Benjamin Anderson, Company D

After the war, the soldier and his family settled in Portsmouth. Despite the ailments he developed during his service — frostbitten feet, a consumptive cough, and chronic diarrhea — he owned a home and a rental property. 

 

Widow – 353,162 / 351,550, Margaret Anderson

 

Marriage License [copy], Benjamin Anderson & Margaret Counsell, 6 October 1868
Portsmouth, Va. … Husband’s age, 23 years old, 20th December 1868; Wife’s age, 18 years old, 10th June 1868; both were single; Husband’s birthplace, Williamsburg, Va.; Wife’s birthplace, Suffolk, Va.; both resided in Portsmouth, Va.; Husband’s parents, Benjamin & Lucy Anderson; Wife’s parents, William & Sally Councill; husband’s occupation, farmer; officiant, E.G. Corprew

 

Declaration for Widow’s Pension and Increase, Margaret Anderson, 8 April 1887
“36 years old … she has the following-named children of her deceased husband, under sixteen years of age, who are now living, the dates of whose births are, as given below, to wit:
“Laura, born June 29, 1875, living at Portsmouth
Margaret, born June 7, 1877, living at Portsmouth
Benjamin, born June 6, 1882, living at Portsmouth
Joseph, born October 8, 1884, living at Portsmouth”

 

Proof of Disability, Susan Kearney & Joseph Cornick, 27 April 1887
[Kearney] 58 years old; residence, Washington St., Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Virginia
[Cornick] [?]9 years old; residence, 617 Queen St., Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Virginia …
“That the facts stated are personally known to the affiant by reason of 26 or 27 years well acquainted with the said Benjamin Anderson … and that each of them and the said Benjamin Anderson and his family resided in the city of Portsmouth from the date of the discharge up to his death and that they further state that each of them was present at the death of the said Benjamin Anderson”

 

General Affidavit, Charles H. Gordon & Jane Wilson, 27 April 1887
[Gordon] 32 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
[Wilson] 38 years old; residence, 619 High St., Portsmouth, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“That each of them was bred and born in Portsmouth, County of Norfolk, State of Virginia, and each of them are well acquainted with Margarette Anderson … That they have known the said soldier before the war of 1861 and have been well acquainted with him up to his death …”

 

Deposition, Margaret Anderson, 21 September 1888
35 years old; post-office, Crabbe St. betn Cook & Armstrong St., Portsmouth, Norfolk, Co., Va.
“Q. Is your husband living?
“A. No, sir, he died Octr 6th 1884, his name was Benjamin Anderson … born in James City Co., Va., age about 34 yrs at death, occupation, laborer … He was a slave of Mr. Sell Jones of James City Co., Va., he is dead. My name was Margaret Counsill. I was raised in Suffolk, Va. I first knew Benjamin Anderson at Portsmouth, Va. during the war. He was a soldier then in Co. D 1s USC Cavy. I married him Octr 6th 1868 here in Portsmouth, Va. The Rev. E.G. Corprew was the minister who married us. Benjamin Anderson was a farmer before the war. There was nothing whatever the matter with Benj. Anderson when I first knew him. He was a stout healthy young man when I first made his acquaintance. In 1866 he was discharged from the Army & he came directly to me at Portsmouth, Va. He had a hard cough complaint of his side hurting him, both feet were frosted. He told me he got this way while in the Army from exposure. He told me the name of the place he got this cold but I cannot now say where it was. This cold seemed to settle on his lungs & he suffered with his frosted feet and clean up to his death he suffered with his feet. He was able to do some work and did work, but he suffered all the time up to his death. After I married him I found out he had diarrhea, and that came at time very badly. It was not continuous with him but at fits & starts he would have it. Had diarrhea badly when he died. Six months before he died he was unable to do any work and finally died Octr 6 1884 of consumption brought on from exposure in the Army.

“He left me four children, all living,
Laura Anderson, born June 23d 1874
Margaret Anderson, “ July 8th 1878
Benjamin Anderson, “ June 9th 1883
Joseph Anderson, “ October 18th 1884.
“These dates are taken from my family Bible. When I made my Declaration for Pension I guessed at their births as I did not have the Bible with me.

“The dates of the births of our children were put in the Bible by our daughter Laura and we guessed at the dates as well as we could.

“My husband Benjamin Anderson had no physician to treat him after the war. He was not able to have a doctor. We went to different drug stores and bought different kinds of medicine. When he died he had no physician & had none at any time. George Coleman was the undertaker, Mary Riddick and Charles H. Gordon of Portsmouth, Va. here with him when he died.

