Benjamin Burr alias Benjamin Nash, Company E**

This veteran served in the Union Navy before he joined the Union Army. Prior to his military service, he’d been enslaved in North Carolina. When the war ended, he settled in Mississippi. This pension application includes information about his wife, parents, and children as well as harrowing descriptions of his battle injuries and details about the enslaved and their enslavers. Last week’s post included research notes from documents dated 1895-1898; this week’s post includes research notes from documents dated 1916-1921.

Invalid –707,728 / 898,171
Widow — 1,085,609 / 830,632, Martha Ann Burr

Widow’s Application for Pension, Martha Burr, 26 October 1916
post-office address, 327 Broadway St., Greenville, Mississippi
“She was married to the said Benj Burr on the 19th day of January 1868 at Issaquena Co in the state of Mississippi… her name before said marriage Martha Young.
“Also personally appeared J. Henry Bevins, residing at Greenville, Miss, and Patsy Smith, residing at Greenville, Miss… know her to be the lawful widow of Benjamin Burr who died on the 23 day of Oct 1916″

General Affidavit, Harry P. Pittman, 2 December 1916
“I have known Martha A. Burr and her husband Benjamin Burr for many years here in Washington Co … they were married Jan 19, 1868″

General Affidavit, Martha Ann Burr, 12 December 1916
70 years old; residence, Greenville, Mississippi
“I was married to Benjamin Burr under the name of Martha Ann Young on the 19th day of January 1868 … but through some error his name seems to have been given as Burris but his name is Benjamin Burr”

General Affidavit, Paul Young, 26 March 1917
67 years old
“I have known Martha Burr for 51 years or more for I was born on the same plantation in Issaquena County … and I was present at the marriage in January 1868”

General Affidavit, Diannah Young, 26 March 1917
67 years old; address, Greenville, Mississippi
“I know Martha Burr and Benjamin Burr well here in Issaquena County … I was present at the marriage in January 1868 … I was at his funeral on the 24th 1916 … his death October the 23 1916”

General Affidavit, Martha Burr, 1 August 1917
71 years old; address, 327 Broadway, Greenville, Mississippi
“I was born on the Holly Ridge Plantation in Issaquena County, Miss. a slave and was owned by Mr. Duncans. My mother and father were all slaves and no records of slaves were kept in those days of slaves but my mother told me when I married in January 1868 I was in my 21 years of age and she in dead now over 35 years ago and my father died 6 years before she died and all the older people are dead that could tell anything about my birth. No book or other records are kept of slaves here.”

General Affidavit, H.H. Pittman and Alex Parker, 24 December 1918
[Pittman[ 55 years old; residence, Baleshed [?], Issaquena County, Mississippi
[Parker] 55 years old; residence, Mayersville, Issaquena County, Mississippi
“[Burr] while with several others was detailed to mend the telegraph wire running from Fort Powhatan to a place called ‘Flood’ or ‘Floods.'”

Application for Reimbursement, Dan Burr, 4 March 1921
“Dan Burr … 37 years … resident of Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi … in the last sickness and burial of Martha Ann Burr … on account of the service of Benjamin Burr …
1- pensioner, Martha Ann Burr
2 – relationship, widow
3 – n/a
4 – children under 16 years old, no
5 – still living, no
6 – sick or death benefit paid on pensioner’s account, no
7 – life, accident, or health insurance, no
8 – insurance company, n/a
9 – beneficiary, n/a
10 – beneficiary’s relationship, n/a
11 – premium – n/a
12 – premium by non-pensioner, n/a
13 – executor or administrator, no
14 – money, real estate, personal property, no
15 – character and value of property, n/a
16 – assessed value of real estate, none
17 – disposal of real estate, n/a
18 – unendorsed pension check, no
19 – relation to deceased pensioner, son
20 – married, yes
21 – cause of death, acute indigestion
22 – date last sickness began, December 12, 1920
23 – date when caretaking required, December 12, 1920
24 – name and post-office address of physician, Dr. J.H. Miller, Greenville, Mississippi
25 – person who nursed pensioner, Lula Johnson
26 – pensioner’s residence at last illness, Greenville, Mississippi
27 – place of death, Greenville, Mississippi
28 – date of death, December 19, 1920
29 – burial, Greenville, Mississippi
30 – additional request for payment, no
31 – expenses

