The soldier was freeborn in Princess Anne County, Virginia; his (second) wife was born enslaved in Perquimans County, North Carolina. The couple married in Norfolk County, Virginia and lived in “the suburbs of Portsmouth in Norfolk Co, Va till Feby 1894 when covered by extension of city limits.” Their pension claims are particularly well-documented as the applications include official copies of the couple’s marrriage license and the soldier’s death certificate as well as statements from many witnesses who had known them well for many years.
Invalid — 716,151 / 530,904
Widow — 902,570 / 670,678, Susan Sparrow
Marriage License [copy], James Sparrow and Susan Long, 7 December 1882
James Sparrow, 51 years old, and Susan Long, 35 years old, were married at the residence of Susan Long in Norfolk County, Virginia. The groom was born to Adam and Mary Sparrow in Princess Anne County. The bride was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina but her parents weren’t named. The officiant was Rev. Dempsey Thompson.
Death Certificate [copy], James Sparrow, 10 July 1908
[residence] 1441 Glasgow Street, Portsmouth, Virgnia
[age] 60
[condition] married
[birthplace] Virginia
[father’s name/birthplace] Adam Sparrow / Virginia
[mother’s name/birthplace] “not given” / “not given”
[occupation] laborer
[informant] Susan Sparrow, 1441 Glasgow
[cause of death] “dysentery complicated with senile decay”
[physician] W.T. Reid, MD
[burial] Mount Olive Cemetery, July 12, 1908
[undertaker] George Colden, Norfolk County
Widow’s Application for Accrued Pension, Susan Sparrow, 8 August 1908
“That she had been previously married … Also personally appeared Sarah Holland, residing at Portsmouth, Va, and Georgia Sparrow, residing at Portsmouth, Va. … personal intimate acquaintance of the parties for more than 20 years and seeing the body of the said soldier after his death and attending his funeral.”
General Affidavit, Margaret Smith, 16 August 1908
59 years old; post-office address, South Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“That she was well-acquainted with James Sparrow … and was also personally well acquainted with his first wife who was known in the neighborhood as Jakie Sparrow; that said Jakie Sparrow died on County St., Extended in Norfolk County, Va. … the death of Jakie occurred sometime before”
General Affidavit, Sarah Holland, 17 August 1908
about 60 years old; post-office address, 203 Nicholson St., Portsmouth, Va.
“That I was personally well-acquainted with Nelson Long the first husband of the claimant Susan Sparrow.
“That she knows that the said Nelson Long died on Glasgow St now in the City of Portsmouth, then in Norfolk County near Portsmouth, Va. That she knew of the death from a report of it in the neighborhood at the time. That she cannot remember the date of said death but she knows that it occurred at least two years before claimant was married to the soldier James Sparrow”
General Affidavit, Rebecca Drew, 24 August 1908
46 years old; post-office address, 1331 Glasgow St, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was well acquainted with Jakie Sparrow, the first wife of James Sparrow, late husband of the claimant … That the said Jakie Sparrow died shortly before I was fifteen years old. I can state this much as to the date because shortly after her death the said James Sparrow came to my mother’s house near Portsmouth to live and continued to live there for about a year till he married the said Susan who was formerly Susan Long. I was fifteen years of age at the time the said James Sparrow came to live with us. The death of Jakie Sparrow occurred in Norfolk County near Portsmouth, Va. I was present at her funeral, also saw and recognized the body after death.”
Claimant’s Affidavit, Susan Sparrow, 9 September 1908
61 years old; post-office address, 1441 Glasgow St, Portsmouth, Va.
“[James Sparrow] was married only once before his marriage to this claimant. His first wife was named Jakie Sparrow, who died some two or more years before his marriage to this claimant.
“That I was married but once before my marriage to [James Sparrow]. My first husband was named Nelson Long who died about two years before my marriage to [James Sparrow] … no reliable record of deaths was kept in Norfolk County where both parties lived at the time of their deaths.”
General Affidavit, Rebecca Drew, 9 September 1908
46 years old; post-office address, 1331 Glasgow St., Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was personally well-acquainted with late James Sparrow and his wife Susan Sparrow before they were married to each other.”
General Affidavit, Mary Outlaw, 9 September 1908
64 years old; post-office address, 604 Blunt St, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was well and intimately acquainted with James Sparrow and his wife … having known them for more than 35 years
Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Susan Sparrow, 1 October 1908
[birthplace] Hertford, Perquimans Co, NC
[residence at time of acquaintance] Pinner’s Point near Portsmouth, Va
[length of acquaintance before marriage] about 7 years
[when, where, by whom married] Dec 7, 1882 in Norfolk Co, Va. by Rev Dempsey Thompson
[residence since marriage] “suburbs of Portsmouth in Norfolk Co, Va till Feby 1894 when covered by extension of city limits”
[previous marriage] yes
[marriage since soldier’s death] no
[enslaved?] “Yes. Only one owner named Samuel Long was not a slave at time of marriage to soldier”
[soldier’s birthplace] Princess Anne Co., Va
[soldier’s residence at acquaintance] Norfolk Co, Va.
[soldier’s enlistment] “I do not know”
[enlistment date] December 15, 1863
[residence before enlistment] Princess Anne Co., Va
[age at enlistment / occupation] 36 / laborer
[height / skin color] 5’6″ / dark
[only wife] no
[soldier enslaved?] “soldier was never a slave”
General Affidavit, Penny Skinner, 14 October 1908
79 years old; post-office address, Carroll St, Portsmouth, Va
“That I have known the claimant Susan Sparrow from her childhood. My acquaintance with her began in Hertford, Perquimans Co., North Carolina. We both moved to Virginia in the same week during the Civil War, and I have known her quite intimately since her childhood. Her first husband was named Nelson Long, who married her at Hertford and brought her to this state. Her next and last husband was named James Sparrow who died recently.”
General Affidavit, Shedrach Smith, 14 October 1908
about 70 years old; post-office address, London St near Godwin, Portsmouth, Va.
“That I first became acquainted with James Sparrow … sometime prior to the Civil War. When we was living in Princess Anne County, Va. I was then living in Norfolk County not far from Princess Anne. I cannot now tell you what year it was when I first met the said James Sparrow. I know that he was a very young man hardly grown. Some years after I became acquainted with him he married Jakie Sparrow, a relation of my mother’s family, and lived with her till he died.”
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1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 