Virginia Militia