Henderson Hodges, Company C

One document said the soldier was killed in battle in July 1864. Another reported he died of injuries sustained when he was thrown from a horse during a drill at Camp Hamilton, Virginia. If conflicting evidence went unresolved an application for benefit would be rejected .

Mother – 365,533 / —–, Chloe Hodges

Declaration for an Originial Pension for a Mother, Chloe Hodges, 15 December 1887
61 years old; residence, Belleville, Nansemond County, Virginia; post-office address, Belleville, Nansemond County, Virginia
“she is the widow of Allen Hodges, and mother of Henderson Hodges .. who was killed in battle at Deep Bottom, Va, on the 21st day of July AD 1864; that said son left neither widow nor children under sixteen years of age surviving; that she was partly dependent upon said son for support; that her husband … Allen Hodges aged 79 years died on the [blank] day of September 1871 that there were surviving the date of said son’s death his brothers and sisters, who were under sixteen of age as follow:
Martha (now Martha Rountree having married Thomas Rountree), born October 12, 1848
Harriet (now the wife of George Haile), born 1852
Adaline (now the wife of John Wright), born 1857
Anna (now the widow of John Tynes), born 1860
“Also personally appeared Norman B. Hayden residing in Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va. and CH Causey, Jr residing in Suffolk, Nansemond Co., Va. “

Declaration for an Original Pension of a Mother, Chloe Hodges, 8 April 1891
70 years old; residence, Suffolk, Va.; post-office address, 709 County St., Portsmouth, Va. care of Henry Clay
“[the soldier] died in Hospital at Hampton, Virginia of injuries received by being thrown from his horse while on drill at Camp Hamilton, Virginia … 1st day of March, AD 1865 … [the claimant was] married to the father of said son at Nansemond Co., Va … 1871 … his brothers and sisters who were under sixteen years of age …
“Martha Hodges now Rountree
Harriet Hodges now Haile
Adaline Hodges now Wright
Isaiah Hodges
Anna Hodges now Tynes
Margaret Ann Hodges
“Also personally appered Elizabeth Clay, residing at 709 County Street, Ports, Va. … and Adaline Wright residing at 716 Queen Street in Ports, Va.”

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Johnson Brown, Company C and Company K

The soldier enlisted in Company C and later transferred to Company K. He was crippled when his horse fell on him during battle.

Invalid — 1,239,164 / ——

Declaration for Invalid Pension, Johnson Brown, 30 October 1899
59 years old; residence, York Co., Va.; post-office address, care of R. Griffin, Yorktown, York Co., Va.
“He was transferred from Co C to Co K, same regiment … unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of being crippled by a horse falling on him in the Battle of Deep Bottom, Va.”
“Also personally appeared J.M. Ruffin, residing at Grove, Va., and J.A. Billups residing at Grove, Va. … their acquaintance with him for nine years and nineteen years, respectively”

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Lewis Luster, Company C

The soldier’s widow said that she was born in Mississippi and brought to Virginia as a child. She and her husband had a ‘slave marriage’ shortly before the Civil War started.  When she initiated her application for a widow’s pension she reported names and birthdates for four children who qualified as minors.   

Widow — 447,550 / 503,152, Sophia Luster

Deposition, Sophia Luster, 27 October 1900
about 85 years old; occupation, housework and attending gardens
“My said husband was near born in this county, where I now live, and was the slave of the late Armistead Booker. I was born in Mississippi, but brought to this county before I was grown. My maiden name was Sophia Mitchell and my parents were Herod and Dancy Mitchell. I belonged to the late James Downey, in Elizabeth City County, Va., near where my husband was raised. I became the wife of Lewis Luster on the 14th or 15th of June, don’t know what year. but just as they were talking about the war coming on. We were both slaves at the time and were married by my master Jas. Downing. He read a portion of the ‘matrimony’ and then John Pierce, colored, after Mr. Downing got through he also read part of the ‘matrimony.’

“I consider that Mr. Downing really married us. Pierce was a speaker at meetings. He is dead. We were married in Mr. Downing’s place, at the house of my aunt. Eliza Fields, now dead. All the folks who saw me married are dead. …

“After my marriage to Lewis Luster I lived with him as his wife until he died on the 24th of Jan’y. and next Jan’y will be 12 years since he died. … died on the 24th & was buried on the 25th by Warren Smith of Hampton. … I had one child by [Luster] before he enlisted, and when he was discharged he came right back to me. He was discharged from a hospital near Ft. Monroe, Va. where he had been sick about 2 months. Saw him in hospital several times. … Some of my friends call me ‘Puss’ Luster for a nickname.

