A Confederate soldier named Andrew Jackson Flippo enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Alabama Light Artillery in Marion County, Alabama. Although his last page on his service records stated he deserted while home on furlough he was give a pension and died in 1928 in Tennessee.

The following letters were written concerning his widow and should provide some insight as to the pension records and how they were handled.

Judge of Probate
Russellville, Alabama

Dear Judge Petree,

In reply to your letter of April 6th, relative to the pension warrant of Mrs. Bethany Flippo, I will say that as she is now outside the State, you would have no authority of law to deliver her pension warrant to anyone. The law allows you to deliver her pension warrant in only one of two ways, either to the pensioner in person or to some reliable citizen of the County in which the pensioner lives who will make affidavit that at the time of the delivery of the warrant the pensioner is actually living in the county and is physically unable to call in person to receive same. It readily seem that no person cound make this affidavit in this case on account of the fact that Mrs. Flippo is not actually in Franklin County but is in the State of Tennessee.

I will state further that if Mrs. Flippo remains outside the State of Alabama for a period of twelve months her name will be dropped from the pension roll. If she does not return to Alabama by April 30th, you should return the April pension warrant issued in her favor back to the Auditor’s office when maing your pension report on April 30th, endorsing thereon that she is absent from the State, in the State of Tennessee. I would like for you to ascertain just how long she has been away from Alabama and please inform this office. I will thank you for an early reply to this matter. With kindest personal regards I am Your friend Chairman.

April 6, 1929
Honorable Charles E. McCall
Chairman Pension Commission
Montgomery, Alabama

My Dear Sir,
I have refused to deliver pension warrant issued April 1st for Mrs. Bethany Flippo on the pension roll of this county.
Mrs. Flippo has several children living here in this county and she has on son living at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. For the past year she has been spending most of her time in Tennessee with that son. Her household things, are here in Franklin County with the children here and spends a portion of her time here. In fact she calls this home but the son living in Tennessee seems to be a favorite and she has spent so much time there that I have refused to deliver the pension this quarter. Her husband died while visiting this son and he was buried there and she just feels that she must visit his grave every few weeks. At the present time she is up there and is very sick, not able to return back here. I have warned her time and again about staying up there. Please advise me whether or not I should deliver the warrant to her.

Yours Very Truly Judge Petree Judge Probate.