These applications were prosecuted by W.R. Drury, an attorney in Norfolk, Virginia. There seemed to be a pattern of shady dealings viz statements taken in this attorney’s office for a number of pensioners in 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry. Statements on behalf of the soldier and his widow came from childhood friends, comrades-in-arms, and the daughter of the former slaveowner.
Invalid — 804,931 / 1,057,118
Widow — 584,509 / 408,908, Maria Portlock
General Affidavit, Nelson Portlock, 5 April 1892
50 years old; residence, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“[T]hat he was sent to Texas and while at work unloading a vessel laden with lumber he was overstrained and hurt by heavy lifting. This occurred in 1865. He couldn’t remember dates. He is an unlettered man and cannot read or write, that he is confident his injury is permanent and was not incurred from vicious habits.”
Deposition, Lewis Walke, 16 July 1892
65 years old; occupation, farming; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known the clt Nelson Portlock all his life. We have always lived within a half mile of each other — were owned before the war on adjoining plantations near where we now live and have lived continuously since discharge. We enlisted at the same time ….”
Deposition, Emmerson Cuffee, 1 August 1892
66 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known clt Nelson Portlock since childhood. He was reared in the immediate neighborhood prior to the late war and we served together…. He in Co. B, and I in Co. F. and we have been neighbors continuously since discharge …”
Deposition, Alexander Hodges, 15 June 1893
about 75 years old; occupation, rag gatherer; 7th St. cor Mahone Ave., Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I served on the U.S.S. Georgia and Port Royal also Colorado … I do not know Nelson Portlock. I know Louise Walke, John Coy, and Emmerson Cuffee. Yes, I have been in W.R. Drury’s office in Norfolk, Va.. .I do not know how my name came to be on the pension papers of Nelson Portlock because I do not know him ….”
Deposition, John Coy,16 June 1893
66 years old; occupation, farming; post-office address, Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I served in Co B., 1st U.S.C. Cavlry. I have known Nelson Portlock since I was a small boy.”
Deposition, Racho Jackson, 17 June 1893
56 or 57 years old; post-office address, 45 Cumberland St., Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“My name is John H. Brown alias Racho Jackson…. I have seen the signature Racho Jackson on the application of Nelson Portlock executed Sept 12, 1892 and it is my signature but I do not now have any recollection of putting it there or any of the circumstances of that event. I have no personal knowledge of Nelson Portlock or John Coy, or Louise Walke.”
General Affidavit, L.L. Sawyer, M.D., 20 April 1894
68 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“… I attended Nelson Portlock, the husband of Maria Portlock, during his last illness and know that he died July 23, 1895 …”
General Affidavit, Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, 20 April 1894
67 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I knew them both from birth. They both belonged to my grandfather’s estate and then to his children. My mother was one of them. They have lived near me all the time up to his death on July 25, 1893. He left one child under 16 years of age. She has no means of support other than her own labor….”
General Affidavit, Albert McCoy, 20 April 1894
54 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known Nelson Portlock and his widow Maria since they were children … The child was born Sept. 19, 1880 … I lived near them from the time they went together as man & wife and until Nelson died. I saw the child in a few weeks of birth …”
General Affidavit, Mary Corprew, 17 September 1894
60 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have lived near and been acquainted with Maria Portlock for twenty-five years or more and was with her when her son Willie Portlock and which is the only child Nelson left at his death under 16 years … I have always lived near her and am well acquainted with all of her children … I nursed Maria at the birth of Willie Portlock, during her sickness, was with her the most of the time, and know that the child was born Sept. 19, 1880….”
General Affidavit, Susanna Blankenship, 17 September 1894
45 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known Maria Portlock for fifteen years or more and have always lived near her and went to see her soon after the child claimed for, Willie Portlock, was born … I also visited her several times after the child was born …”
General Affidavit, W.N. Williamson and Alexander Payne, 26 September 1894
[Williamson] 34 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
[Payne] 30 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“We are well acquainted with Marie Portlock … we have been living near her for 10 or 15 years and see and talk with her as often as once or twice a week … She is living in a rented house, has no income at all other than her own daily labor.”
General Affidavit, Washington Nichols and Louis Walke, 27 March 1895
[Nichols] 54 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
[Walke] 68 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“We hereby state that we were in the army with Nelson Portlock … and think that it was the result of marching …”
Deposition, Maria Portlock, 29 June 1895
52 years old; occupation, housekeeping; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
Deposition, Rosalie Nichols, 11 February 1896
23 years old; occupation, housegirl; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known the pensioner Maria Portlock all my life and my father Wash Portlock and I went with her to Great Bridge, Va. the 1st day and at the time she drew her first pension money as his widow ….”
Deposition, Washington Nichols, 11 February 1896
about 54 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known the pensioner Maria Portlock since my earliest recollection and I was present at Great Bridge post-office Va. when she received her first pension money as the widow of Nelson Portlock …”
Deposition, J.J. Reynolds, 11 February 1896
40 years old; occupation, merchant;
“I know the pensioner Maria Portlock and I have known her the past six or seven years. I think I prepared nearly all of the affidavits for use in her pension claim and they were all executed before me in my character as Notary Public.”
Deposition, Maria Portlock, 12 March 1901
65 years old; post-office address, Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I know my said husband was born in Churchland. “Nat” Portlock was his owner and Nat Portlock‘s sister Barbara Wilson was my owner. My said husband’s father’s name was Aaron McCoy and his mother’s name was Sue Portlock and the soldier was never known by any other name than Nelson Portlock. We were born and raised near Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va. and at that place we resided he died and I have since resided in Great Bridge, Va.
“He and I were married by consent, three or four years before the war began. I had two children by the soldier before he enlisted. He enlisted in the army here at Norfolk, Va. and served 3 years …. I visited him in camp at Fort Monroe ….”
“I have 4 children living. My oldest son James lives with me. The other three reside in the same neighborhood. I have cooked and washed since the death of my husband and my son James has contributed to my support. My said husband died in the summer of 1893 …. Dr. Sawyer was his physician.
“Riddick who had a store at Great Bridge did my writing and he took $35 out of my first check for his services. Riddick removed to Norfolk in Dec 1900. George Hall, Great Bridge, Va. has executed my vouchers. I trade at Hall & Hall’s store. My son William for whom I draw pension resides with me. He is now 18 years old.”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 
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