Arthur Beasley, Company I

Witnesses to the wedding stated that the enslaved couple were married by a justice of the peace in her “owner’s house” near Hertford County, North Carolina “just before the war” or in “early 1862.” When the soldier was discharged, they moved to Norfolk County, The widow died in Peekskill, New York.

 

Invalid – 1,061,380 / 804,073
Widow – 634,685 / 429,385, Anne Ellen Beasley

 

General Affidavit, Martin Smith and Henry Walters, 17 October 1891
[Smith] 51 years old
[Walters] 56 years old; post-office address of both, Portsmouth, Va.
“They are well and intimately acquainted with Arthur Beasley …”

 

General Affidavit, Sarah Goodman, 20 May 1896
60 years old; residence, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she is well and intimately acquainted with Arthur Beasley and Anne Ellen Beasley … that she lived at and near Hertford, North Carolina with them over (45) years ago, and know that the said Anne Ellen Beasley is the widow of Arthur Beasley…. [the couple] got married before the war by Seth Novell about the middle of June 1862 – Affiant did not go in the house but stood at the window and saw them get married – [Affiant knew the couple] so long as they stayed in North Carolina lived together as man and wife and when they came to Norfolk County to live. They lived with each other until death as man and wife – That affiant came from North Carolina a little before they removed but when they did some they came as man and wife and so lived in Norfolk County where affiant as ever since lived to Beasley’s death.”

 

General Affidavit, S.D. Norvell, 20 May 1896
47 years old; residence, Gatesville, Gates County, North Carolina; post-office address, Gatesville, Gates County, North Carolina
“That he has been well and intimately acquainted with [the couple] ever since he could remember anything. That he was not in the house where said Arthur Beasley was married to said Anne Ellen Beasley but was close to the hour in which he was married, saw said Beasley when he was going in the house to get married and saw him when he came out with his bride now his widow. He knows too that Seth Nowell was the man who did what then was done in the way of celebrating the marriage. …. Said Beasley lived on the same plantation with affiant before war and after war. Affiant used to visit him very often in Norfolk County, Va.”

 

Widow’s Application for Accrued Pension, Annie Beasley, 23 May 1896
“[She] was married to the said Arthur Beasley on 19thday of June, 1862 at Hertford, in the State of North Carolina; that her name before said marriage was Anne Ellen Winburn … Also personally appeared Julia Rose, residing at Norfolk County, Va. and Waverly Rose residing at Norfolk County, Va. … That they have lived in immediate neighborhood with claimant for (4) years …”

 

General Affidavit, Samuel Fisher, 25 May 1896
45 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Effingham Street
“That Arthur Beasley died on the 8th day of May 1896 and the affiant as undertaker buried him on the 10th day of May 1896.”

 

Deposition, Annie Beasley, 13 December 1901
“I am about 56 years of age; housekeeping and I live on Key Road near the city of Portsmouth, Va…. My husband was born in Hertford Co., NC and was a slave. He was owned by Joe Beasley. His father was Jordan Downey. My husband never went by any other name except that of Arthur Beasley. He was a very tall, very large man. … I belonged to Watson Minburn. My mother was Hester Winburn or Minburn. I married my husband the second year of the war. We were married in my owner’s house in Hertford Co. We were married by Seth Nowell who was a J.P. …
“Mr. Malvern was my atty. He charged me ten dollars or I paid him ten dollars. He wanted more but I would not pay it and he has been mad with me ever since.
“Mr. Reed executes my vouchers. He charges me fifty cents.”

 

Application for Reimbursement, Eleanor Palace, 25 November 1930
“Annie Beasley … died Nov 15, 1930; at 311 E. 99 St., NYC and was buried at Emanuel Cemetery Peekskill, NY …
“19.  What was your relation to the deceased pensioner? Grand daughter
 20.  Are you married? Yes
 21.  What was the cause of pensioner’s death? Heart disease, old age
 22.  When did the pensioner’s last sickness begin?  Oct 10, 1930
 23. [ill enough to require nursing attention] Oct 10, 1930
 24.  Give the name and post office address of each physician who attended the pensioner during last sickness.   Dr. Allen, 1871 7th Ave
 25.  State the names of the persons by whom the pensioner was nursed during the last sickness.
 Elinor Palmer, Anna McDow
 26.  Where did the pensioner live during the last sickness?    311 E. 99 St.

Names	Nature of Expense	Paid or Unpaid	Amount
Dr. Wm. V. Allen	Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Paid . . . . . . . .	36.00
Kirschner Pharmacy	Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Paid . . . . . . . .	10.00
	Nursing and care . . . . . .
Lee & Moody Undertakers	Undertaker . . . . . . . . . . .
	Livery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
	Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Unpaid . . . . . .	278.00
	Other expenses and their nature	178.00

[Note: Someone added that the balance of $178.00 was to be paid to the undertaker in 30 days – Leslie]

“Also appeared Matthew Pemberton, 64-66 E. 112th Street, NYC and Louise Aucrum [sp?], 311 E. 99th, NYC swore that they knew the claimant, that the pensioner died November 13, 1930.”