“When I applied for pension I had four children by the soldier under the age of 16 years. They are named as follows:
James Luster, born August 4th, don’t know the year but he was 22 years old, the 4th of August;
Luvinia Luster, born February 19th, year not known, but she was 19 years old last Feb’y, will be 20 next Feb’y;
Agnes Luster, born Jan’y 17th, and was 16 years old last Jan’y;
Sylvia Luster was born June 21st, and was 14 years old last June. I have no record now of the dates of birth of those children.
[NOTE: This gets really snarled viz birthdates of the children: there’s poor penmanship on a lot of documents, bleed-through on some papers, contradictions in dates — Leslie]

Deposition, Jemima Brooks, 20 October 1900
about 45 years old; occupation, housework; residence & post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I have known the claimant Sophia Luster some 33 or 34 years …. All her youngest children were born near where I live. I know them all.
“Her daughter Luvinia Luster was born in February 1879, don’t know what day. I fix the date from the fact that I have a niece born March 15, 1879 and Luvinia was born the month before, Feb’y 1879. I am certain about that.
“Claimant’s daughter Agnes was born in January, don’t know what day or year, but she will be 19 years old her next birth. I fix her age from that of Julia Chandler who will be 19 on the 29th of next December, and Agnes was born the next month, Jany.
“I can read but not write.”

Deposition, Edward Christian, 27 October 1900
50 years old; residence and post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“I became acquainted with claimant Sophia Luster over 30 years ago. … She was the wife of Lewis Luster and she continued to live with him until he died some 10 or 12 years ago.”

Deposition, Roselia Walker, 27 October 1900
about 36 years old; address and post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“I am the widow of Geo. Walker. I lived on the same land with claimant Sophia Luster when her four youngest children were born. … James was born in August 1877. I fix the date because I had my first child in the same year, Dec 1, 1877.
“I cannot tell when the others were born except Agnes, she is about 18 years old. Have forgotten about Lavinia, but I guess she is about twenty-one years old, about the same age as my son Tom.”

Deposition, Agnes Jones, 27 October 1900
about 50 years old; occupation, housework; residence and post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I have known the claimant Sophia Luster since long before the war. We were raised together and have lived near each other ever since. I have been her nearest neighbor for 255 or 30 years.
“I know her four youngest children, they were little children when their father died. The oldest of them is James Luster, the next is Lavina. The next is Agnes (we call her Aggie) and the last is Sylvia. I was there with her when they were born, helped to wait on her …”

Deposition, Mrs. Colnette Chandler, 29 October 1900
about 50 years old; residence and post-office address, “near Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.; “I am the wife of Nimrod Chandler”
“have known [Sophia Luster] for 25 years …
“(Deponent produced a Bible published in 1860, which shows the following among other entries (‘Julia born 12th month, 29th day, 1881’)”

Deposition, Irene Shepherd, 29 October 1900
55 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence and post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I have known the claimant about Sophia Luster about 32 years…. We have hired some members of her family for many years past. Yes, I know all of her children but the only one regarding whose age I know anything about is a girl named Agnes. She was born 1882, do not know day or month. but she (clmt) says Agnes was born in Jan’y. I am certain that said Agnes  was born in 1882 because I have a daughter Lelia, born in the same year, August 24, 1882. I have a record of her birth. Agnes was living some months before Lelia.”

Deposition, Warren T. Smith, 29 October 1900
60 years old; residence and post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia
“Yes, I know Sophia Luster. I buried her husband Lewis Luster. They lived on Back River near Butler farm.
“My book shows the following regarding said Lewis Luster,
‘Jan’y 24, 1889, one burial of
‘Mr. Lewis Luster on Back River
‘Ordered by Lewis Luster, his son, $20.00

General Affidavit, William Cheesman, date unknown]
residence, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Virginia; post-office address, Hampton, Virginia
“I William Cheesman certify that I know Lester Lewis … also know Sophia Luster, his wife. I know … [Lewis] was discharged from the General Hospital in New Orleans, La. and got home about 11th of January 1866. When Lewis Luster got hear [sic] Sophia Luster and my house was a little distance apart. I know he went to her house and recognized her as his wife. I have been in the neighborhood with them ever since the war.”

