Henry Sykes alias Henry Williams, Company I

Five men — including the soldier and his two brothers Joseph Sykes alias Joseph Williams and Harrison Sykes alias Harrison Williams — liberated themselves from a Southampton County, Virginia plantation and “joined the Union Army at the same time and place.”

Invalid — 952,123 / 1009,466
Widow — 1013,048 / 783,847, Harriet Sykes

Marriage License, Henry Sykes and Harriett Madison, 18 April 1877
Southampton County, Virginia; marriage took place 20 April 1877; husband’s age, 46 years old; wife’s age, 38 years old; husband, widowed; wife, single; husband’s and wife’s birthplace, Southampton Co., Va.; husband’s and wife’s residence, Southampton Co., Va.; husband’s parents, Solomon & Louisa Sykes; wife’s parents, Giles & Arsenia Madison; husband’s occupation, farmer; T.G. Newsomes, officiant, Shiloh Baptist Church

Questionnaire (Form 3-173), Henry Sykes alias Henry Williams, 1 October 1884
[wife] Harriet Sykes; Harriet Madison
[when, where, by whom] April 30, 1896; Southampton Co., Va.; by Rev. Saml. Newsome, Branchville, Va.
[record] Clerk’s Office of Southampton Co., Va.
[previous marriage] Yes. Margaret died June 11, 1884 in Southampton Co., Va.
[living children] Yes, four: Louis born Dec 28, 1876; Maggie born May 4, 1878; Loreno born April 30, 1887; Rosalind born Jan 12, 1892

General Affidavit, Howell Jones and Jacob Sugars, 11 January 1892
[Jones] 52 years old; residence, Drewryville District, Southampton Co., Va.
[Sugars] 58 years old
“We were in the army of the U.S. Co I, 1st U.S.C. Cavalry and that Henry Williams alias Henry Sykes, was a member of the same command & company with us. … discharged at the same place & time … we were all close neighbors living in the same neighborhood before we were in the army.”

Neighbor’s Affidavit, Frances E. Williams and Benj. F. Knight, 18 March 1893
[Williams] 52 years old; residence, Southampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Newsom’s, Va.
[Knight] 56 years old; residence, Southampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Newsom’s, Va.
“personally acquainted for 50 years and 30 years, respectively and they are farmers and have personally known Henry Sykes alias Williams all their lives, that he has worked for them, and in their neighborhood all their life, that they knew him before he enlisted”

General Affidavit, Jacob Sugars and Samuel Smith, 26 October 1896
[Sugars] 60 years old; post-office address, Boykins, Southampton Co., Va.
“I have lived in a mile and half [of him] for over 30 years
[Smith] 58 years old; post-office address, Pope, Southampton Co., Va.
“He has known Henry Smith for 40 years or more…”

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Harriet Sykes, 11 August 1913
66 years old; residence, Pope, Southampton County, Va.;
“She was married under the name Harriet Madison to said soldier at Shiloh Church, So. Hampton [sic] Co., Va. … April 1887 by Sam Green Newson … the soldier had been previously married to Margaret Harrison under the slave law who died about two years before I married him.
“Also personally appeared J.T. Barham, residing in Capron, Va., and G.L. Ganis, residing in Capron, Va. …”

Widow’s Application for Accrued Pension, Harriet Sykes, 11 August 1913
“widow of Henry Williams alias Sykes … that he died on the 4th day of Feb, 1912 … she was married to the said Henry Williams alias Sykes … April 1887, at Hampton Co., Va. … that her name before said marriage was Harriet Madison … her post-office address is Pope, Virginia …
“Also personally appeared J.T. Barham, residing at Capron, Va., and R.L. Gains, residing at Capron, Va.”

Sworn Statement, N.M. Pope and W.E. Worrells, 25 August 1914
“This is to certify that we N.M. Pope, 71 years old, and W.E. Worrells, 76 years old, both of Capron, Va. was born near this place, and have lived here all of our lives. … That Henry Williams alias Henry Sykes, her deceased husband, was born and raised near our home, and has lived here all of his life with the exception of what time he was in the war. He married Margarett Harrison not long after he got home from the war. She died about 1884 and he married Harriet Madison …”