Richard Gadlin alias Dabney, Company C

Born in Gates County, North Carolina, this soldier had ties to Buffalo, New York; Hampton, Norfolk, and Phoebus, Virginia; Washington, DC; and Baltimore and Somerset, Maryland. The family lived at a contraband camp for a while. He was accidentally shot and killed “as he was passing by from the stable where he had been to feed his horse.” His daughter (but not his son) filed for pension benefits.

 

Minor —  310,049 / 260,546, Roxana Gadlin

 

Application of Guardian of Minor Children, 31 August 1882
Roxana Allen … resident of Elizabeth City County, Va. … 29 years old … her mother died on the 1st day of June A.D. 1870 and the date of birth of their children … Roxana born 2nd November 1853 … Richard Thomas born 25 March 1859. His whereabout is unknown. It is believed by all of his friends that he is dead. … her parents were married at Gates County, North Carolina on the tenth day of September, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-eight …”

 

Sworn Statement, William Randall, 2 September 1882
“[Randall was] well known to be reputable and entitled to credit … he was well acquainted with [Gadlin alias Dabney]. That some time in March or April 1864 … [Gadlin alias Dabney] was accidentally shot and killed with a pistol in the hand of one Oliver Butts, Private Co. C, 1st Regt, USC Cavalry … said Oliver Butts was cleaning his pistol which accidentally went off and killed [Gadlin alias Dabney] as he was passing by from the stable where he had been to feed his horse …

“[Randall] was present at the time. That he held said soldier in his arms for the Surgeon after he was shot and that he as did the whole company, to wit, Co C, go with [Gadlin alias Dabney] to the grave. And he further says that it was well known in the command that said Richard Gadlin had changed his name from Gadlin to Dabney for the purpose of escaping from his owners.”

 

Sworn Statement, Ross Askie, Richard Everett, & Riddick Barnes, 6 September 1882
[ Askie] 56 years old; [Everett] 55 years old; [Barnes] 49 years old.
“Citizens of Elizabeth City County, State of Virginia … they were well acquainted with Richard Gadlin alias RIchard Dabney … that said [soldier] was a slave person before the late war and was owned as a slave by one Reddick Gadlin deceased in Gates County, in the State of North Carolina … [and the soldier] enlisted under the name of (Dick) Richard Dabney for the following reason — to wit — that he ran away  from his owner to enlist in said service, and that he heard that his owners were coming after him, and that he changed his name to (Dick) Richard Dabney for the purpose of escaping from his owners as did a good many slaves at that time for the same purpose. …
“[T]hey were well acquainted with Mary Jane Gadlin the wife [of the soldier] … [the couple] was married in the County of Gates in the State of North Carolina on the tenth day of September 1858 …”

 

General Affidavit, Robert Gatlin & Lizzie Brightheart, 3 February 1888
[Gadlin] 47 years old;
[Brightheart] 52 years old;
“citizens of the town of Norfolk, County of Norfolk, State of Virginia … declare that Richard Gadlin alias Dabney was married to Mary Jane Goodman during the spring of 1856 on Gadlins Farm in Gates, NC — was present at the time and know that the then slave master gave his consent to the marriage of the two slaves and and that her mother consented and the parties thereupon accepted one another as husband and wife …. Roxana Allen was born of [illegible] said parents about the close of 1856 on Gadlins Farm, Gates Co., NC …”

 

Claimant’s Affidavit, Roxana Allen, 3 February 1888
27 years old; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia.
“She further avers that her correct name is ‘Roxana Allen’ having married one Cornelius Allen March 11, 1880. The name given her at birth was Roxana Sarah Ann Gadlin but she has since been variously addressed by the names ‘Sarah A. Allen’,  ‘Sarah Allen,’ and ‘Roxana Allen’ which last given name is correct being the true one accepted and used in preference to others by herself. In view of the very peculiar marriages prevalent among slave persons she is unable to furnish [illegible] proof … ”

 

Deposition, James Smith, 1 March 1889
52 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, [illegible], Norfolk, Va.
“I was born and reared on the plantation owned by Riddick Gadlin of Gates Co., NC. I remained on said plantation until 1862 when with others I came to Portsmouth, Va. I knew Richard Gadlin and his wife Mary Jane from my early boyhood …”

 

Deposition, Lydia Brightheart, 1 March 1889
about 45 years of age; occupation, housekeeper; residence and post-office, No. 74 Cumberland St., Norfolk, Va.
“I belonged to Ridick Gadlin of Gates Co., NC prior to the late war and was a fellow servant with Richard Gadlin and his wife Mary Jane. I was sold and sent away from home before they were married but I learned … Mary Jane was my sister. I have not seen either of them since before their marriage. They were dead before they came to this part of Virginia.”

