Edward R. Pitt was my maternal great-great-grandfather. I found his name and his brother’s name (William Thomas Pitt, Company K, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry) in the National Park Service Soldiers and Sailors Database. There are other soldiers in the database named PITT but we aren’t related.
From a questionnaire dated 2 June 1898, I learned his wife’s middle name, the date, place, and officiant of his marriage. I also found the full names of nine children and their exact birth dates. There was a specific reference to his death date that confirms the handwritten entry in the family Bible. Edward R. Pitt died during the period when Virginia didn’t collect vital records statewide.
Invalid – 867,287 / 623,474
General Affidavit, Miles Connor and Fulton Harris, 6 April 1891
59 years old and 62 years old, respectively; resident of Churchland, Norfolk County and of Bowers Hill, Norfolk County, respectively … “we are intimately acquainted with the claimant Edward R. Pitt and know rheumatism of the right side and arm from exposure etc while in the service of the U.S. Our knowledge of the above facts are derived from being neighbors to the said claimant and seeing him as often as every week or oftener and conversing with him in relation to his disabilities and we verily believe that he’s disabled from performing hard manual labor to the extent of at least one half.”
Questionnaire, Edward R. Pitt, 2 June 1898
“[Married? If yes, wife’s full name and maiden name] I am; Jane Columbia Pitt; Jane Columbia Watts
[When, where, by whom?] Jany 6, 1868. In Norfolk Co., Va. Rev. Thomas Washington
[Record of marriage?] License and certificate returned to Clerk’s Office
[Previously married?] No
[Living children?] I have nine, to wit: Henry B. born July 20, 1870; Anna M. Jany 8, 1872; Sarah F. December 21, 1874; Claudius, March 18, 1877; Barsu, Nov 10, 1879; Moretta, Dec 7, 1882; John L., Sept 15, 1884; Barco, Nov 8, 1886; Della J. Oct 15, 1888.”
Deposition, Edward R. Pitt, 1 March 1902
“I am 64 years of age; occupation, farmer, and I live at Bowers Hill, Va.
“I was born in Nansemond Co, Va., and was a free born man. My father was Benjamin Pitt … I lost my discharge this year. It was destroyed by some of my children …
“I have lived in the same neighborhood where I now live ever since my discharge from the army and have always been a farmer.
“I never left Va., while I was in the army. I misunderstood you for I spent part of the time that I was a soldier in Texas. I was in Texas from August 1865 till the following March. I will now get it straight. I was discharged in February 1866, but did not reach City Point for final muster out till April following.
“I was in no regular battle. I was in a skirmish from Yorktown to Chicihominie [sic].
I never had a man killed out of my company but my brother Sgt. Thos. Pitt was wounded at Galucester [sic] Point, Va. He was accidentally wounded …
“I was in the hospital for about eight days at Newport News, Va., about Sept 1864. I had billious fever there …
“Thos. Pitt, my brother, was Ord Sgt. Virginias Jones was 1st duty Sgt. Albert Jones was 2d duty Sgt. Dallas Jones was a friend of mine in service. I eat and slept with my brother Thomas Pitt. I was quartermaster Sgt.”
United States Pension Agency, May 20, 1905 [card]
“Edward R. Pitt … has been dropped because of death … October 16, 1904”
Approved Pension File for Sergeant Edward R. Pitt, Company K, 1st U.S. Colored Troops Cavalry Regiment (SC-623474), Summer 2018
This summer I visited the National Archives’ Innovation Hub and scanned Edward R. Pitt’s pension file.
See also:
Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served with the United States Colored Troops [microform]: 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry (1997). Reel 0010 – 1st United States Colored Cavalry: Moss, James – Polk, James (online at https://archive.org/details/compiledmili0010akesunit/mode/2up). Edward R. Pitt’s Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) can be viewed at (n1650 – n1667).
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 
Great blog. My evening reading. Added to my reference resources for researching USCT.
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Thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying it.
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I just discovered this site and am very grateful for the work that has been done,
My ancestor, Wallace Webster, fought with the First U. S. Color Troops. He met his wife, Susan Brown (born in Louisiana), and returned to Hampton. Thornton Cemetery is named for the Reverend Samuel Thornton who is buried at that site. There is an effort underway to clean up the cemetery, which has been uncared for over decades.
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Hi I was wondering while researching Ed R. Pitt did see any 1850 census with Ed E. Pitt he is my 4g grandfather. I have copies of 1850 census with Benjamin Pitt and family and also my Elliott family is on the same census. I have a copy of first district color poll book 1867 nansemond Co. VA with Edward E Pitt and two others g grandfather’s who name is in the book with Edward R Pitt and other Pitt families. Any info would be helpful if possible. We may be related through the the Pitt side of the family. I have been researching my family surnames and found 18 name with some that has documents that go back to 1700s to Revolutionary War to land grants and other documents. In my research it seems that the Pitt, Elliott, Ridgway, Trotters where some of the first free people of color migrant workers who were enumerate two and three times a year in Nansmond county and Norfolk County Virginia.
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