Robert Winn, Company F

The soldier lost his right foot and was unable to do much manual labor. The injury helped distinguish his identity from a soldier with the same (or a similar) name. Another valuable identifier was the soldier’s year of death. Two items of interest: (1) the Pension Bureau was beginning to take a serious look at the attorney whose fraudulent practices abused veterans and their beneficiaries; (2) one of the deponents reported service at Fort Fisher, North Carolina or the Bluff near Richmond, Virginia.

Widow — 661,953 / —–, Polly Winn

Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, Robert Winn, 5 Augustt 1891
49 years old; residence, Petersburg, Virginia; post-office address, 15 Marl St, Petersburg, Virginia
“enrolled on the 15 day of June, 1864, Company F, 5th Regiment of Ohio, CI [Colored Infantry] Vol in the War of the Rebellion and served at least ninety days and was honorably discharged at Brazos Santiago, Texas on the 4th day of of Feb 1866, that he is disabled for earning his support by manual labor by reason of the lost [sic] of the right foot and [illegible] disease”
“Also personally appeared, Joshua Jones, residing at Prince George o, Va. and Elijah Taylor, residing at Prince George Co, Va.”

Deposition, R. Bagnall Jr, 3 August 1895
38 years old; occupation. student; residence and post-office address, 49 Lee St, Huntersville, Norfolk, Va
“formerly a NP ]Notary Public] in this city”

Deposition, Joshua Jones, 22 May 1895
about 50 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Petersburg, Va
“I do not know any man named Robert Winn, have never known any man of that name … I never knew any man in my neighborhood who lost a right foot … I have never known any man named Winn in Petersburg, Va.”

Deposition, Elijah Taylor, 22 May 1895
about 62 yeas old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Prince George County, Va.
“I knew a Robert Winn some years ago, he lived in Petersburg, Va.near there in Blandford …
“I have not seen him for 15 years … The Robt Winn that I knew near Petersburg had not lost his right foot while I knew him.”
“I also knew another Robt Winn who was a member of my Co and Regt. I have not seen him since he was wounded at Ft Fisher, NC or the Bluff near Richmond.”

Deposition, Frances L. Herbert, 25 May 1895
about 29 years old; occupation, househkeeper; post-office address, 225 Pink Alley, Petersburg, Va
“I was well acquainted with Robert Winn, he called my house, his home while he lived. He lived in the same house with me on Mars St, this city, in 1891, the number of the house was 26. People call the street Marl Street also. No he never lived No. 15 said street. … The said Robert WInn died in Dec 1892 in this city … his death took place about the last of Dec 1892. He was never married to my knowledge.”

Deposition, Robert Wheeler, 27 May 1895
about 58 years; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 211 Queen St, Norfolk, Va
“I do not know any man named Robert Winn … I cannot write my name and never could write it … I do not know any other Robert Wheeler, except my son whose name is Robt T Wheeler.”

Deposition, Robert T Wheeler, Jr, 27 May 1895
about 24 years old; occupation, book agent; post-office address, 214 Queen St, Norfolk, Va
“I do not know nor have I ever known any man named Robert Winn … I know of no other Robert Wheeler in or about Norfolk, Va or anywhere else, except my father, who cannot write his name.”

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Major Warren, Company A

Born enslaved in Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina, the soldier suffered serious internal injuries when his horse fell on him during a drill. He was in pain until his death in 1926 at age 82. He was predeceased by his wife and several of his 11 children.

Invalid — 1,044,928 / 993,810

[Government Form] Major Warren, 21 September 1891
47 years old
“on or about the 15 day of July 1864, he was damaged inwardly by horse falling on him while drilling, was confined to bed for about a week before I went on duty again — since I came home I have been attended by physician at times for it — I suffer from pains in my back, kidneys & sides.
“That he was treated in hospitals as follows: The doctor of the regiment attended me in the Regiment Hospital … That since leaving the service this applicant has resided in the county of Chowan in the state of NC, and that his occupation has been that of a farmer. That prior to his entry into the service … being when enrolled a farm laborer.”

Questionnaire (illegible), Major Warren, 20 September 1897
[married] Rebecca Warren - Rebecca Wright
[when, where, by whom] about Dec 25, 1868 in Chowan County by Joseph Pratt, Justice of the Peace
[record] “license record in Register of Deeds office Chowan Co”
[previously married] no
[living children] “I have 11 children (two dead, 9 living). My youngest Nicy, 4 years old, next one Lula, 7 yrs old – next one Eldora about 16 years old — I have their ages put down at home but is not convenient for me to get”

General Affidavit, Jackson Wright & Henderson Bond, 26 August 1899
[Wright] 50 years old; residence, near Edenton, NC, Chowan County, NC; post-office address, Edenton, NC
[Bond] 58 years old; residence, near Edenton, NC, Chowan County, NC; post-office address, Edenton, NC
“That they and each of them lives within one mile of Major Warren & have lived not over that distance from him since Sept 22, 1897 … They have been to his home & seen him unable to help himself even to a cup of water … that there is light work like weeding cotton that he might be able to do if he could see well enough to get out the grass & not cut up the plants”

Questionnaire (Form 3-493), Major Warren, 25 August 1898
[residence, post-office] near Edenton, NC; Edenton, NC
[residence after discharge] “Lived here in Chowan County, NC, near Edenton, NC ever since I was discharged from service”
[occupation since discharge] farm laborer
[known by a different name in service] “No. Some call me Major Nixon after my father, since the war”