 

Deposition, Rachel Johnson, 2 March 1889  
40 years old; occupation, boarding housekeeper; post-office address, No. 10 Campbell’s Wharf, Norfolk, Va.
“I was born and reared on the plantation of Ridick Gadlin of Gates Co., NC and was his family housegirl for several years before 1863 and I knew well Richard Gadlin and is wife Mary Jane who were also the slaves of said Ridick Gadlin. When Richard came to the master’s house to ask his consent to marry Mary Jane I called the master to the door and I heard the Master and Mistress give their consent. This was in the summer of 1858. …
“Since the war I obtained a record of a transcript of the family records of births but it has been destroyed … the child Thomas was born about the last of Sept 1862. I know this last fact from the midwife Lucy Goodwin, my aunt who waited on her at his birth. Lucy Goodwin is dead but Harriet Gordon who lives near Hampton, Va. was also present at his birth and can give details.”

 

Deposition, Martha Johnson, 7 March 1889  
47 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence & post-office address, No. 244 10th St., SE., Washington, DC
“I belonged in Gates Co., NC before the late war and I am a cousin of Richard Gadlin who was killed at Fort Monroe, Va.. while a soldier ….”

 

Deposition, Rachel Johnson, 19 April 1889  
40 years old; occupation, boarding housekeeper; post-office address, No. 10 Campbell’s Wharf, Norfolk, Va.
“I was raised on the same plantation with Richard and Mary J. Gadlin and I knew their children Roxana and Thomas — all the children they ever had.”

 

Deposition, Thomas Gatlin, 19 April 1889
25 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Fairmount, Somerset, Md.
“I am the only son of Richard Gadlin by his wife Mary Jane Gadlin and am the brother of Roxana Allen, the claimant. I do not know my age nor do I know where I was born but I lived with my mother up to the time she died and owing to my youth I have forgotten and do not know the date of her death.  I have never known or heard of another brother or sister than the claimant now present.”

 

Deposition, Roxana Allen, 19 April 1889
“I do not know my age”; occupation, housekeeper; post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City Co., Va.
“Question — Do you recognize the person now present who answers to the name of Thomas Gatlin, to be your brother and the son of Richard & Mary Jane Gatlin?
Answer — Yes, sire, he is my brother and is the reputed son of the abovenamed named persons who were my reputed parents.”

 

Deposition, Ross Askin, 19 June 1889  
60 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Phoebus, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I have known Roxana Allen the claimant since the year 1864. I lived during that and the following year following on the government farm near Hampton, Va. and she was living with her mother Mary Jane Gatlin who also died on said farm. The house she occupied and the house I occupied was not more than two hundred yards apart. …. After the camp of colored people was broken up in 1866, I remained on the said government farm and Mary Jane Gadlin moved about a half a mile from me and lived there until she died in May 1872. She was buried on the first Sunday of March 1872. ….[The children Roxana and Thomas] now live somewhere in the state of Maryland. The mother of the claimant was buried in Jones graveyard near Hampton, Va. and her coffin was furnished by General Berry, then the Commander of the garrison at Fort Monroe, Va.”

 

Deposition, Elizabeth Lucas, 19 June 1889 
36 years old; occupation, housekeeper; post-office address, Phoebus, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“First made the acquaintance of Roxana Allen and her mother Mary Jane Gadlin while in contraband camp near Hampton, Va. in 1864 & I have lived near the claimant ever since. I also lived near her mother up to the date of her death in May 1862. … I remember that General Berry was in command of the garrison at Fort Monroe, Va. and this woman Mary Jane Gadlin having been a servant in General Berry’s family. He and his wife visited her during her last illness and when she died he attended to having her buried.”

 

Deposition, Annie Gadling, 20 August 1889
“I was 12 years old when Natl War broke out, that was a very long time ago, 80 years I expect. PO address Washington Ave., Huntersville, Norfolk, Va.