Names	Nature of Expense	Paid or Unpaid	Amount
J.H. Miller	Physician	Partially Paid	8.00
Taylor Drug Store	Medicine	Paid	3.00
None	Nursing and Care
Delta Undertaking Co	Undertaking	Partially Paid	237.00
None	Livery
None	Cemetery
None	Other expenses

32 – a complete list of expenses, yes; post-office address, 501 Peach Tree St, Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi; [claimant’s signature]

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Benjamin Burr alias Benjamin Nash, Company E*

This veteran served in the Union Navy before he joined the Union Army. Prior to his military service, he’d been enslaved in North Carolina. When the war ended, he settled in Mississippi. This pension application includes information about his wife, parents, and children as well as harrowing descriptions of his battle injuries and details about the enslaved and the enslavers. Today’s post includes research notes from documents dated 1895-1898; next week’s post will include research notes from documents dated 1916-1921.

Invalid –707,728 / 898,171
Widow — 1,085,609 / 830,632, Martha Ann Burr

General Affidavit, Geo E.W. Grant and James Barney, 29 March 1895
[Grant] 47 years old; residence and post-office address, Greenville, Washington Co., Mississippi … well and intimately acquainted with Benjamin Burr”
[Barney] 28 years old; residence and post-office address, Greenville, Washington Co., Mississippi … well and intimately acquainted with Benjamin Burr”

Deposition, Benjamin Burr, 14 June 1895
57 years old; no occupation; residence and post-office address, 219 Broadway, Greenville, Mississippi
“I was sergeant of Co E 1 US Col’d Cav. I enlisted at Newbern, NC, in Dec 1864 was mustered in at Camp Hamilton, 3 miles from Fort Monroe, Va., was discharged at Brazos Santiago, Texas, and was mustered out at New Orleans in 1866. Before that I had served in the navy on the sloop Granite. I enlisted at Portsmouth, NC in 1862 and was mustered in at Newbern and was discharged at Newbern in Dec 1864.
“I was bred and born on Ocries Island [?], NC and belonged to the Jackson family. They lived on the sea-coast and were fishermen and oystermen. Portsmouth, NC was 10 or 12 miles from our place. There is no one in this county who knew me in NC. Before I went into the army I had always followed the water as a boatman and fisherman.”

“The company was stationed on Fort Powhatan on the James River in Virginia and had 35 miles of telegraph wire to keep up.
[In Winter of 1865 in February, he and the company had been out – twice – to replace wire that had been cut] … were about 3/4 mile below City Point when we were fired upon by the rebels. At the second volley my horse became frightened and rode under an oak tree dragging me from the saddle. I fell on a stump on the side of the road. I fell on my left side The horse whirled around and walked on my left foot crippling one of my toes …. Bugler Henry Meekins and Corp[oral] Steve White are the men who wanted to assist me. I lay in the snow under a holly bush that day until sundown when I tried to make my way to camp but could not. By ten o’clock next day I had managed to almost reach the picket.
“Of the names you have read to me Noah Ballot, Amos Simmons, Ransom Sutton, Willis Warren, Henry Charity and Henry Miggins were with the company on that occasion. … [The doctor who treated Burr was from] a 90-day Massachusetts regiment which was camped with us. … I got the asthma and my feet were frostbitten … I was treated in Virginia … After we got to Texas I was treated by our own doctor, Woodland.
“I was given a medal by General Graper [?] through Lt Col Sites at Brazos Santiago, Texas the last year I was in the army. (claimant here displays his medal) It is a silver medal with the inscription Distinguished for Courage Campaign before Richmond 1864, and on the reverse side, Ferro 115 libertas pervenent [?], US Colored Cavalry ] This was given me for my conduct at Petersburg, Va.

