Frederick Sawyer alias Frederick Bond, Company G

This North Carolina mother sent two sons (John Sawyer and Frederick Sawyer) and two stepsons (Anderson Roberts and Solomon Roberts) to Union Service.  Her former owner contributed to her support until Emancipation and then served as her attorney in this claim. She had been her attorney’s nursemaid in his infancy.
Ultimately, it took an Act of Congress — a private bill passed in 1885 — for Nelly Roberts to receive a mother’s pension.

 

Mother — 228,253 / 212, 899, Nelly Roberts 

 

Declaration for an Original Pension for a Mother,  Nelly Roberts, 29 September 1876
about 63 years old; “… her second husband Thos. Roberts died in 1869 aged about 66 years… she hereby appoints William E. Bond of Edenton, Chowan Co., N.C.  her attorney to prosecute the above claim; that her residence is … Oaklawn street, in the town Edenton … Also personally appeared Chas. G. Manning … residing in King street, in Edenton, N.C. and James H. Manning … residing in Main street, in Edenton, N.C.”

 

Sworn Statement, Nelson Underhill, 2 October 1876
“I, Nelson Underhill, do hereby testify that I enlisted in the U.S. Service in Co. D 2nd Reg US Cold Cavalry that I knew Fred Sawyer well, knew him to be the son of Nelly Roberts … that Fred Sawyer was a carpenter … that [Nelly Roberts] is about 63 or 65 years old, very poor & infirm; has no property worth mentioning except a small house & lot … ”

 

Sworn Statement, John Sawyer, 8 January 1877
“I, John Sawyer, 2nd Sergeant, of Company E (Capt. William A. Cutler) 37th Reg US Cold Infantry, do hereby testify that I enlisted in the U.S. Service in March 1864 & my brother Fred Sawyer (or Bond) (he was known by both names) enlisted in Co G 1st US Cold Cavalry, & that he died in the service of sickness contracted in the line of his duty during the month of July 1864.
“I further testify that both myself & my brother Fred Sawyer (or Bond) formerly belonged to Mr. Wm. E. Bond now living in Edenton, N.C. & that we were the sons of Nelly Roberts (still living) by her first husband, Edmund Sawyer. I further testify that my brother Fred Sawyer (or Bond) was a young man, just grown, a house carpenter by occupation & had never been married. I am perfectly sure of his enlistment & death in the 1st Reg C Cavalry — am not certain as to the company but think he served in Co G. I know he was never married …”

 

Sworn Statement, Major Warren, 13 January 1877
“I, Major Warren, do hereby testify that during the war of the rebellion, I enlisted in Co A (Capt. Dye) 1st Reg Cold Cavalry; that I knew Fred Sawyer (or Bond) well both before & during his service knew him to be the son of Nelly Roberts, then & still living in Edenton, N.C….”

 

Sworn Statement, Israel Sutton, 13 January 1877
“I, Israel Sutton, do hereby testify that I enlisted during the war of the rebellion, became Sergeant in Co. I, 1st Reg US C Cavalry (Col. J. Garrard); that I knew Fred Sawyer (or Bond) … I further testify that I am not related to Nelly Roberts, the mother of Fred Sawyer – do not even know her, & that I have no interest, direct or contingent, in her claim …”

 

Sworn Statement, Ransome Gregory, 13 January 1877
“I, Ransome Gregory … am not related to Nelly Roberts … ”

 

Sworn Statement, Nelly Roberts, 15 February 1877
“I, Nelly Roberts, formerly Nelly Sawyer, mother of Frederick Sawyer (or Bond) … do hereby certify that my first husband, Edmund Sawyer, the father of my son, Fred, died in 1846; that I was married to Thomas Roberts in 1848; that my husband Thos. Roberts died in 1869; & that I have since been & now am a widow….”

 

Sworn Statement, Charles G. Manning & Henry A. Bond, 15 February 1877
“We, Charles G. Manning & Henry A. Bond, do hereby testify that we have known Nelly Roberts; that she was the wife of Edmund Sawyer the father of Frederick Sawyer; that after the death of said Edmund Sawyer, been since she was married to Thos. Roberts, & that she has been since the death of her second husband & still is a widow.”

