London Hurdle, F&S

Commissary Sergeant London Hurdle’s pension application included documents related to his stay at the First Baptist Church Home of the Aged. I’ve included the veteran’s obituary (which wasn’t in his pension application folder) because it provides a lot of details about his contribution to the community.  I had a particular interest in Sgt. Hurdle’s connection with First Baptist Church, Bute Street as many members of my family are members of the congregation. Following the obituary are more research notes from the pension application.

 

Invalid – 872, 617 / 1,065,105

Testimony of Employers, Neighbors or Acquaintances of Soldier [Other Than Near Relatives], Arthur Nelson & Alfred Felton, 5 June 1901
[Nelson] 58 years old; residence and post-office address, Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Va.;and [Felton] about 71 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va., and post-office address, 58 Avenue A; “have been well acquainted with said soldier, for 35+ years, and 40+ years, respectively

 

Questionnaire, London Hurdle, 5 June 1901
[Married?] Widower, Fannie Hurdle died July 1892; Fannie Sykes
[Where, when, by whom] Sept 27, 1866, Norfolk, Va., Rev. Wm. Lewis
[Record?] Marriage register, Clerk’s Office, Norfolk, Va.
[Previous marriage] Yes, Maria Johnson, dead about October 1863
[Living children?] Eight, seven over 16 years, Cora born July 1888

 

Questionnaire, London Hurdle, 5 June 1901
[Birthplace] Gates Co., NC
[Enlistment] Norfolk, Va.
[Residence before enlistment] Gates Co., NC  or Norfolk, Va.
[Occupation] Laborer
[Slave / Former owner] Yes, Joseph Hurdle
[Discharged] Brazos, Texas
[Residence since discharge] Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
[Current occupation] Laborer
[Height / Complexion] 5’8” / Brown
[Previous military service] None
[Known by another name] No
[Full name] London Hurdle
[Residence / Nearest post-office] Atlantic City, War 1, Norfolk / Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Va.

 

Questionnaire, London Hurdle, 217 Star Street, Norfolk, Va. Received by Bureau of Pensions, 19 March 1915
[Birthdate and birth place] Oct 23, 1830, Gates Co., NC
[Rank] Comm Sergeant, 1st U.S. Col. Cav.
[Post-office at enlistment] Norfolk, VA.
[Wife’s maiden name] Annie Fentress
[When, where, by whom] Aug 15, 1902, Norfolk, Va., Rev. Wm. Lewis
[Record] Clerk’s Office, Norfolk City, Va.
[Previous marriage] Maria Hurdle, slave marriage, died October 7, 1863; Emma Whidbee, Feby 1864, died 1867; Fannie Sykes, 1866, died July 28, 1892
[Living with present wife] died July 3, 1919
[Living children] Six by Maria; 11 by Fannie } All died or over 21 years of age

 

Obituary, London Hurdle, The Norfolk Journal and Guide, 1 May 1926, page 3, column 1
‘Ninety-Six Year Old Deacon Dies,
Former Slave and Civil War Veteran Claimed by Death After Long and Useful Life’
“Deacon L. Hurdle, whose funeral was held at the First Baptist Church last Monday afternoon, was one of Norfolk’s oldest citizens. He had reached the ripe old age of ninety-six years. Coming to Norfolk as a run-away slave sixty-[illegible] years ago, he joined the First Baptist Church. The same year he enlisted in the Federal army. He was soon promoted to Commissary Sergeant, he being one of the few colored men of that day who could read and figure. He had learned to read and count by listening to the children of his master whom he was appointed to accompany to and from school. He had been a deacon of the First Baptist Church for nearly thirty [illegible] years. During his connection with the church he had made himself widely and favorably known for his frankness, cheerfulness, good-hearted and religious fervor. He was frequently appointed a delegate to district and state denominational gatherings.

“Deacon Hurdle retained full reign of all his powers of mind until the very close of his life. At ninety-three he delivered a special address a a communion service at the church. At ninety-five he was [illegible] to be present at one of the special services during the celebration of his church’s 125th anniversary and to lead the congregation in prayer. It was his delight also to talk to his many visitors about the revolutionary changes wrought in America during his lifetime. Though born a slave he had lived to see black men in state and federal legislative bodies. Forbidden as a boy to handle a book or newspaper, he had seen one of his own …
[Note: Some lines of the article were missing – Leslie]
… become a school teacher and another son pastor of New Jersey’s largest colored Baptist church.

