David Meredith, Company E

This application includes reports of adultery, illegitimacy, insanity, an anonymous letter to government officials, a house fire, and statements from undertakers, midwives, neighbors, comrades-in-arms, and relatives by marriage.

Invalid — 951,954 / 1,050,073
Widow — 528,953 / 541,653, Hannah Meredith

Marriage License, David Meredith & Hannah Gardener, 25 February 1880
Prince George County, Va. The marriage took place 26 February 1880. David, a 30-year-old widowed laborer, was born to Thos. and Biddy Meredith in Hanover Co., Va. Hannah, 21 years old and single, was born to Shadrick Gardener & Lucy Shands in Sussex Co., Va. The couple lived in Prince George Co., Va.

 

General Affidavit, Hannah Meredith, 2 December 1891
“My son William Meredith was born 22nd of Apr 1880. George L. Meredith was born 1st January 1883. Both of the children are alive.”

 

General Affidavit, William Christian, 4 June 1892
63 years old; resident, City Point, Prince George Co., Va. … “I was with the within mentioned David Meredith when he died…”

 

General Affidavit, Joe Turner, 14 June 1892
28 years old; resident, City Point, Prince George Co., Va. … “I was with the within mentioned David Meredith when he died…”

 

Affidavit, Cupid Stith, 31 December 1896
49 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va. …”I hereby certify that I, Cupid Stith, an undertaker by profession, do personally know that David Meredith died and moreover I helped to bury him but I am not positive as to the exact date of the month but was positive it was in the July of 1891.”

 

Handwritten Letter, Anonymous to Hon. H. Clay Evans, Commissioner of Pensions, 13 February 1901
“I have taken the greatest of pleasure in writing you this letter to let you know that this woman Hannah Meredith is not capable of getting pension and is got my husband too. She is not of the right character because he taken Davy Meredith from his first wife. His first wife was named Martha and she went crazy and went to the silence [sic] and died there and now she has taken my husband. He stays there late hours in the night and leave me alone with the children. She have [sic] got 3 children. The too [sic] little children, the father lives in Newport News and as soon as she gets her pension he is coming up. She has one grown son supporting her and she is got my husband doing the same. Gentlemen, I don’t think she deserves it. She has got 3 men taken [sic] care of her and if you don’t believe it you can send someone here and see for yourself. She is talking about giving my husband a horse and carriage and I won’t stand it. It is a shame she isn’t nothing but and [sic] woman that takes people’s husband.”

 

Statement, R.M. Ford, Postmaster, 1 May 1901
“City Point, Va.
May 1, 1901
Hannah Meredith lives about 300 yds from this office & gets her mail here.”

 

Deposition, Hannah Meredith, 7 June 1901
39 years old; post-office address, City Point, Prince George Co., Va.; washing and ironing … “I was married to the soldier January 26, 1880 by Rev. H.F. Jones at Broadway Landing, Prince George Co., Va. … My maiden name was Hannah Gardiner. That was my first and only marriage …I have sinned but feel that God has pardoned my offenses and I am striving to live the life of a Christian … My husband applied for a pension about 1888 … and died just at the time his pension was to have been allowed.”

 

Deposition, Henry B. Pierce, 8 June 1901
63 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; merchant … “I have known Hannah Meredith for at least twenty-five years. I also knew her husband David Meredith. They lived together in this neighborhood as husband and wife up to the time of his death…. I am unable to say whether the claimant has lived in adulterous co-habitation since the births of the aforesaid illegitimate children. She has worked for my family and I don’t regard her as a vicious woman but rather as one of the unfortunate of her class. She is rather above the average colored persons in intelligence.”

 

Deposition, Hannah Meredith, 11 June 1902
39 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va…. “I am the widow of David Meredith …who died the 21st of June 1891. I don’t know the dates of enlistment and discharge were, and have no means of knowing as soldiers sent his discharge papers some time before his death either to his attorney James Tanner, or to the Department and I have not seen them since.