“After being mustered out in New Orleans, I went to Shepperd’s Landing, Miss and lived on Mr. Richardson‘s Esperanza owned by Andrew & Fred Turbull and lived there 8 months next to Duncans‘ Holly Ridge place, I’m below Mayersville and lived there 8 years, from there to Turnbull’s Lakeside on Sterle’s Bayou, four miles from Skippers and staid [sic] 1 year, to Holly Ridge 2 years, and then to Greenville, where I have been ever since. Before coming to Greenville I was a farmer. After coming to Greenville I was a raftsman on the river for seven years and for the last five years I have been unable to work …. [was treated by] Dr. Blackman who lived near Glen Allen, Miss. He died about 1868. Dr. Farris was the next doctor who treated me. He lives in Mayersville. Dr. Winslow at Bend Lamond teated me next. He died 6 ot 7 years ago. Dr. Dunn was the next doctor to treat me, then Dr. Shackelford and then Dr. Pierce. These doctors all live in Greenville.”

“My correct name is Benjamin Burr. I don’t remember my parents but I know my father went by the name of Burr. Some of the people in fact a great many calls me Burl or Burrell and my true name is Burr. My children who can write always sign the name Burr. I never went by the name Catchings. … There is no other family in Greenville named Burr that I know. There are no colored people in Greenville by the name of Catchings that I know of.”

Deposition, Benjamin Burr, 18 July 1895
“I served thirteen months in the Navy … all my service was on the Granite. I lost my discharge in Virginia during the war. The Granite was lying about four miles from Portsmouth, NC when myself, Sam Neal and Jim Howard went aboard of her as contrabands We had been on the Granite about a week when the captain asked us if we did not want to enlist. We said yes and he told us to go on duty and when we went to Newbern he would have us sworn in. When we went to Newbern we went aboard the flagship the Hatzel and were sworn in. The Granite was a small sloop which carried only one big gun. She had three officers but I don’t remember their names. There were about fourteen in the crew. Sam Neal, Jim Howard, August Johnson, were among the crew. I received $14 per month. I served under the name of Benjamin Burr. … I was rated as a landsman or seaman … We lay at anchor at Portsmouth on the blockade nearly all the time.”

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Martha Burr, 3 July 1898
[married] Martha Burr, Martha Young
[when, where, by whom] by Charles Lewis, Davis Place in Issaquenah Co., Miss;
[record] license
[previous marriage] none
[living children] Deala Burr, Nov 7, 1874; Mattia Burr, Dec 24, 1876; Alic Burr, Dec 30, 1877; James Burr, 1879; Ed Burr, Nov 30, 1883; Mary Burr, Nov 9, 1885

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Anthony Anderson, Company E

According to the soldier’s daughter, her father enlisted in the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry in October 1863 in Mississippii but that regiment wasn’t organized until December 1863 at Fort Monroe, Virginia. The Pension Board couldn’t resolve this and other discrepancies, consequently the application was denied.

Minor — 459,517 / —–,

Declaration for Children Under Sixteen Years of Age, Eliza Duvall, 5 August 1890
35 years old; post-office address, Box #125 Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi
“[Anthony Anderson] who enlisted at Skipwith Landing, Miss on the 11 day of Oct, 1863 … who died in service … names and dates of birth of all the surviving children of the children, under sixteen years of age as follows:

Eliza Duvall child of the soldier, born Jan 1855

Rachel Smith formerly Anderson, born May 1857

Charlotte Ann Anderson, born June 1859

Lilia Ann Lee formerly Anderson, born Jan 1861

Elizabeth Anderson, born March 1863

“That the father was married under the name of Anthony Anderson to Jane Horance [?]”
“Also personally appeared Walker Smith, residing at Oakland Place, Miss and C.B. Litchfield, residing at Refuge, Miss. … their acquaintance … 35 years and 30 years, respectively”

