Wesley Hobbs, Company C, 2d DC Infantry

This soldier is indexed as a member of the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry but was in fact he was a member of 2nd D.C. Infantry. Volunteers.

Invalid — 988,147 / —–

Declaration for Invalid Pension, W.H. Hobbs, 19 August 1890
48 years old; residence, Brazonia, Brazonia County, Texas; [post-office address, Brazonia, Brazonia County, Texas
“disability … loss of one finger”
“Also personally appeared L.H. McNeill residing at Gulf Prairie, and Miles Edwards, residing at Brazonia”

General Affidavit for Any Purpose, Wesley Hobbs, 8 April 1893
residence, Brazonia, Brazonia County, Texas
“That he was late a member of Co. C 2nd D.C. Inft. and was discharged at Washington, DC”

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Henry Colyer, Company UNA

This widow’s application appeared to be associated with the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry but I realized this wasn’t the case: she lived in St. Louis, the couple was married in Tennessee and documents in her application indicated that he served in the 14th U.S. Colored Troops as an infantryman. Because this person’s application was labeled incorrectly years ago and filed with the wrong regiment, interested partices might never locate this person’s file.

Widow — 516,217 / —–, Maria Blackburn

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Maria Blackburn, 18 May 1891
45 years old; residence, St. Louis, St. Louis Co., Mo.; post-office address, 1019 Franklin Ave., St. Louis, Mo.
The soldier “died of wounds in Hospital. That she was married under the name Maria Lee to Henry Colyer by col’d minister Bob Belote, at Gallatin, Tenn.

“Also personally appeared Silas Foulkes, residing at St. Louis, Mo. and Rube Rellis, residing at St. Louis, Mo…. an acquaintance with [Maria] for 25 and 22 years, respectively”

Secondary Proof of Marriage, Mary Colyer, 10 July 1892
“My maiden name was Maria Lee, that I was lawfully married to said deceased at Gallatin, County of Davidson, State of Tennessee by Bob Belote, Minister, on or about the 15 day of March, 1855, that I have by said marriage the following children…
Alice born on 10th of August 1856
Henrietta born on 9th April 1858
Maud born on 15h of March 1860″

“there was no license required and no record was kept…. the party who performed the marriage ceremony … died about fifteen years ago… in the military hospital at Murfreesboro, Tennessee of wounds”
“At the same time personally appeared William Ellis and Silas Fawlkes, of the City of St. Louis and State of Missouri … they have known the claimant Maria Colyer and her deceased husband Henry Colyer … for 38 years”

General Affidavit, Henry Blackburn, 19 August 1892
[Blackburn] 46 years old; residence, St. Louis, St. Louis Co., Mo.; post-office address, 3028 LaSalle St., Mo.
“That he was wounded during an engagement with the enemy between Shelbyville and Murfreesboro, Tenn during the summer of 1864 and know that he was sent to General Hospital at Murfreesboro, Tenn where he died from the effects of said wound … The soldier was a member of the 14 USC Inf. I know that above facts from being present with the soldier and having personal knowledge of his being wounded …. The soldier was a member of the 14 USC Inf. I cannot remember the Company.”

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John Tuttle, Company UNA

Items in this pension application are inconsistent with facts pertaining to service in the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry. The officers’ names don’t appear on the regiment’s roster and this soldier was discharged far from the regiment’s field assignments. This person’s application was incorrectly catalogued — possibly years ago — and interested parties might never locate the file. When this has happened, I’ve reported the discrepancy to National Archives staff and continue to hope the situation can be rectified.

Invalid — 1,254,215 / ——

Declaration for Invalid or Additional Pension, 3 September 1900
75 years old; residence, Johnson County, Kansas
“commanded by Captain Purfur [sp?] and Captain Hucklebone and served at least 90 days in the war of The Rebellion, and was honorably discharged at Pulaski, state of Tennessee … Close of War, 1865 … unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of entire blindness of left eye, hernia of right side, and general disability including weakness of mind.”
“Does not remember date of discharge. His discharge was lossed [sic] at Lawrence, Kansas when he was sick”
“Also personally appeared W.D. Morrison residing at Olathe, Kansas and James Hammond residing at Olathe, Kansas”

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Walter J. Kinskern, Company K

Items in this application are inconsistent with facts pertaining to service in the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry. The soldier entered the military in Cleveland, Ohio in 1871 and was discharged in Nevada in 1878. While possible, his physicial description suggests that he is not of African descent.

