Glenn,

Here's my bio entry for Hugh L. Cansler, 43rd Tenn.. I only find him in the index of Tennessee Pensions, no other Cansler.

No, I do not know how to add attachments to these Message Boards.

Cansler, Hugh Lawson White, Sr., Servant, Freeman (Free Colored), born March 26, 1835 Monroe Co., Tenn., joined regiment at the invitation of Lt. Col. Key to serve him and Col. Gillespie June 1862, about October 10, 1862 “...one of Col. Gillespie’s horses threw my shoulder out of place and I was released to go home.” later given a personal release to remain with the family of James Karnes who went into the Confederate army [2nd Tenn. Cav. ?] , married Louisa Ann “Laura” Scott March 1862 which union produced ten children, post war a Wheelwright in Knox and Blount, Co., Tenn. employed for a number of years by Fank [sic] H. Post & Co., , filed Colored Man’s Application for Pension, C122, October 21, 1921 which was rejected, address 309 Main St., Knoxville, Tenn., application witnessed by L[ee] R[exford] Cansler (son) and Laura A. Cansler (wife), application attested by R. L. Cates, “Ex Atty. Gen. of Knox Co.” and J. W. Crudgington, “former Election Commissioner of Knox Co.”, application submitted by son Charles W. Cansler, Principal, Knoxville Colored High School and author of family history “Three Generations, The Story of a Colored Family of Eastern Tennessee”, August 1939, privately printed, died January 28, 1922 in Knoxville, in 1863 wife Laura opened the first school for blacks in Knoxville naming the school for Ambrose Burnside, USA, then commanding Federal forces occupying Knoxville, she died in 1926, the city of Knoxville honored Laura, their first teacher of black students, by naming the Cansler Elementary School in her honor, both buried at Knoxville College Cemetery (Tenn. State Library & Archives, 124, Cliff Roberts, Suwanee, GA, Janice L. Parton, Parrottsville, TN) [possible descendent Tonia Cansler Merideth, Memphis, Tenn.]

Note: I've always assumed his pension was denied because as he could not claim as an indigent, considering the position of his son.