“My maiden name was Hannah Gardiner. Me and the soldier was married the 26th day of Feby 1880 at Broadway in Prince George Co., Va. by a minister, H.F. James who died about three years ago, I suppose record of our marriage is of record at the Prince George Court House. Me nor the soldier was married prior to our marriage with each other. We lived together from the time we were married up to the date of soldier’s death. As husband and wife we were never separated or divorced. And I have not married since his death. I have been told that soldier lived with a woman here on City Point just at the close of the war by the name of Martha but I never heard it said that they were married. Martha did marry in about the year 1873 a man by the name of Francis Proffit. I never heard what Martha’s other name was.

“Soldier was raised at some place on Hanover County but I don’t know where. I don’t know where any of his relatives is now. He did have a brother by the name of George Meredith who lived on Richmond about fifteen years ago. But I don’t know where he is now. He also had a brother by the name of James. I have not heard from him in 19 years. He was living at same place in Hanover County. At the time, he had some sisters. I never seen them and don’t know where they live. They were married but I don’t remember what their husbands’ names were. I don’t know if any one who is now living who knew my husband before his enlistment or during unless it would be Wm. Green….”

“When my husband died H.F. Jones preached his funeral.  Cubick Stith made the coffin. I had no undertaker. I did have a record of soldier’s death in Family Bible but it was burned in 1893 when my house caught fire. The church has no record of his death.

“William Meredith for whom I claim pension was born April the 22 1881, and died the 12th day of January 1895. When William was born I was waited on by Sallie Paraham who died in 1884.  I have no record of his birth or death. And there is no church record of either or record in the cemetery.  Dr. David Roland treated him during his sickness but he, Dr. Roland, died about three or four years ago.
“We held no services over William. I bought his coffin from T.H. Brown, 109 Halifax St. Petersburg, Va. This I bought the next day after he died which was the 13th…”

“Q: You have stated in your declaration for pension filed Oct 10, 1891 that William was born April 26th, 1880 while you now state that he was born April the 22nd 1881. Which one these statements are correct?
A:  He was born April the 22nd 1881. I don’t know how the mistake could have been made.
George R. Meredith for whom I claimed pension was born Feby 1st 1880. He is still living. I was waited on at his birth by Sarah Paraham. There was no others present and don’t know of anyone else would know anything as the date of his birth. There is no church record of the births of any of my children.
“Soldier was disabled for about eight years before he died. The dr. said he had the asthma. He was treated by Dr. Roland. For four years prior to my husband’s death he was totally disabled for the performance of manual labor. He was a man of good habits and was never drunk to my knowledge. I have known him to drink, but it was very little.

Q:  When did illicit conduct of yourself begin after the death of your husband? That is when did you first assume marriage relations with any man after the death of the soldier?
A:  On Jany 17th 1893. But I have not been intimate with but one man and I have not seen him in seven years. The last time I heard of him which was about three or four years ago he lived at Norfolk, Va. His name is Joseph R. Turner.
“No sir. I never assumed marriage relations with William H. Harrison or any other man since the death of my husband, except Turner

Q. Where does Richard J. Chambliss live?
A. He lives at 377 Bank St., Norfolk, Va.
Q. Where does Joseph R. Turner live?
A. He lives in Norfolk, Va some place. I don’t know where but R.J. Chambliss can tell you?”…
Q. Is there a record of death at cemetery where soldier is buried. Or would an engraving on the tombstone show the date of his death?
A. There is no record of those buried kept and there is no tombstone at my husband’s grave….
Q. Why does Wm. Green say your maiden name was Hannah Brooks?
A. I don’t know why unless it was in this way. My grandmother was first married to a Brooks. She have [sic] several daughters by Brooks and I lived at my grandmother’s with her daughters and suppose he thought I was a Brooks also.”

 

Deposition, W.H. Harrison, 12 June 1902
61 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; farmer… “I have known the claimant since she was about ten or twelve years of age. Her maiden name was Hannah Gardner. I have known the soldier ever since just after he was discharged from the service. He has always lived and made City Point and Broadway Landing his home since the war. He did work in Petersburg for a while. I think three years as well as I can remember but while he worked in Petersburg, he made Broadway Landing his home.

“There has not been a year since the war that I have not seen soldier several times. We have never lived further apart then six miles. We never visited each other but i would see him I know at least twice a year while he made his home at Broadway Landing. When he lived at City Point I would see him most every day. I know him up to the time when he died. As I remember he died I think the 21st of June 1891….

