The claimant injured hurt his back while jumping his horse over a fence during a Company drill at Fortress Monroe in Spring 1864. Years later his widow gave information his former enslaver and the couple’s nine children in her application for pension benefits. Witnesses lived in Isle of Wight County and Elizabeth City County, Virginia.
Invalid — 187,499 / 171,121
Widow — 833,152 / 435,444 — Susan Randall
Sworn Statement, J.T. Boutell, M.D., 7 August 1879
“I have known Moses Russell since 1875. He supports his family by doing odd jobs and sawing wood. The latter however seems to be too much for him & although he does a small amount of sawing yet most of it is done by his son. He has worked for me at times and I have noticed that he cannot stand much heavy work or lift heavy weights.
Sworn Statement, Edward Pleasants, 7 August 1879
resident, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“IThat he has known the said Moses Russell from June eighteen hundred and sixty-five at which date Moses Russell was discharged from the United States Service, to the present day, that he has lived withiin one hundred yards of him from his discharge from said service to to the present day, saw him the day he arrived at home from said service, and has seen him nearly every day and night since coming out of said service to the present time . … “
Sworn Statement, Jerry White, 7 August 1879
resident, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“That he has been intimately acquainted with the said Moses Russell since the 7th day of February A.D. 1866, that he was a private in Company H, in the 1st U.S.C. Cav. with the said Moses Russell … Russelll was injured in the back by the jumping of a horse while on duty … and has been living within two hundred yards of him all the time, to the present day, see him every day, and frequently visiting each other especially in his sickness … he was attended by Dr. L.D. Seymour, deceased, up to his death, which took place on the third day of November 1870 and afterwards he was attended by Dr. Boutelle of Hampton … “
Sworn Statement, Thompson Walker, 7 August 1879 [presumed date]
“that he know said Moses Russell for the last twenty years, lived within two hundred yards of of him all the time, frequently visiting each other …”
Sworn Statement, William Randall, 7 August 1879
“William Randall was a private of Company K, 1st Reg United States Cavalry and was personally acquainted with the aforesaid Moses Russell … [the claimant hurt his back] while in the act of jumping his horse over [illegible] fence while in the line of his duty in Company Drill at Fortress Monroe, Virginia sometime during the Spring of A.D. 1864 … he never knew the aforesaid Moses Russell to be addicted to intemperance or other immoral habits.”
Declaration for Original Pension of a Widow–Child or Children under Sixteen years of age surviving, 28 November 1885
“the following are the names and dates of birth of all [soldier’s] legistimate children yet surviving who were under sixteen years of age at the father’s death, to wit: Samuel Russell, born 1866; Lule Russell, born about 1874; Hattie Russell, born about 1876 [But it might be 1878 — Leslie]
“Also, personally appeared Agnes Crocker … and Andrew WIlliams … Hampton, Va.”
[Note: The date at the top of the form is November 28th and the date at the bottom of the form is November 30th. Both dates are handwritten — Leslie]
Sworn Statement, Thomas Brooks and Samuel Robinson, [undated]
“residing at Hampton, Va. … they were members of Company K, 1st Regiment of the United States Colored Cavalry … [Russell] was transferred from his company to hospital on account of said injury …”
General Affidavit, Eliza Nelson and Cora Hyde, 1 April 1890
[Nelson] 50 years old; residence, Elizabeth City County, Virginia; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
[Hyde] 30 years old; residence, Elizabeth City County, Virginia; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“That they are near neighbors to Susan Russell, widow, Moses Russell …”
General Affidavit, Owra Hope, 24 April 1890
40 years old; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“I am well acquainted with Susan Russell and her husband Moses Russell … I live as neighbor”
General Affidavit, Eliza Nelson ____
44 years old; residence, Elizabeth City County, Virginia;
“I am well acquainted with Susan Russell … I live as neighbor”
General Affidavit, Milly Prentis, 13 February 1889
70 years old; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City Co., Va.;
“I was presebt as a nurse for Susan Russell at the birth of Hattie Russell. She born 1878 and died March 6th 1889 at Hampton, Va.”
Sworn Statement, Susan Russell, 3 June 1888
“I was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia about the eyar 1830 — at which place she continued to live until about April 1861 — with Dr. James Southall who was my master and owner. I first met Moses Russell in Smithfield, Isle of Wight Co., Va. about the year 1854 and was married to him about the year 1858 in the county Isle of Wight by Rev. Dr. Colton. Moses Russell at that time was a slave and owned by Wm. Willis Wilson of Smithfield, Isle of Wight Co., Va. at which place he was born. My maiden name was Susan [illegible] … I have had 9 children by him as follows: 3 before the war of the Rebellion, Mary M. Russell, Laura, and John Russell; 6 since the war, Julie, Hattie, Daniel, Russell; the remaining died at birth before being named. Moses Russell was born about 1826. He was a slave before the war and laborer after the war ended…. I have only three children now living John Russell aged about 28 years, Julie aged 12 years, and Hattie aged 9 years.”
Physician’s Affidavit, J.T. Boutelle, MD, 24 February 1890
residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“acquainted with said oldier for about four years … knew nothing [of Moses Russell] prior to 1875 or 1876 when I first knew him as a resident of Hampton, Va. and began to act as physician to his family. At the time he was in poor condition physically, doing odd jobs for a living. “
General Affidavit, Susan Russell, 27 February 1893
about 45 years old; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“Julia born about 1878 and that Hattie is dead and Julia is the only surviving child of the soldier …
General Affidavit, Caroline Spratley and Elia Nelson, 15 July 1893
[Spratley] 52 years old; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.; post-office address, Hampton, Va.;
[Nelson] [blank years old]; residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.; post-office address, Hampton, Va.;
“That we have known the claimant since long before the war, that [they] were play children together, their owners living on adjoining farms … the only property [claimant] owns is a small house and lot, that she has no income other than her daily labor.”
Secondary Proof of Marriage, Susan Russell, 11 October 1893
“I am the widow of Moses Russell … my maiden name was Susan Pinner … was lawfully married at Smithfield, County of Isle of Wight, State of Virginia, by Rev. Dr. Colton … on or about 1859 … by said marriage the following children … John Russell, 30 yrs old; Lou. Russell, age 14 years. The former married and living to himself. The latter dependent upon me….The records of our County were destroyed during the war… I cannot obtain the affidavit of the party who performed the marriage ceremony, because he cannot be found and no doubt is dead as he was passed [sic] middle age then… husband died on the 19th day of November, A.D. 1880″
General Affidavit, Caroline Spratley, 19 October 1893
residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City Co., Va.; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“I was present wihen the claimant Susan Russell was married to Moses Russell which took place before the late war….Her husband belonged to the same person who owned me.”
General Affidavit, Susan Russell, 17 September 1894
about 50 years old; residence Hampton, Elizabeth City Co., Va.;
“That she has no property except a small house and lot which is assessed on the landbooks at this county as $200.00
… on account of her health she is unable to work”
Deposition, Susan Russell, 27 November 1896
about 56 years; occupation, laundress; post-office address, Hampton, Eliz. City Co., Va.
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 
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