“I have remained his widow, have not re-married. My last child Joseph Anderson was born 12 days after his father Benj. Anderson died.

“Susan Kearney was with me at the birth of all my children. She is a midwife here in Portsmouth, Va. All of the children were born in Portsmouth, Va.

“My husband Benjn Anderson often said he would ask for a pension but he neglected it until too late.
“I wish you to see Mary Reddick, Charles H. Gordon, Susan Kearney, Jane Wilson, all here in Portsmouth, Va. as to condition since service & death, & my not again marrying. James Woodis, Nathan Butcher of Norfolk, Va. as to my husband’s sickness in the Army.”

 

Deposition, Susan Kearney, 21 September 1888
60 years old; occupation, midwife; post-office Pearl St., betn High and Queen, Portsmouth, Va.
“I knew Benjamin Anderson ever since the war ended. Knew him before he married Margaret Counsil. He married her in 1868 here in Portsmouth, Va. Benjn Anderson had a cough and misery in his side when I first knew him after he got out of the Army. I then lived across the street from him and got to know him well and I know he suffered with a dry hard cough & pain in his side, his feet were frostbitten also, said he got this way in the Army. He was a single man when he came out of the Army, and his wife Margaret was a single girl. I got to know to them both intimately well after they were married & I was with him at his death Octr 6th 1884. He died from consumption, and I know he had the symptoms of consumption when I first knew him and got worse all the time, sometimes up and sometimes down. He was then emaciated like & could do but very little work and for a few years before he died he done no work. We gave him teas and such herbs as would do him good. He was not able, to have a doctor. I looked after him and gave him herbs to take for his cough and pains inside. He was too poor to have a doctor.

“Benjn’s Anderson & Margaret Anderson have four children, all living. I was the midwife for them all. I kept no memoranda of their births. I cannot read or write.

“Laura, Margaret, Susan, Benjamin & Joseph, these were all their children. After Benjn Anderson died Joseph was born just 12 days. Margaret was expecting to be confined and did not go to the funeral just 12 days after Ben died his son Joseph was born. I cannot give you the ages except Joseph his was 12 days after his father died & he died Octr 6th 1884. The ages I gave in my affidavit were given me at the time by the mother and she guessed it as no record was kept I feel sure that the ages were given very near right.”

 

Deposition, Charles H. Gordon, 21 September 1888
83 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office Crabbe St. between Godwin & Armstrong Sts., Portsmouth, Va.
“Q. When did you first know Benjamin Anderson?
A. I knew him in 1862 a year before he went in the Army. I was very young but I seriously remember him as a stout young man. I suppose it was 6 or 8 months after his discharge I saw him here in Portsmouth, Va. He and I then worked together for 9 or 10 months. He had a cough, spit up a great deal, complained of pain in his side, and had frosted feet, said he got this way from exposure in the Army. He was able to do full work sometimes & then again he was not able to work but little. We worked in cotton together. He was a single man then, afterwards married his present widow Margaret Council. He had consumption certain when we worked together the year after his discharge. My reason for thinking this is he took cold easily, always had a hard dry cough and pains in his breast.

“I do not know if he had diarrhea or not. He was a man of good habits, never drank. I saw him often after I worked with him& he got worse all the time and finally died with me standing by his bedside Oct 6, 1884 at night. He had no doctor. He died with consumption and very bad at that …”

 

Deposition, Mary Reddick, 21 September 1888
39 years old; post-office address, Crabbe St betn Pearl and Cook sts., Portsmouth, Va. …
“Q. Do you remember when you first knew Benjamin Anderson?
A. Very soon after he came out of the army, inside of 12 months. I got to know him here in Portsmouth, Va. and I knew him well up to his marriage in 1868. His wife was his present widow Margaret Council. They were both single. … I helped nurse him &­­­ was with him when he died. …”

 

Deposition, William Ward, 21 September 1888
48 years old; occupation, attorney-at-law; post-office address, 266 Green St., Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“Q. What position did you hold in the army in the late war?
A. First Sgt., Co. D, 1st US Cold Cav
Q.  Do you remember Benjn Anderson.
A. Yes, sir. He was the first man on my company roll….
“I remember in Feby 1864 Anderson was down in regimental hospital with a severe cold. Dr. Gray pronounced it pneumonia, he was our surgeon…. I often excused him from duty on account of these pains in his side…. He got frostbitten feet May 14, 1861 forging Chickahominy river in Va. He was horseback but he swam the river & clothes got wet, it was late in the evening & we slept in our clothes and that night there was a heavy frost and Anderson had his feet frostbitten. Dr. Gray treated him at sick call for frozen feet. He was always reported as present but he was excused from duty….”