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Joseph Birdsong, Company E**

The soldier enlisted under the enslaver’s surname but upon discharge reclaimed his father’s last name. After more than 20 years and despite support from more than a dozen witnesses, the invalid and widow’s applications were denied. Last week’s post included research notes from documents dated 1870-1892. This week’s post includes research notes from documents dated 1893-1895.

Invalid — 239,130 / —–
Widow — 263,191 / —–, Rebecca Birdsong

General Affidavit, A.P. Branch and Henry Ruffin, 28 March 1893
[Branch] 36 years old; post-office address, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Va.
[Ruffin] 58 years old; post-office address, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Va.
“That they have been knowing Rebecca Birdsong about 25 years and she possess [sic] no property … they see her two & three times a month and know that she has no income and she has no means of support other than her daily labor and is seldom able to do that”

General Affidavit, Henry Ruffin, 15 April 1893
59 years old; post-office address, Sussex C.H., Sussex Co., Va.
“That he was personally acquainted with Turner the former husband of Becky Birdsong but to his certain knowledge Benj Turner died before she married the soldier Joseph Birdsong. He further states that Joseph Birdsong was never married before his marriage to Rebecca Turner“

General Affidavit, John Pearce, 15 April 1893
46 years old; post-office address, Sussex CH, Sussex County, Virginia
“That he was personally acquainted with Turner the former husband of Becky Birdsong”

General Affidavit, Willis Hall and Henry Ruffin, 29 October 1894
[Hall] 48 years old; residence Sussex C.H., Sussex, Virginia; post-office address, Sussex Co., Virginia
[Ruffin] 62 years old; residence Sussex C.H., Sussex, Virginia; post-office address, Sussex Co., Virginia
“They have been knowing Joseph Birdsong and Rebecca Birdsong every [sic] since their marriage”

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Rebecca Birdsong, 24 May 1895
35 years old; post-office address, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Virginia
“[Joseph Birdsong] died 1879. That she was married under the name Rebecca Turner to said Joseph Birdsong on the 25 day of April 1868 by Rev. Barr, at Sussex Co. … She was married before her marriage to Joseph Birdsong, dissolved by death”
“Also personally appeared Willis Hall, residing at Sussex C.H. and Henry Ruffin residing at Sussex C.H. [acquainted with her] 20 years and 25 years, respectively”

General Affidavit, Allen Barlow, 11 December 1895
48 years old
“I have known Rebecca Birdsong … for 25 years. I have been living within 3 miles of them from the time of their marriage to the death of the soldier … I am now living within 4 miles of Rebecca Birdsong”

General Affidavit, Jack Peters, 11 December 1895
31 years old; residence, Sussex CH, Sussex Co., Va.; post-office adddress, Sussex CH, Va.
“I have known Rebecca Birdsong … for 20 years. I have been living within 2 1/2 miles of them from the time of their marriage to the death of the soldier.”

General Affidavit, Willis Hall, 16 December 1895
“I was acquainted with Joseph Birdsong while in service at Brownsville and Brazos Texas. … He came from the same neighborhood that I did & he corresponded with me from home while I was still in Texas.”

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Joseph Birdsong, Company E*

The soldier enlisted under the enslaver’s surname but upon discharge reclaimed his father’s last name. After more than 20 years and despite support from more than a dozen witnesses, the invalid and widow’s applications were denied. This week’s post includes research notes from documents dated 1870 – 1892. Next week’s post will include research notes from documents dated 1893-1895.