Questionnaire, Major Warren, 2 June 1915 (date stamped by Pension Office)
[date and place of birth] “Blount Farm in Chowan County, NC belonging to Dr. Warren“
[post-office at enlistment] Fortress Monroe, Va
[wife] Rebeca [sic] Wright
[when, where, by whom] Providence Church, Edenton, NC. Joseph Z. Pratt, Justice of the Peace
[record] “Don’t know of any record. If there is it is in the Court House in Edenton, NC”
[previously married] [Neither of them was married before — Leslie]

Death Certificate, Major Warren, 4 April 1926
[place of death] Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina
[full name] Major Warren
[residence] 126 W. Peterson
[sex / color / status] “male … colored … widower”
[age] 82 years, 9 months, 21 days
[occupation] retired soldier
[birthplace] Edenton, NC
[father’s name & place of birth] Ned Nixon, Edenton, NC
[mother’s name & place of birth] don’t know, Edenton, NC
[informant] “Daughter Ella Morning, 126 W Peterson St”
[date of death] 4 April 1926
[time and cause of death] 3pm, apoplexy
[place and date of burial, cremation, or removal Chowan County, NC, 5 April 1926
[undertaker] N. Ryder, Edenton, NC

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Patrick Stokes, Company A

This soldier entered the military as an infantryman and then transferred in the 1st US Colored Cavalry. He applied for his pension from his residence on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Invalid — 1,109,025 / —–

Claimant’s Affidavit, Patrick Stokes, 6 May 1892
60 years old; residence, Port Deposit, Cecil County, Maryland
“I was on retreat on or near the Danville Rail Road near [illegible] Station, Virginia after the battle of Amelia Springs. The shot came from the right of me and struck me in the left wrist & I was then taken to the Hospital, the Ambulance and was there fifteen days — was treated by the Hospital Surgeon & have never had the right use of it since — it constantly pains [illegible] — have very little strength in it — my heart trouble came on me soon after I came out the army & was treated by Dr. James Scott of Petersburg Va — caused by heavy cold contracted while in the service”
[Note: Standardized the spelling because the original’s so hard to comprehend — Leslie]

Sworn Statement, Patrick Stokes, 21 September 1897
“Enlisted in Washington (haaving been captured at Mulberry Island in the James River at the time of the battleof Malvern Hill, and was discharged at Point Lookout on the Potomac after one and a half years service and was wounded in the wrist at Hatcher’s Run [illegible] and was in the hospital for fifteen days and was at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox and was then ordered to Point Lookout and in or about five months thereafter was honotably discharged at that place. His discharge papers were burned at Petersburg (in the house in which he resided) as well as all the rest of his belongings. He has been an applicant for pension for 7 years.”

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Dennis Stokes, Company A

This soldier enlisted in Company A, 3rd US Colored Cavalry in New York. He later transferred to the 1st US Colored Cavalry. The veteran applied for his pension from his residence in Cleveland, Ohio.

Invalid — 1,247,509 / —–

Declaration for Invalid Pension, Dennis Stokes, 20 April 1900 [date stamped by Pension Bureau]
74 years old; residence, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio; post-office address, 71 Forest St., Cleveland, Ohio
“Enrolled at New York City and sent to Elmira, Ny, April 1863, in Co A, 3 “Col” Cav’y (NY) and was transferred to Co A, 1 Colored Cav’y … honorably discharged in Texas … regiment was commanded by Col. Bliss“

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Calvin Jackson alias Henry Tripp, Company A

There’s virtually no personal detail in this pension application. When that happens, the researcher has to seek out other sources.

Mother – 259,960 / —– , Caroline Jackson

Letter from John A. Vann, Belvidere, North Carolina to Chas W. Dey, Herndon, Virginia, 13 August 1885
“Will you please give me the name of the man who was killed at Chicakhominy Swamp at the time you had ordered your men to lie down & this man having raised himself up on his knees was shot through the head? One of your men ‘Gilbert Felton‘ by name, tells me that he was near the man when he was shot & saw him fall.
“I want the name of the party who was killed at that time & you will greatly oblige me by referring to your papers & giving me proof of his identity. Gilbert Felton thinks the man enlisted under the name of Henry Tripp. It seems there was one man killed at the time so you can easily identify him.”

Letter from Charles W. Dey, Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia to General Black, 27 August 1885
“Henry Tripp of my company was from North Carolina but I am of the impression that he told me that he only had a sister as nearest relative and as he was only twenty years of age I fail to see how his sister could be the ‘poor old decrepit colored woman’ Rev. Faun describes. Of course twenty two years will somewhat dim the distinctions of memory. And I may be mistaken. And it might have been a mother instead of a sister. In which case Rev. Faun’s adjectives would all prove correct.
“Will you make a special case of this and thereby protect the Govt from fraud? And also do justice to the relative of any of a brave soldier?
“Will you be kind enough to indicate what course in your opinion I should pursue in regard to the matter and greatly oblige
“Yours very, truly,
Charles W. Dey
Late Capt Co A 1st USC Cav”

Letter from RW Browne, Attorney at Law, Room 18 Wiggins Block, Take Elevator, Cincinnati, Ohio to Commissionr of Pensions, 3 June 1893
“I was present as 2d Lt of Co A 1st USCC at the fight at Jones Ford on the Chicahominy, May 5, 1864. We had one man shot dead and I believe one or two wounded. I remember the names Laster & Tripp perectly well, but do not remember whether that was the name of either the man killed or of the one of ones wounded. The officer in command of the company on that day wass Capt. Chas. W. Dey now residing at Herndon, Fairfax Co., Va.”

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