 

Deposition, James Woodis, 21 September 1888
46 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Springfield, Norfolk Co., Va.
“Q. Do you remember Benjamin Anderson?
A. Yes, sir. I knew him in Co. D, 1st USCCavy. … It was near sundown when we got over the Chickahominy river. I can’t say if he was treated for his feet or not. … After being at Brazos Texas I was attached to the Engineers Dept and saw very little of Anderson as he was not allowed to come where I was on duty. … When Anderson mustered out in 1866, I saw him at least 3 or 4 times a week up to his death. … He died in Portsmouth, Va. I was not at his funeral …”

 

Deposition, Albert Loman, 21 September 1888
41 years old; occupation, laborer; No 3 Hull St., Norfolk, Va.
“Q. Do you remember any sickness he had in service?
A. He got frostbitten when crossing Chickahominy Swamps in 1864. His feet were frostbitten, I was his tentmate at Bermuda Hundred … Dr. Gray, the assistant surgeon, treated him in regimental hospital at Old Point, Va. For­­­­­t Monroe tis called. … It was only a short time after he enlisted that he took this cold which seemed to settle in his lungs. … I met his frequently after discharge and I know he got no better … I do know he was from Williamsburg, James City Co., Va. …”

 

Deposition, Nathan Butcher, 21 September 1888
“50 years old; occupation, baker near market, in Portsmouth; post-office address, 79 Hawk St., Norfolk, Va. … he slept in his wet clothes which gave him a terrible cold and also frosted his feet. He complained greatly of his feet, walked bad. I never saw his naked feet but he told me they became frosted after swimming that river. He was on his horse but the water was deep & came midway to his saddle ­­­…”

 

Deposition, Anna Cherry, 22 September 1888
“40 years old; post-office address, Crabbe St., Portsmouth, Va.
“Q. Do you remember Benjn Anderson?
A.  Yes, sir. We were neighbors. He lives where his widow lives now & I lived here up to his death. I have forgot the year he died.
Q. What caused his death?
A.  Lockjaw. He was working away from home & cut his little finger, mashed or cut off and came home with it hanging by the skin and died one or two days after he got home with lockjaw. I did not see him but understand at the time he had lockjaw.”

 

Deposition, Josephine Taylor, 22 September 1888
about 33 years old; post-office address, Crabbe st betn Pearl & Pine st., Portsmouth, Va…
“Q. Do you remember Benjn Anderson?
A. Yes, sir. I was with him the day he died. Monday night he died. I was with him Monday morning, lifted him up on the pillow & someone tried to give him medicine with a spoon, his teeth were clinched & nothing could be got down his throat, he had lockjaw that day and died that night. I was not with him when he died but I understand lockjaw killed him.”

 

Deposition, G.C. Colden, 22 September 1888
45 years old; occupation, undertaker; post-office address, Pearl St., Portsmouth, Va.
“Q. Do you remember Benjn Anderson?
A.  I do. I buried him. He died Octr 6th 1884
Q.  What was cause of death?
A.  He had been working somewhere and mashed his finger. After he died I was called to bury him and was informed he died of lockjaw. I do not know who gave me this information. I have always been under the impression he died from lockjaw from the mashed finger.”

 

General Affidavit, Harriet L. Gray & Jane Wilson, 16 August 1892
[Gray] about 40 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
[Wilson] 39 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“That they are personally well acquainted with the claimant Mrs. Margaret Anderson and know of the property owned by her which consist of a lot in Norfolk County near the City of Portsmouth 45 feet front and running back 113 feet with a small house with four (4) rooms left her by her said husband, to which she has added a small house which rents for $500.00 a month, and a small amount of necessary household goods not worth more than $10.00.”

