The soldier claimed he was unmarried and that he was born in Pennsylvania. Concerned witnesses in King William County, Virginia were “deeply interested in Rosetta Henry and fearing imposition from Levi Henderson investigated as far as possible his antecedents.” The concern suggests they had doubts about Henderson’s marital status — certainly her half-brother Henry Smith did. Rosetta moved to Richmond with her owner’s family and was hired out. After Richmond fell she worked as a maid and took in laundry. For a time Rosetta lived at 9th and Broad Streets, not far from the current location of the Library of Virginia.
Invalid — 788,288 / 820,714
Widow — 666,823 / 496, 762, Rosetta Henderson
General Affidavit, Frank Gaines & Lucy Gaines, 28 May 1898
[Frank Gaines] [no age reported]; residence, King William Co., Va.; post-office address, King William County
[Lucy Gaines] 52 years old; residence, King William Co., Va.; post-office address, King William County
“[we have known the claimant] since she was a girl, that Levi Henderson came to Virginia from Texas or New Orleans at the close of the war between the states, that was in 1865 and we became acquainted with him that year soon after he got to Virginia, that he Levi Henderson was a young man and unmarried…”
General Affidavit, Henry Smith & Frank Gaines, 22 December 1898
King William County, Virginia …
[Smith] 74 years old; residence, Manquin District, King William Co., Va.; post-office address, King William County, Virginia
[Gaines] 52 years old; residence, Manquin District, King William Co., Va. post-office address, King William County, Virginia
“Well and personally acquainted with Rose Henderson, the claimant and widow of Levi Henderson … for some fifty years or from her childhood respectively, and that prior to each and every year subsequent to the year 1855 down to the 8th day of November 1866 she was not married to anyone, that her marriage to the soldier was the only one he was …. The said Henry Smith and Frank Gaines state that they and the said Rose Henderson, …were born and reared on the same plantation…”
General Affidavit, Henry Smith & Frank Gaines, 27 February 1899
[Smith] 74 years old; residence, Acquinton [?] District, King William Co., Va.; post-office address, King William, Virginia
[Gaines] [no age reported]; residence, Acquinton [?] District, King William Co., Va.; post-office address, King William, Virginia
“That they became acquainted with Levi Henderson in 1866 soon after his muster out of the military service of the military … ; that he was the comrade and close friend of Albert Washington whom each of us had known for a number of years and who had mustered out [at the same time as Levi Henderson; that Levi Henderson claimed to be a native of Pennsylvania and often stated his birthplace and home, which is now forgotten by us; that Levi Henderson became acquainted with Rose (or Rosetta) Harvey now Henderson the applicant in 1866 and became engaged to marry her; that we, Henry Smith and Frank Gaines and others being deeply interested in Rose Henderson and fearing imposition from Levi Henderson, investigated as far as possible his antecedents and became convinced that he was an unmarried man of good reputation, which conviction was strengthened by the repeated assertion of the aforesaid Albert Washington (now dead) whom we had previously known and who was reared in our midst, that he knew Levi Henderson was unmarried and of good character. After careful inquiry, and being satisfied that there was no legal impediment, Rose (or Rosetta) was married to Levi Henderson. After his marriage to Rose Harvey (now Rose Henderson, the applicant) Levi Henderson made a trip to Pennsylvania and his old home and brought his personal effects to Virginia. This to us and other near friends of Rose Henderson was conclusive evidence that he had practiced no deception and we never had afterwards any reason to think to the contrary; that we are thoroughly convinced and believe, that Levi Henderson was never married previous to his marriage to Rose (or Rosetta) Henry now Rose Henderson the applicant in November 1866.”
Note: Seven men responded to Questionnaire (Form 3-594). The second and third questions on all seven questionnaires were struck through and replaced with the questions that appear in my research notes below. All seven men said they knew Levi Henderson but their answers to the remaining questions varied. Some answered the original question; some answered the edited question. Thomas Williams’s answers don’t correspond to the original questions or the edited questions. He received a follow-up memo from the Pension Bureau. — Leslie
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Rich’d Webb, 2 December 1899
address 369 Bank St., Norfolk, Va.; address, 369 Bank St., Norfolk, Va.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. yes
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. Do not know. Think he was from Eastern Shore, Va.