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Reuben Bright, Company C

The solder enlisted under his enslaver’s surname but established himself with his father’s surname upon discharge. The veteran and his wife had ties to Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. Two sons are identified in this pension application. Further research is required to determine if there were other children.

Widow — 661,354 / 471,063, Mary Bright

Marriage License, Reuben Bright and Mary Williams, 9 January 1874
The marriage took place 12 January 1874 in Norfolk County, Virginia. They were 24 years old, single and residents of Norfolk County, Virginia. The groom who worked at farming was born to Mark and Nancy Bright in Norfolk County, Virginia. The bride was born to Mark and Patsey Williams in Currituck County, North Carolina. N.L. Overton conducted the ceremony “at 2 P.M. in Reub. Brite‘s House.”

General Affidavit, Able Northern and Abram Lamb, 29 June 1895
[Northern] 45 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Lamb] 48 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
“They have been acquainted with Reuben Wilson ever since discharged up to the present time …”

General Affidavit, V.C. Bidgood, M.D, 16 July 1895
38 years old; residence, Centerville, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, Fentress, Norfolk County, Virginia
“I have known Reuben Wilson for about five (5) years …”
Note: The doctor provides great detail about his patient’s conditions and illnesses — Leslie

General Affidavit, A.L. Wilson and Aaron Ferebee, 14 September 1897
[Wilson] 33 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Ferebee] 52 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
“They both state they were present at the time and place of Reuben Bright or Wilson death and was at his burying and know he died on the 4th day of July 1897. These facts is [sic] personal knowledge by visiting him in the time of his sickness until he died.”

General Affidavit, James M. Spratley and Otelia Wilson, 14 September 1897
[Spratley] 44 years old; residence and post-office address, Fentress, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Wilson] 34 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
“That they both state they were present and heard the matrimony administered to Reuben Bright or Wilson and Mary Williams by Rev. N.L. Overton on January 12th, 1874 in Norfolk County, Virginia … [Reuben Bright] died on the 4th day of July 1897.”

General Affidavit, Boston T. Parsons and J.W. Sivells, 15 September 1897
[Parsons] 36 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Sivells] 46 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
“They both state they were present at the marriage of Mary Bright or Wilson to the soldier Reuben Bright or Wilson and know they was married on the 12th day of January 1874 by N.L. Overton …”

General Affidavit, Abar Sivills and Susan Ferebee, 15 December 1897
[Sivills] 27 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Ferebee] 26 years old; residence and post-office address, Hickory, Norfolk County, Virginia
“They both state they were present at the birth of Mary Bright or Wilson son Victor Bright when he were born and know he was born on the day of Nov. 1889 and that he is now living with his mother and he is the only child living under sixteen years of age … these facts above stated is [sic] from personal knowledge by living near neighbors and sees each other daily”

Claimant’s Affidavit, Mary Bright or Wilson, 8 June 1898
46 years old; post-office address, Hickory, Virginia
“When [her husband] enlisted he belonged to his master George A. Wilson … and when he was discharged and came home he then changed his name to Bright after his father Mark Bright and he then married me under that name.”

General Affidavit, Charlie Griffin and John Godfrey, 17 August 1898
[Griffin] 50 years old; residence and post-office address, Indian Creek, Norfolk County, Virginia
[Godfrey] 68 years old; residence and post-office address, Indian Creek, Norfolk County, Virginia
“They know the soldier went by the name of Reuben Wilson in the United States Services until discharged and then he changed his name to Reuben Bright and married under that name after his father …”

Application for Re-imbursement, William Bright, 7 June 1909
“Pension was last paid [to Mary Bright] Mar 4, 1909 …
“[Your relationship to the deceased pensioner?] son
[Are you married?] no
[When did the pensioner’s last sickness begin?] about a month before death
[Name and post-office address of that person’s physician] Dr. Nicholas G. Wilson, South Norfolk, Va.
[The last illness] Nephritis
[Who boarded the pensioner during this period?] “Lived with claimant and his brother Victor Bright“
[Who nursed the pensioner?] “Members of the house”
[Pensioner’s residence during last illness] Campostella, near South Norfolk
[Did pensioner pay rent?] No
[When did pensioner die?] June 2, 1909
[Where was pensioner buried?] Colored cemetery, Berkley Ward, Norfolk Co., Va.
Dr. Nicholas G. Wilson — unpaid physcian’s bill – $4.00
Wilson Fitts — unpaid undertaker’s bill – $87.00