“I was a slave of Squire Riddick Gatling in Gates Co., NC. I knew Richard Gadling & his wife Mary Jane. They were all slaves of Squire Gatling, my old master. I knew them from their infancy up to their deaths you may say …. The 2nd year of the war he ran away & enlisted the Union. Then he came back & took his wife & girl baby to Suffolk, Va. … They were married about two years or nearly that when the war broke out. When they went away they had a daughter Roxana Gadling living I hear near Hampton, Va. at this time that daughter was not quite two years old but was near it. …. Mary Jane Gadling was heavy with child & that child was born in Suffolk, Va. It was a boy who they called Thomas…

“I saw Mary Jane Gadling and her daughter Roxana & son Thomas the very year Richmond fell & I was there (Hampton) for five years. That’s the last I ever saw of any of them. Richard Gadling died in the army. Mary Jane died at Fort Monroe, Va. … [When I saw Thomas] he was able to walk alone.”

 

Deposition, Mary Anne Hopkins, 20 August 1889 
48 years old; residence, 121 Princess Anne Ave., Norfolk, Va.
“Question — What relation are you to Richard Gatling?
Answer — He is or was my brother. He died in the army, was killed I always heard. He married Mary Jane Gadling. They were both slaves of Squire Gadling, now dead, Gates Co., NC. …. [Richard Gadlin, Mary Jane & their child Roxana moved to Suffolk, Va.] the summer of 1862. I know this as the war was just begun in 1861 & it was summer next year after war begun…. I staid [sic] at old master’s a month when I went to Suffolk, Va. and lived not over 20 yards from them when the child was born. It was a boy and they named him Thomas. I don’t know where he lives but I remember out of Virginia. It was winter of 1862, very near Christmas that Thomas was born. His father Richard Gadling had not enlisted then but was waiting on Union officers in Suffolk. …. Some five months after Thomas was born was sent out of Suffolk, Va. with others to Craney Island & I never saw them again until I met them all at Hampton, Va. in 1863. Richard Gadling was then in the army. I don’t remember who the midwife was. She was an old woman at Suffolk.”

 

Deposition, Mrs. Sally B. Thorne, 26 September 1889
45 years old; residence and post-office address, 183 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY.
“I am a daughter of the late General Berry. USA.
“I was not living at Fort Monroe in 1872. I left home in 1869. I have no recollection of Mary Jane Gadlin or Dabney as a servant of my father’s family. I have consulted with my sister Miss Libbie Barry who is now ill & confined to her bed & she says she has an instinctual recollection of the name but cannot locate the pensioner or her family.
“My mother is dead. I know she was quite a hand to visit the colored people when they were sick.”

 

Deposition, Roxana Allen, 26 September 1889
“I do not know my age.” occupation, a housekeeper; residence & post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“I claim pension as the minor child of Richard Dabney …

“Question — Where did your father belong prior to the late war?
Answer — In Gates Co., NC. He belonged to a Mr. Riddick Gadlin, and he was known at home as Richard Gadlin. I do not know the name o the nearest post office or town to where my parents belonged. I do not remember the date we left our master but I remember that we, father, mother & myself, came direct to Suffolk, Va. and we lived there until my father enlisted in the Army. My mother’s name was Mary Jane Gadlin. She and my father were owned by the same owner …. he had only two children by her viz. myself and a boy by the name of Thomas whom I believed to be dead. until recently I have learned that he is living in Baltimore, Md. He is known in Baltimore as Thomas Galdlin. He was born while we were in contraband camp at Suffolk, Va. I remember that fact.

“Question [Who knew your parents in North Carolina?]
Answer  — James Smith, Robert Gadlin, Lydia Brighthart, and Anick Smith, all living somewhere in Norfolk, Va. I do not know whether either of these parties were in contraband camp in Suffolk, Va. Robert Gadlin is my father’s brother and Lydia Brightheart is my mother’s sister.

“Question [Details of your mother’s death?]
Answer — She died at Mill Creek, Va. near Old Pt., Va. about sixteen years ago. General Berry, then in command of Fort Monroe, Va. (Old Point) sent a coffin in which my mother was buried in Jones graveyard. There is no record of her death … Sarah Norris and Eliza Goodman know of her death, they living there at the time. They live near Hampton, Va. I am the wife of Cornelius Allen of Hampton, Va.”