Eliza E. Littlefield
Increase of Pension for Eliza E. Littlefield
The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 3020) granting an increase of pension to Eliza E. Littlefield, have examined the same and report:  

Eliza E. Littlefield is the widow of John J. Littlefield, late of Company F, Twenty-fourth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and assistant surgeon, Eighteenth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry.
The military records show that John J. Littlefield enlisted in Company F, Twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry, and August 12, 1862, and was discharged February 23, 1863, for chronic disease of liver. He enlisted again September 8, 1864, as a private and unassigned recruit, Eighteen Michigan Volunteer Infantry; was promoted assistant surgeon November 10, 1864, and discharged June 26, 1865.
Soldier made claim for pension in 1883, and at the time of his death he was pensioned under the general law at $12 per month for disability on account of disease of liver, chronic diarrhea, and resulting disease of rectum. He died November 12, 1896, at Monte Vista, Colo., of typhoid pneumonia.
Eliza E. Littlefield, the claimant under this bill, resides at Fort Collins, Colo. She is now receiving the pension of $8 per month provided by the act of June 27, 1890. On August 2, 1898, she made claim under the general law, alleging that her husband died of disease contracted in service. This claim was rejected May 11, 1899, on the ground that the soldier's death from pneumonia was not due to the disabilities for which he was pensioned.
Soldier and claimant were married June 26, 1871. She is now about 53 years of age, and the evidence on file shows that she has no real estate or personal property and no means of support except her pension and her own labor, and she has to provide for her two children.
There is some probability that the soldier's pensioned troubles were factors in causing the fatal termination of his last sickness, and there are many precedents for increasing pension in cases of this character, in view of which your committee report the bill back favorably with a recommendation that it pass when amended as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to place on the pension roll, subject to the provisions and limitations of the pension laws, the name of Eliza E. Littlefield, widow of John J. Littlefield, late of Company F, Twenty-fourth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and assistant surgeon, Eighteenth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and pay her a pension at the rate of seventeenth dollars per month in lieu of that she is now receiving.

Committee on Pensions
57th Congress, 1st Session; Serial Set ID: 4264 S. rp. 2082, Jun 23 1902
Also see:
57th Congress, 2nd Session; Serial Set ID: 4415 H. rp. 3684, Feb 10, 1903
Note:
The Colorado State Veterans' Center Cemetery, (aka Homelake Soldiers & Sailors Home), at Monte Vista, Colorado, has the following burial:
J. J. Littlefield, 1896, 18th Mich Inf Asst Surg'n

[Submitted by Cathy Danielson]

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