Thomas Allen’s Compiled Military Service Record reported that during his service, the soldier worked as a teamster and a regimental fisherman. After he died, his widow Emma who came to Portsmouth in 1862 worked in a peanut factory in Norfolk. According to testimony, she worked “all the time” and had a reputation as an “industrious, smart woman.”
Widow — 655,151 / 529,378, Emma Allen
Marriage Certificate [copy], Thomas Allen & Emma Duke, 23 November 1876
[Marriage] 23 November 1876
[Place] Portsmouth, Va.
[Husband’s age] 24 years
[Wife’s age] 23 years
[Condition] both single
[Husband’s birth / Husband’s residence] Portsmouth, Va.; Portsmouth, Va.
[Wife’s birth / Wife’s residence] Suffolk, Va.; Portsmouth, Va.
[Husband’s parents] Moses & Martha Allen
[Wife’s parents] Garrison & Claricy Duke
[Husband’s occupation] Laborer
[Officiant] J.W. Godwin
Certificate of Death [copy], Thomas Allen, 7 July 1895
[Age] 43 years
[Birthplace] Portsmouth, Va.
[Length of residence] Life
[Residence or place of death] South Street #826
[Death date] 7 July 1895
[Parents] Moses & Patsy Allen
[Occupation] Laborer
[Condition] Married
[Cause of death] Uncertified
[Place of burial] Wilson’s Cemetery
[Date of burial] 9 July 1895
[Undertaker] Sam Fisher, Jr.
[Place of business] Effingham St., City
Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Emma Allen, 17 May 1897
about 44 years old; post-office address, 709 County St., Portsmouth, Va.; [veteran] died 7 July 1897; “that she married under the name Emma Duke to [Thomas Allen] on the 23 day of November 1876, by Rev. John W. Godwin, at Portsmouth, Va. ; witnesses: I.C. Norcom and Wm. M. Turner … Also personally appeared Jennie Sparrow, residing at Portsmouth, Va. and Sarah Smith, residing at Portsmouth, Va. … an acquaintance of hers 20 years and 18 years, respectively.”
General Affidavit, Thomas Portlock, 29 June 1897
about 45 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 628 Columbia St., Portsmouth, Va….”That he has known the claimant and her husband Thomas Allen from their childhood; That neither of them had been married previous to their marriage to each other and could not have been without his knowledge; That claimant has not remarried since the death of her husband; That he states these facts from his own knowledge from the parties gained by a residence in Portsmouth near them during the time of his acquaintance as above stated.”
General Affidavit, Lewis Sears, 29 June 1897
62 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 823 Bart St., Portsmouth, Va…. “That he has known the claimant Emma Allen widow of Thomas Allen from her early childhood to the present time quite intimately, also knew her said husband from his young manhood.”
General Affidavit, Jefferson Gordon, 20 January 1899
48 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; he knew the soldier before the war … he remembers well when Thomas Allen enlisted…. That affiant and soldier were living in Portsmouth when the soldier enlisted and was living in Portsmouth, Va. when soldier died; That affiant knew said soldier continuously from his (affiant’s) boyhood until Thomas Allen’s death … Witnesses: John W. Pitt, Joseph P. Hardy”
General Affidavit, George W. Allen & John W. Pitt, 20, January 1900
[Allen] 51 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 814 Columbus St.; [Pitt] 52 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 1414 County St. … “That affiants are personally and intimately acquainted with Emma Allen the claimant.
“Geo. W. Allen for himself states that he is not related to claimant by blood or marriage and that he has known the claimant from her infancy and that affiant and said claimant have been living near each other in Suffolk, Va. and Portsmouth all their lives —
“John W. Pitt for himself that he has known said claimant for 12 years and over and since that time she has to his own knowledge lived in Portsmouth, Va.”