Documents inside the folder show that he served in the 1st U.S.Cavalry — not the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry. This person’s application was incorrectly catalogued — possibly years ago — and interested parties might never locate the file. When this has happened, I’ve reported the discrepancy to National Archives staff and continue to hope that somehow the situation can be rectified.

Invalid — 186,349 / —–

Declaration for Pension, Walter J. Kniskern, 21 March 1907
57 years old; residence and post-office address, Hobart Village, Delaware County, New York
“enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio under the name of Walter J. Kniskern on the 25 day of December 1871 as a Private in Co K, 1st Calvelry [sic] USA … was honorably discharged at Camp Hollack Nevada, on the 25 day of February, 1878 … Height, 5 feet 4 inches; complexion, light; color of eyes, blue; color of hair, light; that his occupation was painter; that he was born November 2nd, 1849, at Blenhem, New York”

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Friday Charity alias Friday Whipple, Company I, 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry

Four brothers from Southampton County, Virginia — all freeborn — enlisted in cavalry units: Henry Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Joshua Charity, Company A, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Thomas Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; and Friday Charity alias Friday Whipple, Company I, 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry.

This young man fled his apprenticeship and enlisted in the Union Army. He died of “congestive fever” (malaria) in a regimental hospital.

Mother – 292,885 / 225,641, Gincy Charity
See M.O. Ctf 225,614 Thomas Charity E 1 U.S.C. Cav (2 sons)

[Note: The mother filed for pensioner’s benefits on 19 May 1882. The handwritten note at the bottom of the pension index card — it begins “See M.O. Ctf” and stands for “Mother’s Original Certificate” — directs the researcher to the shared application and certificate number assigned to both young men. — Leslie]

 

Declaration for an Original Pension for of a Father or Mother, Jinsey Charity, 12 May 1884
71 years old; post-office address, Franklin, Southampton Co., Va.
“[the soldier] enlisted under the name F. Whipper … died while in service between Richmond and Petersburg on the 1st day of April 1865 . . . the said declarant was married to the Father of said son at Southampton Co., Va. … in 1821 …
“Also personally appeared Henry Darden, residing at Jerusalem, Va. and H.W. Taylor, residing at Jerusalem, Va.”

 

Statement of B.F. Pope, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army, War Department, Surgeon’s General’s Office, Record and Pension Division, 30 September 1884
“Friday Whitford, Private, Co. I, 2 U.S.C. Cav. died in Regimental Hospital, Feb. 27, 1865 of ‘Congestion Fever.'”

 

Letter from, B.F. Knight, Clerk’s Office of the Circuit and County Courts of Southampton, Jerusalem, Va. to Hon. J.C. Black, Commissioner of Pensions, 16 November 1885
“I have been requested by Ginsie Charity of my neighborhood, whom I know well, to go to Washington to collect her pension money which she thinks is ready. In order to save her needless expense, I write to know if the claim has been adjusted and should I come to Washington with power of attorney, and I collect the claim…”
[Note: This letter was signed by B.F. Knight — Leslie]

 

Sworn Statement, Gincy Charity, 22 January 1887
“I am the mother of Friday Charity … and that my residence has always been this county and that my p.o. address since 1865 has been Newsoms, Va. … no one has been legally bound to support me since since 1865 nor since the death of the soldier nor have I ever married since the death of my son Friday. … that my husband abandoned me prior to the death of the soldier & left me to support myself as best I could … I have never owned any property either before or since 1865 except a few chairs & a bed and my son Friday wrote me letters while in the army & I only possessed a knowledge of his death by information of one Henry Williams who returned a private of Co I. 1st Reg. U.S. Col. Cav. “

 

Letter from Jincy Charity to Jno. C. Black, U.S. Pension Commissioner, Washington, DC, 22 January 1887
“I have waited so long because I have been so much troubled to get this pension that I had despaired of ever getting anything from the Gov. but I am now so old & feeble & so poor and needy that I have determined to make one more effort.”

 

Letter from John Charity to Hon. John C. Blackwell [sic], 28 December 1887 [date stamped]
“Dear Sir,
“You will please let me know whether a child can draw a pension on his brother. The name of the man I am after now is Friday Charity but enlisted under the name Friday Whipper, Reg. 2, Co I. His mother died May 11, 1880. I want to know whether her youngest son can draw it or not.”

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