Robert Forbes survived a gunshot wound to the head but suffered from its effects for the rest of his life. His discharge papers were lost during his attempt to be paid the $300 bounty owed to him. At war’s end, Forbes married a woman from Princess Anne County, Virginia where they settled on a farm and raised a family. Robert’s brother Isaac Forbes served in Company F, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry.
Invalid — 548,290 / 363,243
Widow — 1,004,529 / 761,372, Elizabeth Forbes
General Affidavit, John Daniels & Henry Shaw, 8 August 1883
[Daniels], 50 years old; resident, London Bridge, Princess Anne Co., Va; post-office address [same]; and [Shaw], 56 years old; resident, Princess Anne C.H., Princess Anne Co., Va.; post-office address [same]; … “[P]ersonally acquainted with Robert Forbes for 35 years and 30 years, respectively … That previous to the war we knew Robert Forbes, we all lived in Currituck and Camden Counties, NC within five miles of each other. We knew him before his enlistment and as far as we knew he was a perfectly sound man; that since his return from the army in 1866 during that year and the years 1867 & 1868 we lived near him and saw him frequently, certainly as often as once a month. The wound as we saw it on his (Robert Forbes) return from the army in or about March 1866. [It] was a large sore on the left side of his head about the top of forehead and hair about one inch above the ear. The sore was a large one and discharged at times. During this time from March 1866 to Dec 1868 we were all engaged in farming and lived as neighbors and we the affiants saw Robt Forbes as often as once a month and we knew on hot days he suffered so with his head that he was unable to do more than 1/2 or 2/3 of a day’s work and at times he was confined to his house for a period of one week at the time. From Jany 1869 to Dec 1877, Robt Forbes dd not live near us and we did not see him oftener than once in two or three months but we know that had made the same complaint to us in regard to his suffering. In 1878 Robt Forbes was again our near neighbor and had so lived at the time to the present time and we know that he still suffers with his head and his unable to do work in hot weather and he frequently complains of his head and we know of our own personal knowledge that he is unable to do hard work in hot weather.”
Marriage Certificate [copy], Robert Forbes & Elizabeth Owens, 28 September 1883
[marriage] 1 October 1883
[place] Norfolk Co., Va.
[ages] both 34 years old
[condition] both single
[birthplace] North Carolina and Princess Anne Co., Va., respectively
[residences] both Norfolk Co., Va.
[husband’s parents] Robert Forbes and [ blank ]
[wife’s parents] Peter and Rutha Ann Owens
[husband’s occupation] laborer
[officiant] Richard R. Gowens performed ceremony at his home
Questionnaire, Robert Forbes, 4 June 1898
[married] Elizabeth Forbes — Elizabeth Owens
[when, where, by whom] 1868, Princess Anne Co., Va., Elder Gowans
[record] record filed in Clerk’s Office
[previously married] no
[living children] Wm. H., Aug. 11, 1869; Samuel J., Feby 4, 1879; Columbus A., Oct 2, 1875; Alice T., March 18, 1877; Sarah E., Aug 11, 1880; Carrie V., April 18, 1882; Ernest, September 29, 1884; [illegible], June 8, 1888
Deposition, Robert Forbes, 25 July 1902
“I am 57 years of age; farmer; & I live about 4 miles from Princess Ann [sic] C.H., Va.”
“I was born in Camden County, NC. I was a slave: was owned by Walter Forbes. My father is Isaac Humphreys. I have never gone under any name other than Robert Forbes. …
“I lost my discharge through Mr. Brown when I was trying to get $100 bounty which was due me. I got $200 bounty but was entitled to $300. It was the two hundred that I was trying to get through Mr. Brown. …
“Jeptha Girrard was my Col.
Seip was Lt. Col.
Brown was Major
Chas. W. Dey was my Capt.
Ricker was 1st Lt. but later became Capt. of a Co. of my Regt
Brown was 2nd Lieut.
Joe Fuller was 1st Sgt.
Henry White was 2nd Sgt.
Primus Banks was 3rd Sgt.
I was a Private Soldier
Marshall Land, Joseph Mews, Joe Lamb, myself we were all in the same tent.
“I was on detached duty to drive a team in Brazos Texas but that night I was taken sick & had to go to the hospital. I was excused from duty for several days. Still I do not know what was the matter with me at Ft. Powhatan, Va. I was shot in head while going on picket & was in hospital several weeks on account of said wound.”
“I do not recollect the name of my atty. Personally, I paid him nothing.
“Charles W. Dey & Joseph Fuller were my witnesses. They charged me nothing. I was not a witness for them.