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James Malbron, Company C

The soldier reported that he experienced “internal injury of left side which was contracted at Camp Hamilton, Va. while engaged in a skirmish drill exercise by falling from the roof of a low shed or stable on the hilt of my sabre which stuck fast in the ground.”
Disability Affidavit, James Malburn, 3 February 1890

 

Invalid — 753,264 / 592,379

 

Disability Affidavit, James Malburn, 3 February 1890
63 years old; residence, Barbersville, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, c/o Rawlins Whitehurst & Co., Norfolk, Va. … For about 36 years immediately preceding my enlistment … I resided in the following-named places: Princess Anne Co., Va. … my occupation was that of a farmer … Since my discharge from said service on the 4th day of Feby , 1866, I have resided in Ferry Point, Princess Anne Co., Va. about 3 years; then at the the east end of Queen St., Norfolk, Va. about 1 1/2 years; then in Chappell St about 3 yrs; then out to Norfolk Co. about 1 year; then to Georgiatown [sp?] about 1 year, then to Princess Anne Ave. 1 year; then to Church St. then to Charles St.; then to Hull St.,; then to McLeans Lane: then to Barbersville where I now reside … and my occupation has been that of laborer …”

 

Proof of Disability, Frank Robinson, and Sandy Craig, 3 February 1890
[Robinson] 51 years old, residence, 387 Church St., Norfolk, Va
[Craig] 45 years old, residence, 247 Church St., Norfolk, Va.
“they are acquainted with James Malburn …”

 

Memo, W.T.. Shipp, Bookkeeper, 10 December 1890
“The firm of Rawlins Whitehurst & Co. has had Jas. Malbone in its employ for 10 years or more and found him always faithful to his duties and ever ready to do his work …”

 

Neighbors’ Affidavit, John Whitehurst and Wm. H. Reid, 16 January 1891
[Whitehurst] 67 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 100 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
[Reid] 55 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 100 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
“personally acquainted with James Malburn the claimant for 30 years, and 20 years, respectively … Whitehurst drives a team, has seen James Malburn nearly every day, he lives close neighbors within one hundred & fifty yards … Reid testifies that he is the presiding elder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Norfolk, Va., knows James Malburn well, is a personal friend, lives near enough to speak with him from his door, sees him at least daily …”

 

General Affidavit, Solomon Ahern and Nathaniel Simmons, 22 July 1895
[Ahern] 55 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 80 Smith St., Norfolk, Va.
[Simmons] residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 52 Howard St., Norfolk, Va.
“acquainted with the soldier upwards of 25 years, were born in the same county — since his discharge, we have resided in the same vicinity — have worked with him often …”

 

General Affidavit, John Whitehurst and Noah Lamb, 13 January 1897
[Whitehurst] 67 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 100 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
[Lamb] 50 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 15 Brickhouse Ave., Huntersville Ward, Norfolk, Va.
“have known [claimant] since the date of discharge to the present seeing him frequently each month and year since date of discharge to the present and during all these years, many times each year we have heard him complain of an injury … cannot perform much manual labor…”

 

General Affidavit, Harry Farmer, 12 July 1897
55 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.; “that he served in the same company & regiment with claimant during the late war; was very intimate with him …”

 

General Affidavit, Johnson Farmer, 12 July 1897
60 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.; post-office address, 375 Bank St., Norfolk, Va.
“[T]hat he served in the same company & regiment … was very intimate with him …While we were in Santiago, Texas during the winter of 1865-66 our sleeping quarters being very damp owing to high tides rising under our bunkers, sometimes we would sit up in the water …”

 

Form 3-306, Harry Farmer, 29 November 1897
55 years old; residence and post-office address, 17 4th St., Norfolk, Va.
“[after his injury] our captain, Capt. Duboise took him and made him company cook, and he was our cook off and on all the time afterwards …”

 

Memo, Nathaniel Simmons, 29 November 1897
61 years old; residence and post-office address, 172 Nickerson St., Norfolk, Va.
“I have known the claimant … all my life but I was not in the army with him … He was out of service some months before I got back to Norfolk and was living in the country and I staid [sic] here in the city, and did not see much of claimant until he moved to this city about 27 years ago, and then he went to work with me at Rawlins & Nichols ice house and we worked there together for at least 20 years …”