“He had been married four times and was the father of seventeen children. All of his wives had preceded him to the grave. He was a member of the local Grand Army Post. The last twelve months of his life had been spent in the First Baptist Church Home for the Aged. Frequently visited by his children and grandchildren and surrounded by his old friends of a lifetime, he spent his closing days in quietness and peace. The end came last Friday afternoon.

“Many ministers and visiting deacons were present in the large gathering of sorrowing friends and relatives at his funeral. The deacons of the church acted as pallbearers. Rev. Richard H. Bowling, his pastor, preached the sermon, using as a text the striking words from Judges, “And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even.” Said, he, “Such a life is a challenge to his surviving fellow workers and to youth not to get tired and drop out in the battle of life. He was faithful and a worker until the very evening of his life. Besides, he invested his life in the institutions and things worthwhile. He made many sacrifices for an education for himself and his children. He went to great lengths to make friends. He had a fervor and an enthusiasm for things religious that made him an exemplary Christian. There can be but one final issue of such a life, ‘the abundant entrance.’” The interment was in Calvary cemetery.”

 

Application for Reimbursement, Lilburn C. Hurdle, 272 South 60th St., Newark, NJ, 22 December 1926
[Deceased leave any money, real estate, or personal property?] Yes
[Character and value of such property] Value $200.00. an amount save[d] from his pension by an officer of the Aged Home
[Assessed value of real estate] No real estate
[How was pensioner’s property disposed of?] Amount was applied to cost of burial deducting cost of Administration & R.R. fare
[Did pensioner leave an unendorsed [sic] pension check? No
[Your relationship?] Son
[Married?] Yes
[Cause of pensioner’s death] Senility, old age
[When did pensioner’s last sickness begin?] I do not know
[From what date did pensioner become ill and medical care until death?] I do not know
[Name and address of each physician attending the pensioner at last illness] The attendants of the First Baptist Home, Ludlow St., Norfolk, Va., Mr. and Mrs. McCrae
[Residence during last sickness] First Baptist Church Home

 

Itemized bills from the Funeral Home of Ralph W. Jones, 715 Cumberland St., Norfolk, Va., 29 April 1926 & 23 June 1926
[The invoices include costs for the casket and box, moving and embalming, hearse and automobiles, robe, opening/closing the grave, permit – Leslie]

 

Letter from Reverend Richard H. Bowling to Rev. Lilburn C. Hurdle, 29 September 1927
“Dear Dr. Hurdle:
“Relative to your request for a constitution of the First Baptist Church Home, we desire to inform you that have no printed constitution or printed by-laws. The home is a benevolent institution unincorporated, working under rules and regulation adopted by the church.
In view of the fact that this is charitable work, the expense of printing letter forms or constitution would be added expense to the church. Consequently, we have not done so.
Hoping that this information may be satisfactory, we beg to remain

“Yours respectfully,
First Baptist Church Home for the Aged
Deacon Fred R. Custis, Chairman
Mrs. Mary M. Jenkins, Sec’y
Richard H. Bowling, Pastor, First Baptist Church

“P.S. Enclosed are some examples of the cards sometimes used by the church in soliciting funds for running the home.”

 

Letter from Reverend Lilburn C. Hurdle to General Winfield Scott, 17 October 1927
“Dear Sir –
“Replying to your letter of February 26th, 1927 …I have been very much delayed in obtaining the copies and information required in your letter … In my letter to you of December 22nd, 1926, I showed where it was necessary for me to spend $108.00 for the reimbursement of which I was making application, and at that time I sent to you a receipted bill of the Undertaker for $226.00. I found I was in error by $4.75, as the statement hereafter made will show.”

 

Sworn Statement, Reverend Richard H. Bowling, 25 February 1928
“I reside at 302 Charlotte Street in the City of Norfolk … and have resides [sic] there for 36 years … I personally knew the said London Hurdle in his lifetime, and had known him for 25 years.

 

Sworn Statement, Chas. J. Watkins, 25 February 1928
“I reside at 815 Freemont St. in the City of Norfolk … and have resided there for 35 years … I personally knew the said London Hurdle in his lifetime, and had known him for 25 years”