“Affiants know that [she owns] no stock,s or bonds or other investments and has no
Claimant’s Affidavit, Emma Allen, 14 August 1900
39 years old; post-office address, 718 Brighton St., Portsmouth, Va.; “That she owns no property, real, personal or mixed, except a very few necessary household goods, nor has she ever owned anything more, nor has she any interest in any property
“That she has no income from any source, except what she can earn with her own hands, nor is there anyone bound for her support;
“That she has not disposed of any property at any time for the reason that she has already stated.”
General Affidavit, Junious Cuffee, 14 August 1900
54 years old; post-office address, 3 Brighton St., Portsmouth, Va. … “That he was personally well acquainted with the soldier Thomas Allen from the year of 1855 to the date of his death in July 1895; That from his intimate personal knowledge of said soldier he says that said Thomas Allen was not enlisted in the U.S. Army or Navy prior to August 30, 1864 or after July 4, 1866.”
Deposition, Emma Allen, 1 February 1902
about 40 years old; post-office address, 711 Scott St., Portsmouth, Va.; works in peanut factory … “I don’t know when he enlisted or when discharged but he said he served during the war, not the late war with Spain, but the other war before that. He told me that he enlisted at Norfolk, Va. I don’t know where he served but he went to Texas with his Regt., he told me, said how hot it was there”
“Q. Did he state the names of any of his officers or comrades?
A. He did but it’s been so long I have foregotten [sic] their names. I do not know of any man who served with him. He had a discharge from the army but lost it. He read it to me. He could read; but he could not write. He was a soldier, not a servant for an officer.
“He said he got a hundred dollars bounty. When he came out, never received any bounty after I married him. He started to apply for pension at one time through a colored man, name not known, gave the man $1.50, never saw him again, so nothing was done.
“My said husband was born in Portsmouth, the son of Moses and Martha Allen, was a slave of Mrs. Poole (dead)….. I don’t know his age but he was turning gray when he died.
“I was married to said Thos. Allen by J.W. Godwin, the pastor of my church, in Portsmouth, Va., don’t know the date, but it was in the winter time about 25 years ago. I do not know my age when I was married, but I was about grown. I never “knowed” my age. I don’t think I was 23 years old then.
“My maiden name was Emma Duke. My parents were Garrison and Clarisy Duke.
“He, Thomas Allen, was never married before his marriage to me, nor did he have a wife according to slave custom. ‘He never had no wife but me.
“I have had four children only in my life, none since the death of my husband. I have but two children living, but they were both over 16 years old when I applied for a pension. All my children were born after I was married.
“I have worked in a peanut factory every since my husband’s death, have worked there all the time except when I was sick.
“My husband did not tell me how old he was when he enlisted, but said he was not of age, and ran away from home.”
Deposition, Jennie Sparrow, 1 February 1902
about 49 years old; a widow; occupation, washing & ironing; post-office address, 816 Green St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I have known the claimant Emma Allen since she was a girl about 10 or 12 years old. Her mother was Clarissa Duke, did not know her father. … I have lived near her the past 20 years and have visited her often, saw her husband during his last sickness, she was right there waiting on him.
Deposition, Junious Cuffee, 4 February 1902
64 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 719 Scott St., Portsmouth, Va. … “I also knew her husband. We were playboys together in Portsmouth, Va.
“He was a slave and I was free. I left Portsmouth, Va. in 1862 and did not see Allen again until I saw him in Brownsville. That was the year the war was over and was just discharged and was on my way home. I served in Co. H, 43rd Col’d Pa. Inf. and this man Allen was in a Cav’y Regt, don’t know what Regt. He was camped there with his Regt.
“No sir I don’t know his full name. I cannot say that it was Thos. Allen … I now live in four blocks of her [Emma Allen].
“Q. Has she owned any property since Allen’s death?
A. None, nothing to live on but hard labor. Works in a peanut factory in Norfolk. …. Allen was a medium-sized man, a kind of ginger cake color, age about 54 if still living.”
Deposition, Geo. W. Allen, 5 February 1902
54 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 424 Bart St., Portsmouth, Va. …
“I have known Emma Allen, the claimant, ever since she was born.
