Alexander Cherry, Company I

The soldier who was found frozen to death left behind one widow — maybe two. He was survived by several children.

Invalid — 786,287 / 987,248
Widow — 748,448 / 547,985, Matilda Cherry

Marriage License [copy] Alexander Cherry and Matilda Butler, 8 September 1869
Marriage took place 9 September 1869 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Husband was 23 years old; wife was 25 years old. Both were single. Husband was born in Norfolk County; wife was born in Southampton County. Both resided in Norfolk County. Husband’s parents were Isaac and Louisa Cherry. Wife’s parents were Eli and Lucy Butler. Husband’s occupation was laborer. Officiant, Rev. Thomas Washington.

Neighbor’s Affidavit, Kindred Edwards and Peter Dozier 2 February 1891
[Edwards] 30 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Virginia
[Dozier] 26 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Virginia
“That they have been well and personally acquainted with Alexander Cherry for 16 years, and 21 years, respectively … being near neighbors to the said Cherry and seeing and conversing with him nearly every day.”

Disability Affidavit, Alexander Cherry, 24 May 1894
47 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 709 County Street, Portsmouth, Va.
“For 16 years immediately preceding my enlistment … I resided in the following named places, Norfolk County, Va. within four miles of Portsmouth City from the time of birth till enlistment and my occupation was that of a laborer.
“Since my discharge … I have resided in Portsmouth City, Virginia continuously to the present time and my occupation has been that of a laborer.
“I further state that the disability for which I claim a pension arises from exposure in service which was contracted … during the summer of 1865 at Brazos Santiago, Texas for a cause by having to sleep on damp ground … about two years after my discharge was treated by … Dr. G.W.A. Maupin of Portsmouth now deceased and also about the same time by Dr. E.M. Watts of Portsmouth also now dead.”

Questionnaire (Form illegible), Alexander Cherry, 11 November 1897
[married] yes, Cora Cherry was Cora Lee Fidgett
[when, where, by whom] Feb 15, 1879; by Thomas Washington in Portsmouth, Va.
[record] “I am satisfied that I has such good record only I am feeble now.”
[previous marriage] “Cora Cherry is my only wife. I never had any other wife.”
[living children] Oscar Cherry, Harrison Cherry, John H. Cherry, Lenwood Cherry, 4 children is all that I have living.”

General Affidavit, W.F. Bell, 29 October 1901
45 years old; c/o Gaskins Store, Glasgow Street Extended, Portsmouth, Va.
“That as an Overseer of the Poor for Western Branch District, Norfolk County, Virginia, I buried the body of Alexander Cherry in said district on the 21st day of January 1901, he having died on January 19, 1901.
“That I knew the said Cherry in his lifetime and identified the body as his.”

Claimant’s Affidavit, Matilda Cherry, 11 November 1901
post-office address, c/o Willis Hall, Portsmouth, Va.
“That I own no property of any kind, real or personal, and have no income from any source except what I can earn with my own hands.
“That I did keep a record of the death of my husband … and that my statement that he died on January 20, 1901 was made from calculation which might have been a day or so from the exact date as I cannot count very well.
“In addition to this [my husband] was alone at the time of his death. He was alive on Friday night and was found dead the next morning and it was not possible to say exactly on what day his death should be stated to have occurred.
“I am informed by a lawyer that no record of death is now kept in any County of the State by the Health Board or otherwise so that a certificate from death record cannot be furnished.”

General Affidavit, Geo. W. Cherry, 11 November 1901
73 years old; post-office address, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“That he was well acquainted with … Alexander Cherry having known him from his birth to his death. He was my nephew, being my brother’s son.
“That said Alexander Cherry was never married previous to his marriage to Matilda Butler .. and could not have been married without her knowledge.”

General Affidavit, Julia Wright, 11 November 1901
70 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, King St Extended, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she knew Alexander Cherry … from his birth to his death, being the sister of his father, Isaac Cherry, now dead.
“That said Alexander Cherry was never married prior to his marriage to the claimant Matilda Cherry and could not have been married without my knowledge.”

General Affidavit, Thomas Jones and Jacob Parker, 11 November 1901
[Jones] about 60 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, the same
[Parker] 74 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, the same
“That they have known Matilda Cherry all her life having been residents of the neighborhood in which she was born at the time of her birth and for many years thereafter and knew her intimately from that time to the present.

“That for a number of years prior to this death … he and the said Matilda, his wife, had not lived together.”
“That they knew the said Alexander Cherry from the time of his marriage to the said Matilda to the time of his death.

Claimant’s Affidavit, Matilda Cherry, 25 November 1901
post-office address, c/o Willis Hall, Portsmouth, Va.
“Before my marriage to Alexander Cherry, I had always gone by the name of Matilda Butler, after my father whose name was Eli Butler … friends may have called me ‘Tildie’ for short name.”

Letter from Chief of Law Division to Chief of the Special Examination Division, Bureau of Pension, Department of the Interior, 15 August 1902
“soldier was found frozen to death and that he had not lived with his reputed wife for about twenty-five years before his death … determine whether this claimant is his legal wife. … If Cora Lee is living and believes that she and soldier were legally married why have she and her children not applied for pension?
“The papers in this alleged widow’s claim were prepared and executed before William M. Reid, a colored notary public of Portsmouth …”

Letter from Matilda Cherry, General Delivery, Portsmouth, Va. to Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, DC 19 June 1917
“I am 73 years of age, having been born in April 1844, in Nansemond County, Virginia.”
[Note: Typed on stationery of Hubard & Hubard, Attorneys-at-Law, 145 Bank Street, Norfolk, Virginia — Leslie]