Excerpts from The Wortman Word
“...[I] contracted scurvy by exposure and our diet, we were entirely without vegetables, had to subsist on salt meats, strong coffee and hard tacks. The scurvy affected my eyes, causing blindness for which diseases I claim a pension.” Daniel D. Wortman (Far Right) John Murray Wortman - brother, (Far left)
Life began hard for Daniel D. Wortman. Daniel Wortman “ ... my farther [father] died when I was but Six months old and my mother being a crippled woman with five children whom she was unable to support, we were put out and reared by Foster parents; I not knowing of my birth by other than those by whom I was raised untill I was some 9 years of age, but was informed at that time of conditions surrounding my tender age and the date of my birth which was Nov. 9th, 1846. [in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa]” Just before Daniel enlisted in the army, he lived with his 22 year old brother, John, in Hopewell, Mahaska Co., Iowa. He stood 5’ 6” tall with a dark complexion, dark hair and hazel eyes. He stood 5’ 6” tall with a dark complexion, dark hair and hazel eyes. On March 21st, 1863, the 18 year old Daniel signed up at Oskaloosa, Iowa to fight in the Civil War. He was enrolled in Company D of the 7th Reg. of the Iowa Cavalry Volunteers commanded by Captain Dudley L. Haywoods. John visited Daniel in Julesburgh, Colorado and noted “that his eyes were badly affected”. Indeed, his eyes grew worse. Daniel states that he “was treated in hospital tent on the Little Republican River about February 1866 was sent to Cotton wood Springs, Nebr. went with the commissioner to Julesburgh, Col. in March 1866 and from there went to Fort Leavenworth to be mustered out.” When Daniel returned, his brother noted “his eyes were very sore and inflamed, he was not able to see anything, he always required a guide if he wanted go any where. He always has suffered from sore and weak eyes since he left the army and very frequently his eyes are so badly afflicted that he is not able to work any at all, but since he left the army he has at least been disabled to do any work one half all the time.” Daniel’s disability did not prevent him from marriage. Daniel notes “I was married to Miss Eleanor Williamson in 1872. She was Devorced from me about - 1878 or 79 at Eldora, Hardin Co.,Iowa. ... there were two children born to me by my first wife. William Wallace & Clarra Malissie booth died in Infancy.” After his divorce, he moved to Valley Co., Nebraska. On July 1st, 1883 the county judge, John Moser of Ord, Nebraska married Daniel and Edna Yale McIntyre. They had 4 children, Henry Milton (1884), Pearl Elizabeth (1887), & Edna Elnora (1890), Olive May (1893) in Willow Springs, Garfield Co., NE. Note: Milton was Daniel’s father’s name. Daniel’s brother, John, had also moved to Nebraska with his family. In 1889, John walked to Enterprise, Oregon. Once he established a home, he sent for the family. Daniel also moved to the town of Elgin, Oregon in Union County. Relatives of Dan Wortman wanted If anyone is a relative, or knows more about Daniel Wortman, please call or write to us. We’ve become quite attached to my Great Uncle, just from reading accounts of his life. As Dr. D. H. Polk noted, “ ...Daniel D. Workman is 77 years of age, has no teeth; that his right eye is 4/20, left eye 1/20 that he is partially deaf...and is constant need of an attendent.” From 1923 until his death in 1926, Dan Wortman lived with and was cared for by his oldest daughter, Pearl Elizabeth Horn in Bremerton, Washington. Daniel D. Wortman had been a farmer and a carpenter all his life. His stint in the Civil War had disabled him for life and he collected a pension for his disabilities after 1890. His final monthly check, dated April 4th, 1926, was for $72. Note: Most of the information from this article came from Dan Wortman’s pension records. This information was provided by the National Archives in Washington, DC. § |
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