Invalid — 239,130 / —–
Widow — 263,191 / —–, Rebecca Birdsong

Marriage License [copy], Joseph Reed and Rebecca Turner, 25 April 1870
[date and place of marriage] 25 April 1870, Sussex County, Virginia
[husband’s age and birthplace] 23 years old; Sussex Co., Virgin
[wife’s age and birthplace] 32 years old; Southampton Co., Virginia
[husband’s residence] Sussex County, Virginia
[wife’s residence] Sussex County, Virginia
[husband’s parents] unknown
[wife’s parent’s] unknown
[husband’s occupation] laborer
The wedding took place at “the house of Mr. R.F. Parker in Sussex.” The officiant was Rev. David Barr, minister in charge, Protestant Episcopal Church.

Questionnaire (Form 3-060), Joseph Birdsong, 4 December 1884
“While serving in Co E, 1 Reg’t U.S.C. Cavy, he was disabled by loss of left eye, by explosion of pistol in action at Chickahominy Va., about Aug 19 or 20, 1864, also incurred disease from which he died … [he was treated at] Regimental Hospital & Hospital at Williamsburg, Va. for some days after injury of eye”

Claimant’s Affidavit, Becky Birdsong, 16 January 1892
55 years old; residence, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Va.
“Joseph Birdsong and I were married in Sussex County 25th of April 1868 in the dwellinghouse of Robert Parker and further state that she lived formerly with one Ben Turner and he died long before the war of 1861. There is no record of his death by me or his former owner can be given because they are dead”

General Affidavit, Ralph H. Hall, 16 January 1892
40 years old; residence and post-office address, Sussex C.H., Virginia
“I have been a resident of Sussex Co. … for 30 years, and well acquainted with Becky Birdsong the widow of Joseph Birdsong knowing that they were lawfully married … and have been living in the neighborhood for 30 years … [Becky] has no means of support except that of her own labor … [Hall] was present at the death of Joseph Birdsong. He died the 6th day of Oct 1879. He being a member of the New Hope Baptist Church of Sussex Co. & I the church clerk. The book shows he died the day above mentioned.”

General Affidavit, Ben F. Hall, 16 January 1892
28 years old; residence and post-office addresses, Sussex County, Virginia
“I have been a resident of Sussex County, State of Virginia for 20 years and well acquainted with Becky Birdsong … and have been living in the neighborhood for 28 years “

General Affidavit, Becky Birdsong, 4 February 1892
55 years old; residence, Sussex Co., Va.; post-office address, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Va.
“I was married to Joe Birdsong the 25th day of April 1870 instead of the 25th [day of April] 1868 just as the certificate says. I married him under the name of Joe Reed and after we were married, he the said Joe Reed informed me that he had been a United States soldier and that he had served in Company C of the 1st Regiment United States Colored Troops Cavalry under the name of Joseph Birdsong … I have not been married to any but that of the soldier since the death of Ben Turner and the death of Ben Turner taken place before the war of 1861. I am unable to state the dte of death of Ben Turner and can’t find the date from his former owner because they are all dead.”

General Affidavit, Goodwin Blunt, 7 October 1892
63 years old; residence, Sussex, Sussex Co., Va.; post-office address, Lumberton, Sussex Co., Va.
“I have been well acquainted with Becky Turner and Ben Turner for 41 years … Ben Turner died in the County of Sussex in the State of Virginia on or about the [illegible] day of Apl in the year 1861 … And that the said Becky Turner after the death of Ben Turner married Joe Reed in the year of 1870 at the residence of Robert Parker in Sussex County, State of Virginia.”

General Affidavit, Henry Ruffin and Isham Rainey, 7 October 1892
“both residence of Sussex Co., Va.”
“That I have been knowing Joseph Birdsong before he entered the army of the US … he came home and married Rebecca Turner … under the name of Joseph Reed. He was 31 years of age when he was married … he was called Joseph Birdsong because he was belong to a man by name of Birdsong and he was enlisted under that name but when he came out of the army he took his father’s name which was Reed.”

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