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. Do not know. Never heard him say.”
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Henry Smith, 2 December 1899
address, Land of Promise; address, Hickory, Va.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. [blank]
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. [blank]
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. It has been so long that I cannot recall the name.”
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), James Wilson, 2 December 1899
address, Northwest, Va.; Northwest, Norfolk, Va.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. [blank]
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. [blank]
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. In reply, this date I cannot remember the soldier named nor any such name.”
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Andrew Madry or Madre, 2 December 1899
address, Burgess, N.C.; address, Burgess, Perquimans Co., N.C.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. [blank]
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. [blank]
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. His eyes was [sic] injured in service and they was [sic] no good to him when he died he was not married at that time; Perquimans Co. was his home all the time.”
[Note: There’s a handwritten note on the back “Andrew Madry is dead and Levi Henderson I don’t no [sic] him as I am Andrew Madry’s widow.” There’s no date stamped on this page. — Leslie]
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Thomas Williams, 2 December 1899
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. Yes, I know Levi Henderson.
[The original question on the form]
Q. Do you remember that he suffered with any wound, injury, or disease while in service?
know where his home was before enlistment?
[Respondent’s answer]
A. James Nichols was my first sergeant of Company C. William Reed was 2.
[The original question on the form]
Q. If you do remember any such wound, injury, or disease, state the nature of same/]
[Respondent’s answer]
A.. James Nichols was my first sergeant of Company C. William Reed was second sergeant of Company C. Both of these sergeants was [sic] came from the city of Norfolk, Va. William Reed is at the Soldiers Home.”
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Howell Jones, 2 December 1899
address, Worrells, Va.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. No.
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. No.
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. I don’t know.”
Questionnaire (Form 3-594), Wm. Reed, 10 December 1899
address, National Soldiers Home, Hampton, Va.
“Q. Do you remember the soldier, Levi Henderson as a member of your company?
A. I remember a Henderson in Co. “I.”
Q. Do you know where his home was before enlistment?
A. No.
Q. Was he married while in the army?
A. Do not know.”
Letter from John G. Teicher, Special Examiner, Bureau of Pensions to Thomas Williams, Norfolk Custom House, 10 December 1899
“Mr. Thomas Williams, Wilcox Wharf, Va.
Sir:
In reply to a recent inquiry you stated that you knew Levi Henderson, late of Co. I, 1st USC Cav and that he was not married while in the service with you.
I will thank you to answer also the questions below regarding him
Q. Did you know him before enlistment?
A. No.
Q. If so, where was his home?
A. No I did not no [sic] him before enlistment.
Q. If you did not know him before enlistment, how do you know that he was not married while in the army?
A. The reason I say he was not married because I did not here [sic] him say anything of his wife.
Very respectfully,
John G. Teicher, Special Examiner”
Deposition, Lucy Gaines, 16 February 1900
about 53 years old; occupation, housekeeping; post-office address, King William Court House, Va.
“I have known the claimant all my life, her correct name is Rosetta Henderson, but some people call her Rose Henderson.
“I am not related to her, but we both belonged to the same master, Leroy Bowler. Her maiden name was Harvey. I was sent to Richmond during the war and hired out, Rosetta was also hired out there about the same time. We used to visit one another while we lived there during the war and after it closed.
“No sir she had no husband according to slave custom. She has had but one husband and that man was Levi Henderson. … I got acquainted with Levi Henderson in Richmond, Va. soon after the evacuation of said city. I met him in March or April, the same month Richmond “went up.” He was a soldier or so he said. I don’t know whether he left after that with the soldiers.
“I don’t know when or where he was discharged. The way I came to meet him, he was with a man named Albert Washington who I had known a good while before. I don’t know whether Rosetta got acquainted with him before I did or not but I knew him before he married her, don’t know exactly how long.”
“I was not there when they were married but I heard about it at the time.
The claimant was working for some white people, don’t remember their name, when she was going with Levi Henderson.
Yes, sir, I have heretofore testified in this case.
I did not tell Mr. Garrett [Probably a Special Examiner — Leslie] that Levi Henderson was not previously married or that he was an unmarried man before he married Rosetta. I do not know how he came to make that mistake.”