 

Sworn Statement, Glascow Roberts & Mustapha McDonald, 15 February 1877
“We, Glascow Roberts & Mustapha McDonald … have known Nelly Roberts many years; that she was the wife of Edmund Sawyer up to his death, which took place in 1846; that in 1848 she was married to Thos. Roberts, who died in 1869 … ”

 

Sworn Statement, Nelly Roberts, 26 February 1878
“I, Nelly Roberts, the mother of Frederick (or Fred) Sawyer) decd do hereby testify that during the time my said son was in the military service of the United States, & up to his death, except two small sums of money sent to me by him, as opportunity offered, I was supported by my owner, Wm. E. Bond, who supplied my necessary wants till emancipation went into effect. I lived with my former owner till the 14th of January 1866. The two sums of money above referenced, sent to me by my son during the time of his service, amounted to six dollars to the best of my recollection.”

 

Letter from William E. Bond, Edenton, North Carolina to Hon. J.A. Bunting [?], Commissioner of Pensions, 27 February 1878
“She raised four sons for the Union services, two sons John & Frederick Sawyer, and two stepsons (sons of her last husband Thos. Roberts by a former wife), Anderson & Solomon Roberts, both of whom were raised by the claimant from early childhood. All four went into the U.S. Service. Fred died therein. Anderson was reported to have been killed in the bloody conflict which took place on the explosion of the mine near Richmond. Nothing has since been heard of Solomon. As he was in the same company and kept with Anderson it is very probable that he fell in the same conflict … the sheriff is threatening to sell some of her little property for taxes …”

 

Declaration for an Original Pension for a Mother, Nelly Roberts, 25 June 1880
69 years old; residence, Edenton, Chowan Co., N.C.; post-office address, Edenton, Chowan Co., N.C.
“that her husband … Edward Sawyer died in 1846, aged about 33 years; after his death she married in 1848 Thomas Roberts who died in 1869 and she has remained a widow ever since … she hereby appoints William E. Bond her attorney …
“Also personally appeared Thos. M. Small, residing in Edenton, N.C. and J.R. McCurdy, residing in Edenton, N.C.

 

Sworn Statement, William E. Bond, 17 January 1884
“I have known Nelly Roberts for many years and her son Fred Sawyer or Bond all his life; that I also knew her late husband and Thomas Roberts for many years; that Thomas  Roberts belonged to Thomas D. Warren, who has been dead for several years
“1 — As to Thomas Roberts, that about the year 1859 or 1860 he became very sickly and infirm; that he had no income except by his labor as a carpenter; that from that time Nelly Roberts was dependent for her support upon her son Fred Sawyer with what she received from me as a compensation for her labor.
“2 — As to Fred Sawyer (or Bond) that he contributed as far as he was able to his mother’s support providing as far as he can for her the necessaries of life; that I know on many occasions of him giving her clothing and food; that I knew of his sending money three or four times during the years 1862 & 1863; and during the time he was in the United States service; that I forwarded one of his letters (containing money, mailed from Norfolk, Va.) to file as part of the proof in her claim; and that he left no wife or child
“3 — As to Nelly Roberts, that she furnished four soldiers to the Union service, two sons and two stepsons (raised by her from infancy); that one of her sons, Fred Sawyer, and both stepsons (Anderson & Solomon Roberts) lost their lives in the service; that since her son’s death she has been dependent upon her own labor for her support; and that she is now very old, very poor, and very infirm.
“I further certify that in a pensioner affidavit I stated ‘that during her son’s absence in the U.S. Service, the said Nelly Roberts was supported by her husband and myself,’ by which I meant that her husband did all he could for her in his sickly condition, and that I contributed more to her support than a reasonable compensation for her service would have demanded because she was my nurse in my infancy (over sixty years ago) and endeared to me; that I am not related to her as an old and faithful servant, and have no interest or connection with her claim except as an act of justice and humanity …”

 

Note: Frederick Sawyer’s Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) shows that he enlisted January 1864 and died July 1864.
— Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served with the United States Colored Troops [microform]: 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry (1997). Reel 0012 – 1st United States Colored Cavalry: Sample, Abraham (Abram) – Smith, Ives (online at  https://archive.org/details/compiledmili0012akesunit/mode/2up).