The soldier “ran away to enlist and changed his name so as to throw his ‘master’ off the track … when he enlisted he took his mother’s name.” This application is chockful of details about his family’s life on Maryland’s Western Shore e.g. enslavement, the Catholic Church, re-marriage, blended families.
Note: St. Mary’s County is on Maryland’s Western Shore — not the Eastern Shore as originally published — LEA
Invalid — 693,110 / 569,175
Widow — 618,085 / 467,221, Winnie Butler
Minor — 681,552 / 493,932
Deposition, Robert Milliard, 22, July 1898
60 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, St. Inigoes, St Mary’s Co, Maryland
“I served in Company C … We enlisted at the same time and served together. I knew him before enlistment. His true name was not Butler but Gantt. He ran away to enlist and changed his name so as to throw his ‘master’ off the track … after he came home, he was known as Gantt.”
Deposition, Ellis M. Magill, 20 July 1898
29 years old; occupation, justice of the peace; post-office address, Fishing Point, St. Mary’s Co., Maryland
“I have known the claimant for about 12 or 13 years. I also knew George Butler her husband who served in Co C 1st USC Cav. … The claimant remained his widow till last April when she was married to Benj Chase. She has three children by soldier all of whom are living … She was married to the soldier before I knew her consequently I have nothing relative to the fact.”
Deposition, Winnie Butler, 21 July 1898
about 54 years old; occupation, housekeeper; post-office address, Fishing Point, St. Mary’s Co., MD
“I was the widow of George Gant who served in Co C 1st USC Cav under the name of George Butler … when he enlisted he took his mother’s name which was Butler … Soldier died April 30, 1895 and I remained his widow until April 11, 1898 when I was married to Benjamin Chase at St Inyoes [sic] Manor by Rev Wm P Hamilton, SJ Pastor of St Nicholas Church … my three children by soldier whose names and dates of birth are as follows:
Mary C Gantt was born Dec 11, 1879
Annie M Gantt ” ” ” April 16, 1882
Mary Victoria ” ” ” Aug 2, 1886.
“I had the care and custody of these children from the time of soldier’s death up to my re-marriage.They are all living.
“I was married to George Gannt, February 2, 1890 by Father Dibitostio pastor of St. Nicholas Church. We both had had a prior marriage
“My maiden name was Winnie Hopewell and I was born a slave and raised on the Tuxon [?] River in this county and was married to John Dent Spink on Easter Sunday 1859. At least it was two years before the war broke out. We were both slaves but were married in St. Andrews PE church by ceremony.”
“This was my first marriage and my husband lived till along about the middle of the war when he died. I cannot give the exact date of his death … Butler had also been married before. His first wife’s name was Sarah Carroll, a slave girl, I never knew her. She died while he was in the army. … the records of St. Nicholas Church where we were married were destroyed by fire. … Wm. Campbell and S. Joseph T. Gough of St. Inyeos [sic], MD both knew him before, in and after service.
“Samuel Thomas, California, MD, is the only person living who was present at the marriage. I do not know whether the minister is living or not. I suppose him to be dead as he was an old man when he left his part of the country.
“Q. By whom can you show that your first husband was dead prior to your marriage to soldier?
A. Mrs. Mary Blake, California, Md
George N. Thomas
Sam’l Thomas
John Bean (Mr. Bean was too sick to testify).
“Q: By whom can you show the fact and date of death of soldier’s first wife?
A. Mrs. Sam’l Thomas
Saml Thomas and Mrs George Thomas
“Q. By whom can you show dependence?
A. Mr. EM Magill and Mr. John W. Jones“
Deposition, Mary Blake, 23 July 1898
occupation, housekeeper; post-office address, California, St. Mary’s Co., MD
“I have known the claimant ever since she was a baby. I knew her father and mother. Her name was Winnie Hopewell. Her first husband was John Dent Spinks. He belonged to Mrs. Frank Abel. Spinks died not far from here but I cannot fix the date but it was after the war but not very long. I was present when he died and attended his funeral. After Spinks died she married Gantt. He belonged to Mr. Henry Carroll (since dead). I never heard him called Butler but knew him as Gant’s. I was not present at her marriage to this man, but I was invited to the wedding but did not go … saw them right after marriage and lived close neighbor to them. …. She is a nice respectable woman. Gantt was also married once before he married Winnie. I cannot say just when his first wife died but it was a smart while before he married the claimant. Gantt and Winnie were lawfully married. Gantt was a Catholic and Winnie got to be one too after a while.
“The Catholics are very particular and will not marry people unless everything is all right”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 