“She belonged to Mrs. Catherine Duke in Suffolk, Va. and I belonged to Mrs. Margaret Daughtry. We both came to Portsmouth, Va. the latter part of 1862 and have been living there ever since.
“After her father died, she lived in the same house with me, my father’s house for 3 or 4 years. Her father was Garrison Duke.
“I first met her husband Tom Allen about 1867 or 1868. We belonged to the same club, the Union League. I was at their wedding but don’t know the date. … I used to visit them and saw him once during his last sickness. He died on South Street, Portsmouth, Va., about six years ago…. her daughters live with her. … She works in a peanut factory and her daughter takes in washing.”
Deposition, Frank Smith, 5 February 1902
about 55 years old; labor in the U.S. Navy Yard; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.; “I reside in ‘Brighton’ … He joined the company a few days after I did. “From the time we were discharged to his death I saw him often, he worked at the North Street depot, and I used to go to his house but not often … I don’t know his age but he was quite a young man in the Army … She works in a peanut factory.”
Deposition, John W. Pitt, 8 February 1902
nearly 60 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 1414 County St., Portsmouth, Va. “I have known the claimant Emma Allen between 16 and 18 years. When I first knew her she was known and recognized as the wife of Thomas Allen. I got acquainted with him after I met her. … I have seen her but once during the last 12 months…. she is an industrious, smart woman.”
Deposition, Richard Webb, 10 February 1902
63 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 374 Bank St., Norfolk, Va. …
“Q. How do you know that he [soldier] is dead?
“A. I missed him, some years ago, and inquired for him and was told he was dead.
“I used to load vessels around the dock in Portsmouth, and would talk with him, he worked about the depot near the wharf.
“He told me that he had a wife and asked me several times to come and see him but I never did. I never saw his wife, don’t know her name. I don’t think that he had wife while he was a soldier. He was then quite young. I reckon he married her after he came out.”
Deposition, Squire Bright, 18 February 1902
about 60 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 313 Dinwiddie St., Portsmouth, Va. “He lived in Portsmouth after the war. I saw him there often. He is dead. I attended his funeral.
“Q. Did he have a wife?
A. Yes, her name is Emma Allen. She is a brown-skinned woman, works in a peanut factory all the time. I have never visited at her house but see her at different things. … She lives a correct life I believe. She is all the time at work.”
Deposition, Zilphia A. Lewis, 18 February 1902
32 years old; occupation, housework; post-office address, 1408 Green St., Norfolk, Va., wife of Abr. Lewis. I became acquainted with Emma Allen in 1896, she lived upstairs over me at 715 Scott St. and later lived next door to me about one year. She now lives on Scott St. nearby.
“She told me when she first moved in same house with me that she was a widow and that her husband had been dead 12 months. … I have known men to go there [to Emma’s house]. I suppose they went to see her daughter, never knew one to go to see her or to stay there. People cannot help what their daughters do. She worked all the time.”
Deposition, Mary A. Beaman, 20 February 1902
36 years; occupation, laundress; post-office address, Race Street next to Pump House, Portsmouth, Va. … I am a widow … I have known the claimant Emma Allen all my life. …. I lived in the same house with her for over a year since his death, on Scott Street, that has been about three years … She lives not far from me now. … She supports herself by honest work, has worked in a peanut factory every day when able for years, worked there before her husband died, she has charge of a number of hands.”
Deposition, Jefferson Gordon, 21 February 1902
“I don’t know my age but I think I am about 50 years old” … occupation, hostler; post-office address, 821 Clifford St., Portsmouth, Va. … “I have lived in Portsmouth, Va. since I was a small boy.
“I became acquainted with Thos. Allen a short time after the war. No, I cannot tell the year when I first met him. I knew him very well. He died on South St. of dysentery, saw him when he was sick. … The claimant does know me but as ‘Dukes’ Gordon. That is a nickname. My right name is Jefferson Gordon.”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 