Joseph Nelson, Company K

The soldier and his cousin went to Norfolk after being discharged from the service. The cousin worked in “the swamp” — presumably in the Dismal Swamp where laborers cut timber and produced naval stores — and saw little of him for a few years. The soldier married twice. There weren’t any children from the first marriage.

Invalid — 867,253 / 625,591
Widow — 979,256 / 737,267, Margaret Nelson

Marriage License, Joseph Nelson and Margaret Mitchell, 13 October 1868
Husband, 23 years old, widowed; wife, 24 years old, single. Both were born in Norfolk, Virginia; both resided in Norfolk, Virginia. Husband’s parents, Tony and Sally Nelson; wife’s parents, [blank]. Husband’s occupation, driver. Geo. T. Watkins, officiant, performed the ceremony in Norfolk on 15 October 1868.

Deposition, Joseph Nelson, 31 December 1901
about 59 or 60 years old; business, undertaker; residence and post-office address, 235 Charlotte St., Norfolk, Va.
“I was born in Suffolk, Va. a slave to Elisha Norfleet (decd). My father’s name was Toney Nelson and he was a slave to ‘Parson’ Keeling. My mother’s name was Sallie Norfleet and she was a slave to my master.”
“Immediately after my discharge I came to Norfolk and have resided here ever since.”
“I received over $200 bounty after I was discharged … but didn’t receive any back pay.
“My witnesses were Alonzo Hodges, Isaiah Nicholson (decd), Norman Pleasant, and George Goodson.”

General Affidavit, Edwin Ferby, 1 January 1912
70 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 16 4th Street

General Affidavit, Enoch Gordon, 1 February 1912
69 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, 263 Cumberland St.
“That I am first cousin to the soldier Joseph Nelson and I in fact am the only near relative now living now that I know of … When we were discharged we all came to Norfolk, Va. and I worked in swamp & saw very little soldier first two years and about two years after discharge … [soldier’s first wife] died in Norfolk, Va. soon after the close of the war”

General Affidavit, Rebecca Mackey, 1 February 1912
63 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 32 Ave. A, Huntersville
“That the soldier Joseph Nelson and his first wife lived with my mother Susan Lowery where Mrs. Nelson died on Fenchurch St., Norfolk, Va. and was buried by undertaker Salzberg and is now also dead … Joseph Nelson remarried to Margaret the claimant. There was [sic] no children by soldier’s first union.”

General Affidavit, Cuetta Wilson, 1 February 1912
61 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 35 Ave. A, 9^th Ward           
“That Joseph Nelson’s first wife died in my mother Susan Lowery’s house. We were then living on Fenchurch St. between Holt & Mariner St. Norfolk, Va. and while I can’t remember this Mrs. Nelson’s name, I being young and so much excitement in those days, yet I do remember her as a corpse and about undertaker Salzberg’s burying her. Her husband Joseph Nelson worked for this undertaker at time Mrs. Nelson died. Mr. Salzberg has been dead several years….it was a year and more than a year after first Mrs. Nelson died before Joseph Nelson married Margaret.”