“When the soldier died he left two boys. One by the name of William who died I think in the year 1896. I want to be positive as to this, and I know I can’t fix the date or the month. He had another boy by the name of George who is still living but I don’t know how old he is.”

 

Deposition, Richard A. Moody, 12 June 1902
41 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; laborer …”I have known the claimant about ten or twelve years and I am acquainted with the soldier about the same time. I was not here when he died and only know what I have been told about it.  I was not told anything as to the date of his death and know nothing about it except that he died about ten years ago. … When soldier died he had two boys who survived him. One of them whose name was William died some time after his father’s death but I can’t say how long. The other boy’s name is George. He is still living, works somewhere in New York state. I don’t know what his age is.”

 

Deposition, Cupid Stith, 12 June 1902
55 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; carpenter … “I have known the claimant for the past eighteen years. I was personally acquainted with the soldier for about five years before his death, though I had seen him a number of times before this.
“Soldier died June 21st 1891, and I made his coffin June 22nd.
“Q. How do you fix this date?
A. I remember the date by hearing claimant and others speak of it. I kept no record or memorandum of the work done, and depend altogether on my memory and the memory of others in this statement.
Q. You state on a former affidavit that you don’t know the date but know he died in July 1891. While you now state that he died June 21st 1891. Which of these statements are correct? after
A. He died June 21st 1891. The mistake must have been made by Mr. Wiseman in writing my former deposition. I saw soldier after he was dead and helped to bury him. …Soldier’s habits were good and he drank but very little.  I can’t say anything about the illicit conduct of claimant, except that she has two children since the death of soldier.”

 

Deposition, William Green, 12 June 1902
“I don’t know my age but went in the army in 1864 at the age of 22 years”; post-office address, City Point, Va.; laborer … “I have known the claimant since before she was grown. Her maiden name I think was Brooks but I’m not positive as to this. I was not very well acquainted with her until after she was married and came here to City Point to live…..I got acquainted with the soldier in 1864. He and I was in the army together & belonged  to same Co and regiment. We served together and was mustered out together at Santiago Texas. I was paid off at New Orleans and he was paid off here at City Point … Since our discharge we have both lived in this neighborhood all the time, him u to the date of his death, and me up to the present time. I hae known him right along since we were discharged. I never missed a year that I did not see him several times, a good portion of the time we lived close together. And we never have lived further apart than five or six miles since the war…A part of the time we worked together.

“Q. Did soldier live with any woman before his marriage to claimant?
A.  Yes, sir. He lived with one by the name of Martha King, he lived with her five or six years, but they were never married. …
“When soldier died he left two boys. One’s name was George. He is still living and when I heard from him last he was in New York. And the other one died soon after the death of soldier but I cannot fix the year or the date of his death.”
“Joe Turner used to go to see Claimant after the death of soldier but I don’t remember whether it was soon after his death or not. I know she has two children born to her since the death of soldier and this is all I know about her illicit conduct.”

 

Deposition, W.H. Harrison, 12 June 1902
61years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; farmer … “I have known the claimant since she was about ten or twelve years of age, her maiden name was Hannah Gardner. I have known the soldier ever since just after he was discharged from the service. He has always lived and made City Point and Broadway Landing his home since the war. He did work in Petersburg for a while. I think three years as well as I can remember, but while he worked in Petersburg, he made Broadway Landing his home.
“There has not been a year since the war that I have not seen soldier several times. We have never lived further apart than six miles. We never visited each other but I would see him I know at least twice a year while he made his home at Broadway Landing. When he lived at City Point I would see him most every day. I knew him up to the time when he died. I saw him after he was dead. As I remember, he died I think the 21st of June 1891.”

 

Deposition, David Hunt, 12 June 1902
“I don’t know my age but I was a young man during the war”; post-office address, City Point, Va.; laborer … “I have known the claimant for about eight years and I have known the soldier since he was mustered out of the service. I have not lived close to him all the time. I have always lived at City Point. And soldier lived here about there of four years after his discharge. He then went to Petersburg and worked in a store for a man by the name of Blake. I did not see him when he worried for Mr. Blake very often. Mr. Blake died and soldier moved to Broadway and after a time he moved back to City Point. I can’t fix date of Mr. Blake’s death.”