 

Memo, Harry Farmer, 30 November 1897
55 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office address, 17 Fourth St., Norfolk, Va. “served in the same company and regiment …”

 

Memo, John Whitehurst, 30 November 1897
72 years old; residence and post-office address, 100 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
“I knew two or three [people by that name] … If you refer to the James Malburn who used to work for Rawlins & Nichols & Co. I knew him slightly during the late war, but do not know what service he was in during the war … I use to see him about Rawlins & Nichols ice house, probably once a fortnight for several years …”

 

Memo, Solomon Moore, 30 November 1897
58 years old; residence and post-office address, 116 Smith St., Norfolk, Va.
“[Claimant] was in Co C … and I was in Co I 36 USCT … got back home to Norfolk, Va. in November 1866, and clt was then living in the country, and I did not see or know much of him until in 1870 or 71, when he moved into Norfolk, Va. and began to work for Rawlins & Nichols, at bundling ice. I also worked for same firm …”

 

General Affidavit, James Malburn, 7 August 1897
69 years old; residence, Norfolk, Va.
“unable to furnish the affidavits of any of his commissioned officers … he has never seen or heard of any of said officers since the war & does not know where they are …”

 

Questionnaire (Form 3-173), James Malburn, 4 December 1897
[wife] widower (Louvenia Malburn) (Louvenia Capps)
[when, where, by whom] had been married about 43 years; died about two years ago
[previous marriage] no
[living children] nine — all now over 16 years old

 

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Jas. Malburn, 14 March 1898
[married] Wife died November 1895; Louvenia (Capps) Malburn
[when, where, by whom] about 1851
[record] married by consent of owners — no license
[previously married] no
[living children] eight — all over 21 years of age

 

Deposition, James Malburne, 9 January 1902
75 years old; retired farmer; residence, 27 Goff St., Norfolk, Va.
“I was born in Princess Anne Co., Va. and was a slave; was owned by Noah Murden. My father was Ralph Malburn. I took my name from him. I was called James Murden before the war but since the war I have always been called James Malburn.
“I was only in two states while I was a soldier. I was first in Va. and remained there till after Richmond fell and then we went to Texas. We went to Texas by water; we went on the Dudley Buck. We stopped on the way to Texas to coal the boat. We landed at Mexico, Texas, which is on the Rio Grande River.
“Girrard, Jeptha Girrard was my Colonel.
Seips was first our Lt. Col., but later on he was made Col.
Brown was Major.
Debers was my Capt.
Boltwood and Smith were my Lts.
Garrett was my Ord. Sgt.
Gaines was a duty Sgt. I don’t recollect name of any other Sgt. So far as I can recollect we only had two Sgts.
We had four corporals. Turner, Moran were two of them; cannot recollect for certain the others, but I think one of them was named Olmstead.
“We were in no battles. We were in a skirmish in Chicihominie [sic] Swamp. We had two men killed there but I cannot recollect their names.”

 

Declaration of Pension, James Malburne, 11 March 1907
“he is the identical person who enrolled at Norfolk, Va. under the name of James Malbron … he was born June 6th, 1827 at Princess Anne County, Virginia. That his several places of residence since leaving the service have been as follows: Norfolk County and Norfolk, Virginia … his post-office address is Chapel St., Ext. Norfolk, County of Norfolk, State of Virginia …
“Also personally appeared Willis Creekmore, residing in Norfolk, Va. and John Portlock, residing in Norfolk County, Virginia … [acquainted with soldier] 35 years and 40 years, respectively …”

 

Application for Reimbursement, Nora Taylor, 10 January 1913
23 years old; residence, Norfolk County, Va.
[relationship to the deceased] granddaughter
[cause of death] pneumonia
[beginning of last sickness] about Dec 1911
[name and post-office address of physicians] Dr. J.J. Quarles, Berkley, Norfolk, Va; Dr. A.B. Green, Berkley, Norfolk, Va.
[pensioner’s residence in last illness] Norfolk Co., Va.
[date of death] November 7, 1912
[burial] Norfolk Co., Va.
Also personally appeared, Florence Slade, RFD 4, Box 41, Norfolk, Va. and Amy Fuller, RFD 4, Box 41, Norfolk, Va.
Persons who nursed the patient — Frank Lovette, Florence Sled, Nora Taylor

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