Samuel Foulkes, Company E

This pension application is rich with detailed observations about individuals, their character, their occupations, their living arrangements and relationships: “third cousin to her said husband … underage and could not get a license in Virginia … a white man’s child … the minor has been shaving for more than three years … were not married and did not occupy the same room … now running on a schooner between Norfolk, Boston & New York … visited his family at different times while in service, and the family were then living in Portsmouth … made a bargain herself to buy the land … they are both gentlemen, don’t think either one of them would tell a lie.”

Widow — 158,200 / 123,131, Letitia Foulkes

Sworn Statement, Dr. H.P. Ritter, 28 October 1868
“He has examined Harriet Foulk, General Jackson Foulk & Alexander Foulk children of Samuel & Letitia Foulk and … Harriet was born during the month of December 1856 & that the said General Jackson was born on or about the month of November 1859 & that the said Alexander was probably born about the latter part of the month of February 1861″
“Also personally appeared Mary Ann Porter and Matilda Parker, residents of Gates Co., NC … they have been for more than 25 years personally acquainted with the claimant … they were present at the marriage of the parties at the home of the late Revd Wm. Cross a Justice of the Peace of the said Gates County, NC & that said marriage occurred on or about May 2/1855 … [Cross] died about the month of April 1865 at said Gates County, NC”

Exhibit A, Letitia Foulk, 25 July 1878
about 41 years old; residence, near Gilmerton Locks, Norfolk Co., Va.
“She was born and raised free, and lived in the neighborhood of Holy Neck Chapel, Nansemond Co., Virginia from birth until about two years after the commencement of the late war, that she was married on the last Thursday in May, and think it was in the year 1856, to Samuel Foulk a free coloured man who lived in the same neighborhood. Affiant maiden name was Letitia Foulke and she was third cousin to her said husband. They were married in Gates Co., NC by a Magistrate named William Cross, it was the nearest point in NC where they could find a Magistrate, it was not far from Gatesville, went to NC to get married because she was underage and could not get a license in Virginia. Affiant has learned that William Cross … died during the late War learned the fact by writing through her attorney when she first applied for a pension…. he died at Fortress Monroe of smallpox during the first year of his enlistment … Affiant was sent for by soldier before his death. She went to Old Point but found the soldier was dead on her arrival … The point in North Carolina at which she was married was about 12 miles from her residence at Holy Neck, Nansemond Co., Virginia. There was a large party with her to see the marriage, James Faulk and wife who live near Holy Neck waited on them at their marriage … Her attorney Thomas Baker proved the marriage by a letter from a member of Mr. Cross’s (the Magistrate) family, was not acquainted with any person who lived near Wm. Cross in Gates Co., NC thinks Dr. Elliott of Somerton was present at her marriage. Mary Ann Porter was not present at her marriage but was at the wedding after her return home. Mary Ann Porter died five or six years ago. Matilda Parker was not present at her marriage. Granville Joiner and Benjamin Fly nor either of them were present at her marriage. Affiant had two children by the soldier viz General Jackson who will be 21 years old the 25th day October 1878, and Alexander who will be 17 years old on the 27 of February 1879. When she put in her claim through Thomas Baker, she told him that she had three children, but that Harriet the oldest child was not the child of the soldier, he Baker told her it made no difference … and she did as he advised Harriet was a white man’s child, was not married to Harriet’s father … [affiant] lived in the same house with Armistead Moore for three or four years … has not lived with Moore for the past two years … She never had a child by Moore, never cohabited with him … said Moore is now running on a schooner between Norfolk, Boston & New York, don’t know the name of the schooner. She first lived in the same house with Moore at Coxes Point, can’t fix the date, has lived at her present place of residence four years next March, Cox’s Point is the same place lately rented by Robt Noel. Thomas Nickerson, was a near neighbor when she lived at Cox Point, Nickerson now lives near Gilmerton Locks, Armistead Moore does not visit her now. Miles Copeland, one of affiant’s neighbors has known her all her life, he is an intelligent coloured man, believe Armistead Moore is courting Copeland’s stepdaughter. Affiant’s oldest son works at Baxter & Collins Mill seven or eight miles above Great Bridge. Don’t know where Ben Fly is, thinks Granville Joiner lives at Lincolnville. Matilda Parker lives near Getty Station.”

Exhibit B, Alexander Faulk, 28 July 1878
16 years old; residence, near Gilmerton Locks, Norfolk Co., Va.
“He is the son of claimant … he will be seventeen years old on the last day of February 1879, that he never saw his father to his knowledge, he has always lived home with claimant … Claimant and Alexander Moore lived together four or five years, but they were not married and did not occupy the same room, claimant employed Moore as a farmer for her, Moore rented the Cox & point farm but claimant paid the rent”

Exhibit C, L.B. Kenney, 28 July 1878
40 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“He a Pension Examining Surgeon … made an examination of Alexander Faulk … he gives it as his professional opinion that the said Alexander Faulk is twenty-one years of age, his general development indicates that age and he admits that he the minor has been shaving for more than three years.”