Deposition, Frank Gaines, 16 February 1900
about 55 years old; occupation, farming; post-office address, King William Court House, Va.
“I have known Rosetta Henderson all my life. Me and her were raised up together and belonged to the same Leroy Bowler.
“Her correct name is Rosetta but she is called Rose at times. Rosetta Harvey was her name before she married Levi Henderson. No, sir, she was never married nor did she have a husband according to slave custom before she married him. I would have known it if she had because we were raised together and hired out together in Richmond, Va. While she lived in said city I saw her often in the course of every week usually and most every Sunday. She was hired out as a house servant.
“I got acquainted with Levi Henderson the year after the fall of Richmond, don’t know the month. He had been out of the army but a short time when he came to my house with Albert Washington, my brother-in-law, who was with him in the same company. After that he used to visit my house often. He made his home with Albert Washington for a while. He, Albert, had a wife. She is dead too.
“Q. Was Levi Henderson married or did he have a wife before he married the claimant Rosetta?
A. No, sir, not to my knowledge and we searched that thing pretty close, me and Albert Washington.
Albert wrote a letter to Penna. where Levi came from and they answered back to him that he never was married. I cannot read but I saw the paper Albert had which he said was the letter that said so. That was before Levi married Rosetta. Levi waited on Rosetta some time before they were married.
“Q. Were they ever divorced?
A. No, sir, they were not. They were living together as man and wife when he died. No, I do not know where Albert wrote to in Penna. or who he wrote to. I know of no one now living who knew Levi before he married Rosetta except my wife Lucy.
“Yes, sir, I have heretofore testified in this case.
I do not know that Levi made a trip to Penna. after he married Rose.
I don’t know that he ever went after any of his effects or personal property, he went somewhere and got a trunk once but I do not know where he got it from. I did not meet him until 1866.
“I am satisfied that he was never married before he married claimant. I feel so sure that I am almost willing to swear positively on oath that he was never married before.”
Deposition, Henry Smith, 16 February 1900
70 years old; occupation, farming; post-office address, King William Court House, Va.
“I have known the claimant all her life. She is my youngest sister and we belonged to the late LeRoy Bowler.
Her correct given name is Rosetta but she is called Rose.
Rosetta Harvey was her maiden name, she is my half-sister. My father was a Smith, her father was James Harvey and her mother Patsey Harvey.
My said sister was never married until she was married to Levi Henderson. They were married in Richmond so I understand. He met her there after he broke up from the army. I saw her during the war and after Richmond I visited her some two or three times before she was married to Henderson.
“Q. Did she have a husband according to slave custom before he married Henderson?
A. No, sir. She was taken to Richmond by her master and staid [sic] in his service until after Richmond fell. When I went to see her the year she was married, she lived on 9th and Broad sts., I think rented a room there, was waiting on some lady and took in washing. No, sir, she was not living with any man at that time in the relation of wife. She went by her own name Rosetta or Rose Harvey.
“I got acquainted with Levi Henderson about two years after he married the claimant. I moved them here, they met me at the White House.
“He told me that he had never been married before he married my sister. I strictly examined him about that when I moved them over here.”
“I know of no one now living who knew Levi before he married my sister, except Frank and Lucy Gaines. No, sir, I do not know that he made a trip to Pennsylvania after he married my sister. I did not investigate as to whether he was married before he married her. All I did was to examine him about her. I never seen [sic] Albert Washington until after they were married. I first met Levi about two years after he married my sister.”
“Q.You will notice that one of your former affidavits does not agree on all points with your present testimony. What have you to say regarding the difference?
A.. What I have just stated is correct. Frank Gaines investigated. He knew him before the marriage. He went to Washington but never heard that he went back to Pennsylvania. He told me that’s were [sic] he was raised.”
Letter from Levi Henderson [on letterhead of] County Clerk’s Office, King William, Virginia to Pension Division, Department of Interior, 17 June 1925
“Gentlemen: This is to notify you that my mother Rose Henderson who has been receiving a pension as widow of Levi Henderson, a col’d veteran, died on the 14th day of June 1925.
Yours very truly,
Levi Henderson”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 