“Mr. Garwood executed my vouchers. He always swears me & I never have vouchers executed before the 4th. I have never pawned my pension ctf.
“I now suffer with wound of head, neuralgia & rupture – have been ruptured eight years. A plow handle struck me while plowing in new ground…
“I have only been married once — married Elizabeth Owens. She was never married till [sic] she married me. She & I were married right near here in this co. We were married by Rev. Goings. We were married soon after the war.
“We have one child under 16, viz [illegible] . She is 14 and will be 15 on the 8th day of June coming.”
General Affidavit, Robert Forbes, 18 February 1908
63 years old; resident, Lynnhaven, Princess Anne Co., Va. … “That he is unable to furnish any record evidence of the date of his birth; that he knows of no such record; that he was born in December, 1844, as far as he can learn from the statements made to him when he was a boy; that he was nineteen years of age at the time he enlisted in December, 1863, and was consequently sixty-three years of age at the time of filing this application; that being unable to furnish any better evidence of his age he must rely upon the records of the War Department.”
Death Certificate [copy], Robert Forbes, 7 February 1913
[place of death] Seaboard, Princess Anne Co., Va.
[sex, color, condition] male, colored, married
[age] 68 years old
[occupation] farmer
[birth date, birthplace] [death date entered on this line but then struck through — Leslie], North Carolina
[father’s name, birthplace] Isac Humphrey, NC
[mother’s name, birthplace] Lizzie Owens, Princess Anne Co., Va.
[informant] Samuel Forbes, Lynnhaven, Va.
[cause of death] pneumonia, paralysis
[signature] R.E. Whitehead, M.D., Norfolk, Va.
[burial] Piney Grove, Febry 9, 1913
[undertaker] J.L. Bell, Lynnhaven, Va.
Letter from M.G. Thompson, Postmaster, Lynnhaven, Virginia, to John R. King, Pension Agent, Washington, DC, 11 February 1913
“Sir — Robert Forbes, a pensioner whose address is Lynnhaven, Va. died Feb 7th, 1913.”
General Affidavit, Norris Ferebee, 1 April 1913
70 years old; resident, Princess Anne Co., Va. post-office address, RFD Box 8, Lynnhaven, Princess Anne Co., Va. “That Robert Forbes was never married except to the claimant Elizabeth (Owens) Forbes; That we — Robert Forbes and myself were boys together, he was owned by Isaac Forbes in Camden Co., NC prior to Civil War; and after Civil War both came to Princess Anne Co., Va. and we have at no time lived over 5 miles apart since war; That Robert and Elizabeth Forbes lived as man and wife until his death & were never divorced; and she has not remarried; and I have every reason to believe Elizabeth Forbes was never married except to Robert Forbes. I have known her about 45 years and she was then living with Robert Forbes as his wife but later they got married by a license, I understood.”
General Affidavit, Boston Cowell, 21 April 1913
76 years old; resident, Princess Anne Co., Va., post-office address, Princess Anne C.H., Va.; “That Robert Forbes and myself were boys together in North Carolina – He lived in Camden Co. & I in Currituck Co.; That I have continued to know Robert Forbes from his boyhood and know he was never married except to the claimant Elizabeth (Owens) Forbes; her maiden name being Owens.
“Robert Forbes and Elizabeth Owens lived together as husband and wife prior to their marriage to each other. They were then married to each other and continued living together as man and wife until Robert Forbes death. Claimant is a woman of good moral character and is considered a very good woman in her community.”
Death Certificate, Elizabeth Forbes, 5 July 1917
[place of death] Seaboard, Princess Anne Co., Va.
[sex, color, status] female, colored, widowed
[age] 68
[occupation] domestic
[birthplace] Va.
[father’s name, birthplace] Frank Owens, Va.
[mother’s name, birthplace] Elizabeth Owens, Va.
[informant] Earnest Forbes, Prs. Anne, RFD 2, Box 16
[death date] July 5, 1917
[cause of death] apoplexy, arterosclerosis
[signature] R.E. Whitehead, M.D.
[burial] Piney Grove / July 7, 1917
[undertaker] J.L. Bell, Lynnhaven, Va.
Letter from Ernest Forbes to Pension Bureau, 18 July 1917
“Princess Anne Co., RFD #2, Box 16
Dear Sir:
My mother: Elizabeth Forbes is dead.
She departed this life on the 17th of July 1917. And please let me know if you will send me a toom [sic] stone to go to her grave as you did Papa, and will I get any money of her pension. I mean from the last you sent her untill [sic] the day she died. I will be thankful for her burial is all on me.
From her youngest son,
Ernest Forbes”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 