Exhibit D, General Jackson Faulk, 29 July 1878
21 years old; residence, Gilmerton Locks, Norfolk Co., Va.
“He is the oldest son of claimant, that he doesn’t remember his father, but recollects seeing a man near Wingates in Norfolk Co. with a uniform on and has always been taught that was his father, and that his name was Samuel Faulk, and that he died in the U.S. Service at Hampton, Va. Affiant has always lived with claimant … Armistead Moore lived with claimant for some five or six years, he did not live with her as husband and wife, but they farmed together and she did his washing and cooking, they did not occupy the same room … they rented first from Smoale & Co [?] of Philadelphia, and afterward from J.J. Bilosoly. When claimant lived at Cox Point, Armistead Moore was responsible for the rent. After moving to Bilosoly’s place claimant made a bargain herself to buy the place, so much each year until paid for … Moore lived with claimant for five or six years preceding last autumn, since which time he has been running on a schooner to New York and Boston, he has not been to claimant’s house since last Autumn, he lived with her as a boarder until that time… Moore is not a married man”

Exhibit E, Robert Noel, 31 July 1878
50 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“owns and works a farm near Cox Point, has known [claimant] for about 10 years, about nine of which she has lived with Armistead Moore as his wife … about six years ago they moved from thence across a creek nearer to Gilmerton Locks, thinks they bought the property … often heard Moore speak of claimant as his wife… Moore shipped the production of the land they lived on in his own name…. about a year ago he went away with Captain Trammell [?] on a schooner which trades north. Is acquainted with her (claimant) sons”

Exhibit F, Martin J. Ballentine, 1 August 1878
72 years old; residence, Gilmerton Locks, Norfolk Co., Va.
“acquainted with claimant, she resides on a place adjoining his farm, she came to live there about three years ago with a colored man named Armistead Moore … [they lived there] until about a year ago, when Moore went off on the schooner Lydia Roper [sp?] Capt. Crasmer [sp?], thinks Moore went as steward … don’t know claimant’s children”

Exhibit G, J.J. Bilosoly, 9 August 1878
39 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“has known her since Feb 17 1873 at which time he sold her a piece of land in Norfolk Co. She did not pay him for the land, but gave notes endorsed by Armistead Moore, and a deed of trust to secure him, the notes have never been paid. Claimant has lived on said land ever since, don’t know whether Armistead Moore has lived with her or not.”

Exhibit H, Miles Copeland, 9 August 1878
resides at Western Farm, Norfolk Co., Va.
“has known [claimant] since she was a child, she was a freeborn coloured woman, raised near Holy Neck, Nansemond Co., Virginia … claimant was married some years (three or four) before the late Rebellion to a free coloured man named Samuel Faulk, her maiden name was Letitia Faulk. She had one daughter before she married Samuel Faulk. She was not married to the Father of said Daughter. Affiant was not present at the marriage of claimant, he lived in same neighborhood at the time she was married. … it is not certain whether she was married in Nansemond Co. or in North Carolina, many people went from Virginia to North Carolina (which was only a few miles off ) to get married … knows that [Faulk] was a Cavalry soldier, has seen him in uniform, thinks he enlisted in Norfolk or Portsmouth or vicinity because he visited his family at different times while in service, and the family were then living in Portsmouth he (the soldier) died of smallpox … thinks his regiment was on the James River at the time.”

Exhibit I, Armistead Moore, 9 August 1878
residence, schooner Lydia H. Roper, Norfolk Co., Va.
“he has never been married to the claimant, did not live in cohabitation, lived with her as an employee for six or seven years, left her employment last Autumn, never lived with her as husband and wife, never occupied the same bed or same room with claimant … knows Robert Noel and M.J. Balentine, believes they are both gentlemen, don’t think either one of them would tell a lie. Miles Copeland is a respectable colored man, and is friendly to affiant, don’t believe he would tell a lie.”

Exhibit K, Henry Faulk, 10 August 1878
38 years old; residence, near Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Virginia
“He is a brother of Samuel Faulk … affiant was a soldier in same co. & Regiment. Affiant enlisted in 1863 or 1864 … Affiant was not at their marriage but know they were regularly married and lived together as husband and wife … Affiant has not regarded Armistead Moore and claimant as husband and wife … The deceased soldier and claimant were distant cousins, heard of their marriage shortly after it took place, and visited them in their domicile … don’t visit claimant because of living with Armistead Moore and not being married to him, or denying her marriage.”

Widow’s Claim for Arrears of Pension, Act Jan. 25, 1879, Letitia Falk, 28 September 1881
43 years old; residence, Norfolk, 3 miles from Portsmouth;
[also appeared] Irena Porter, residence, Norfolk, Va., No. 69 Newton St., and Milly Smith, residence, Norfolk, Va., No. 44 Fourth St…. long acquainted 30 years”