 

Deposition, Margaret Anderson, 27 May 1901
46 years old; residence and post-office address, 1204 Columbia st., Portsmouth, Va. … “I first knew my said husband during the war of the rebellion His regt was in camp out back of Portsmouth, Va. Soon after I became acquainted with him his regiment was ordered to Texas. At discharge he returned to Portsmouth, Va. and he and I were married about two years later in Portsmouth, Va. by Rev. Corprew, and we lived together until he died in Columbia St., Portsmouth, Va. 16 years ago. I don’t know the cause of his death. He was sick only about 9 days. He had incurred an injury to his hand but I don’t know whether blood poisoning followed. Dr. Billysalli attended him. I don’t know where my said husband was born.  His father Benjamin Anderson lived near Williamsburg, James City Co., Va. His mother’s name was Lucy. He had two brothers, George and Wash Anderson. They were not in the army. He had two sisters, Martha and Lucy. … He had a discharge but it got lost after our marriage. I think my said husband applied for a pension but I am not positive. … I had 7 children by the soldier. Four were under 16 years of age when he died — Laura, Margaret, Benjamin and Joseph. Laura, Margaret and Benjamin are in life and live with me. Joseph died Jan 2, 1901.
“____________ Wood of Washington, DC was my atty. William Read, Portsmouth, Va. did my writing and I paid to him $2.00. Read executes my voucher. I go to his office on the 4th and take two witnesses…. I have supported myself by doing laundry work. I have had employment much of the time in the capacity of domestic.”

 

Letter from Thomas H. Reid, Attorney-at-Law and Notary Public, Tidewater Bldg., Green Street, Portsmouth, Virginia to Department of Pension, Washington, DC, 6 April 1931
“Gentleman:
“I am writing to inform you of the death of Mrs. Margaret Anderson who lived at number 1204 Columbia Street, Portsmouth, Virginia. She died on the 28th day of March 1931, and her son, Dr. W.R. Anderson has qualified on her estate as the administrator and he lives at 1309 Glasgow Street, Portsmouth, Virginia. You will find enclosed the certificate of said qualification. Check for the accrued pension can be mailed direct to his address. The check has been returned by the letter carrier.
“Very truly yours,
Thomas H. Reid”

“Virginia:
“In the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of the City of Portsmouth, on the 6th day of April 1931.
“I, Kenneth A. Bain, Jr., Clerk of the Circuit Court of the City of Portsmouth, in the State of Virginia, do certify that it appears from the records of the said Court, on file in my office, that William B. Anderson duly qualified on the 6th day of April, 1931, as Administrator of the estate of Margaret Anderson and duly executed and acknowledged a bond as prescribed by law, in the penalty of $550.00, conditioned according to law, with Mrs. Goldie Anderson as surety.
Given under my hand and the seal of said Court, the day and the year first herein abovewritten.
“Kenneth A. Bain, Jr., Clerk
“By L.M. Hefner, D.C.”

 

Application for Reimbursement, W.B. Anderson, 29 June 1931
49 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; “… [applies for re-imbursement for] the last sickness and burial of Margaret C. Anderson … and who died March 28th 1931 at Portsmouth, Va. and was buried at Portsmouth, Va. . . .
1 –  [name of the deceased] Margaret C. Anderson
2 –  [status] widow of Benjamin Anderson
3 –  [was decedent pensioned at soldier or sailor] no
4 –  [children under 16] no
5 –  [children living?] [blank]
6 –  [sick or death benefits paid out] Order of Tents, $100.00
7    through 12 [blank]
13 – [administrator or executive?] administrator
14 – [decedent’s assets] her home
15 – [value of all property] $750.00
16 – [value of real estate] $600.00
17 – [property disposition] “to the children as her only heirs at law”
18 – [unendorsed pension check] yes, check was dis[persed]  on April 4th
19 – [relation to deceased] son
20 – [married] yes
21 – [cause of pensioner’s death] acute indigestion
22 – [date illness began] “taken with attack on 27th & 28th”
23 – [date decedent required daily care] “just stated above”
24 – [name/address of physician] Dr. J.S. Jackson, 412 Effingham St.
25 – [person who nursed the decedent] Mrs. Smith, RFD Deep Creek, Va.
26 – [pensioner’s last residence] 1204 Columbia St.
27 – [payments due] “only by undertaker”
“This claimant is expecting the accrued pension and any other allowed by Gov. in such cases to help defray expenses of last sickness and expenses of burial.”
W.B. Anderson
1309 Glasgow St.
Administrator”

“Also appeared Mrs. Goldie D. Anderson and John T. Fisher …
1 – [widow or child] no
2 – [death date] March 28, 1931
3 – [any property?] 1 house & lot — value at about $700 or $800
4 – [“We knew the decedent”] 30 years and 40 years, respectively
[Anderson] 1309 Glasgow St., Portsmouth, Va.; [Fisher] 312 Effingham St., Portsmouth, Va.

 

Statement of Attending Physician, J.A. Jackson, M.D., 29 June 1931
Note: Repeats full name of pensioner, date of death, date of illness, cause of death — Leslie