 

Deposition, Joe Wooden, 13 June 1902
72 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; laborer. … “I have known claimant right along and lived in the same neighborhood with her since she was a small girl. Her maiden name was Hannah Gardener, she was never married before or since her marriage to David Meredith. I was not at their marriage and don’t remember the date or the year but was living in one quarter of a mile of where they were married. They were married by H.F. James and I first got acquainted with the soldier just at the close of the war and knew him well thereafter up to the date of his death. We always lived in the same neighborhood together we were very intimate and visited each other often.
“Soldier lived with a woman just after the war by the name of Martha but I never understood they were married. I don’t know what her maiden name was. I don’t know anything about her folks and never heard where she came from. As I remember they lived together about three of four years. They then separated and Martha married Frances Proffitt. She afterwards went crazy and died about four years ago in the asylum at Petersburg. I don’t know where Frances Proffitt is but he has been working at Newport News for the last few years on the dock and suppose he is there now.”

 

­Deposition, John G. Munt, 13 June 1902
63 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; farmer … “I have not known the claimant for a number of years but did know her just before and just after she was married to the soldier and I saw her and the soldier married. I think they were married by Hairbert Jones, a colored preacher.
“I knew the soldier soon after he came out of the army and when I first got acquainted with him he was living with a woman by the name of Martha but I never knew what her maiden name was. She was called Martha Meredith. I don’t know where her people lived and don’t know where she came from … [Martha] married a man by the name of Frank Proffitt. The last I heard of him he worked at Newport News and she died in the asylum at Petersburg about three or four years ago … [David Meredith] told me that [his right forefinger] was shot off during the war, he told me that he came from Hanover County, close to some mill but I have forgotten the name of the mill.
“When I knew him his habits were not very good. He would get drunk from time to time. I could not say to what extent he drinks but about like the ordinary colored man he would drink when he could get it. I don’t know what his habits were during the past ten years, or ten years prior to this death.”

 

Deposition, Joe Rose, 13 June 1902
75 years old; post-office address, City Point, Va.; farmer … “I have known the claimant since about the year 1868. We have lived in the same neighborhood together since this time … I got acquainted with soldier about one year after I got acquainted with claimant. He was living at this time at City Point with a woman by the name of Martha …I think she had a sister somewhere in Dinwiddie County …”

 

Deposition, D.J. Hicks, 13 June 1902
“I am 44 years or will be in September”; post-office address, 29 Bowling Brook St., Petersburg Va.; farmer … “I have known the claimant since she was a girl. We were children together. Before she was married we lived within a quarter of a mile of each other. But during the past fifteen or twenty years we have had lived about five miles from each other. But during these latter years I have been at [illegible] at City Point and have seen her often…. I was present when she and the soldier was married I cannot fix the date and have no idea how long it has been. I can remember the soldier from the time when I was a small boy and when he was mustered out of the Army. I have known him ever since and lived with him when I was a boy.
“Soldier was never married before his marriage to claimant. He did live with a woman just after the war by the name of Martha Jenkins but they were never married as I understand. I don’t know where Martha’s people lived but I think they lived in Nottoway County. Soldier and Martha lived together about four years. They then separated and she married a man by the name of Frank Profitt.  She went crazy sometime ago and died at the asylum in Petersburg about three or four years ago.
“Soldier suffered with shortness of breath for years before he died and for two or three years before his death he was totally disabled for the performance of manual labor. He had his right forefinger shot off while in the Army just above the second joint. His habits were good and he did not drink to excess but would take a drink from time to time.”

 

Deposition, Sarah Bowser, 13 June 1902
about 58 years old; post-office address, City Point, Virginia … “I am the wife of Robert Bowser. I have known claimant since she was a small girl and have always lived in the same neighborhood with her. We have been friends and visited each other from time to time. We belong to the same church. She has never married but once. And I was at the wedding at Broadway Landing. She married David Meredith. I don’t remember the date or the year they were married.”
“I don’t know what her maiden name was and I don’t know where her people lived in September that she had a sister that lived in Dinwiddie County somewhere. I have seen her sister but I don’t remember what her name was.
“I don’t remember the date that Martha and David separated and one time after that she married a man by the name of Frank Proffitt and not long ago she died in the asylum at Petersburg.
“I don’t know anything about the births of her Hannah’s children. Her oldest child William was born at Broadway. I was present, She was waited on by Sallie Paraham but I don’t remember the date or the year and have no means of fixing it. Sallie Paraham is dead.”

 

Statement, R.L. Burnett, Special Examiner, Bureau of Pensions, 14 June 1902
“I do certify that I have searched the records of marriage at the Clerk’s Office at Prince George Court House, Prince George County, Va. and find that said records show that Frank Proffit and Martha Jenkins were married Sept 15, 1874.”

 

Statement, Edwin Shelton, Postmaster, 16 June 1902
“Sir,
There are two families of Merediths in this neighborhood. The late Captain E.P. Meredith, who left, two daughters
Mrs. Bob Sydnor of Richmond, Va.,
Mrs. John V. Darricot Atlee, Hanover Co., Va.
[And] Mrs. Mary E. Meredith Ellerson Widow of Thomas E. Meredith, Hanover Co., Va.
Respectfully,
Edwin Shelton, P.M.”

 

Deposition, F.H. Brown. 27 June 1902
38 years old; post-office address, 110 South Lane, Petersburg, Va. … “I am an undertaker. I know the claimant Hannah Meredith. She bought a coffin from me Jany 13, 1896 through a man by the name of Joe Turner. This is the only coffin she ever bought from me. I know the date because it is of record on my ledger.
“I don’t know who the coffin was for but as I remember it was for one of claimant’s children.”

 

Deposition, Hannah Meredith, 27 June 1902
“I have had two children born out of wedlock. One’s name is Josephine. She was born Jany 17, 1893. And the other’s name is Herbert who was born the 15th of Oct 1895.
“Manervie Tucker waited on me when both of these children were born. And she is he only one that would know anything about their ages but she is dead. I know this is the ages of these two children because I have a record of it.
“I also have a record of the births of my other two children. Wm. Henry and George R. but this record is kept on a blank sheet in an old American history…the date of publication was torn out.
Q:  You have stated that your illicit conduct began Jany 17, 1893 while you state that Josephine was born Jany 17th 1893. How do you explain this?
A:  I did not understand your question but do now. The illicit conduct began in May or June in 1892 but I can’t fix the date.”

 

Deposition, George Meredith, 27 June 1902
“I was born the 1st day of Feby 1893. My PO Add is City Point Va. I am a laborer. … “The claimant on this case is my mother. I have one brother dead. His name was Wm. He was born April 22, 1881. I know this for the reason that my mother has it of record in an old American history kept by her. William died on the 12th or 13th of Jany 1895 …. I have two half brothers and sister Josephine and Herbert. Josephine was born Jan 17th 1893 and Herbert the 15th of October 1895.
“I had a sister by the name of Mattie but she died before my father died.”

 

Deposition, Jos. R. Turner, 2 September 1902
“I boarded at the house of said Hannah Meredith, off and on about three years, was not there all the time as I ran on a schooner, to New Haven, Conn.
“I believe that I am the father of two of her children Josephine and Herbert, of course it is hard for a man to swear in such a case to swear to being the father of the children,  But I was the only man who had any intercourse with her being that time as  know positively swear that I never married her. He was not known by my name. was called Hannah Meredith. I did not consider myself her husband. We were not recognized as man and wife. Though we sustained relations as man and wife. When we first commenced to have such relations was some time in 1892, don’t know the exact date.
“When was the child Josephine born?
In 1893 in Jany 17th. The schooner on which I was than running was frozen up at City Point where the child was the born.
According to the date of birth of said child the cohabitation of Hannah and myself must have begun in April 1892 though I do not know the month, paid no attention to same.
I have had no sexual relations with claimant since 1895.
“I married another woman in Nov 1898. R.J. Chambliss is my cousin, he is now at City Point, Va. He does not know when my cohabitation with claimant began. He did not know anything about it. He might have suspected it but I never told him. I am not in contact.”

 

Letter from Morris M. Benisch, Attorney, Benisch, Botter & Benisch, 302 Broadway, New York to Pension Bureau, 13 September 1934
“The only living member of the Regiment of which David Meredith was a member, is Mr. Anderson Brown of 508 Carter Street, Petersburg, Virginia.”