This veteran’s post-war residence was in a community in or near Merchants Millpond State Park, Gates County, North Carolina. At one point he worked in Portsmouth, Virginia but in his later years he had a “farm on shares” in North Carolina.
Invalid — 558,663 / 496,132
Widow — 907,987 / —–, Eliza Firby
General Affidavit, James Jenkins and Isaac Harrell, 8 February 1887
“Respectively 45 & 67 years of age, resident of Gatesville, Gates Co., NC”
“We have known Robert Feraby ever since the year of 1865 and worked with him in Portsmouth, Va at the Seaboard & Roanoke Rail Road Depot during the years of 1866 & 67 and we have worked with him since this time in Gates Co, NC as farm laborers.
General Affidavit, Michael Savage, 28 May 1887
56 years old; residence, Gatesville, NC
“I first met Robert Ferabee in Portsmouth, Va in the year of 1866. We occasionally worked together at the Depot & wharves in this place until the year 1870. When he left Portsmouth I did not see him anymore until the year 1877 at which time I moved from Portsmouth, Va to Gates Co, NC and settled in about one mile from where Ferabee was living at which place I lived for seven years.”
General Affidavit, Richard Feraby, 18 June 1887
48 years old; post-office address, Merchants Mills, NC
“Dr. Billosolly who attended me for rheumatism in the years of 1867 & 68 is now dead.”
Deposition, Isaac Harrell [or Hassell] 10 January 1888
about 63 years old; occupation, farm laborer; residence and post-office address, near Gatesville, Gates Co, NC;
“I lived about 5 miles from him & I have never lived any nearer than 5 miles to him. He had a farm on shares & attended to ploughing & cultivating & raised his crops witihout any outside help. I have seen him as often as once a month each & every year since 1868. I have been to his house only twice.”
Deposition, Michael Savage, 10 January 1888
56 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office address, near Gatesville, Gates Co, NC
“I was a Pvt in Co B 2nd Regt USCT Infantry. Claimant was in a Cavalry Regt. I made claimant’s acquaintance at Portsmouth, Va within one year after discharge. I knew him there 1 year. I met him about once a month or oftener.”
Sworn Statement, Robert Feraby, 31 January 1908
“According to this information and belief he was born on the 25th day of Dec 1835 … there has never been any record kept of his said birth.”
Sworn Statement, Sarah Langston, 21 July 1908 [date stamped by Pension Bureau]
60 years old; post-office address, Quillin [?], Norfolk County, Virginia
“[The couple’s marriage] took place at John Miller‘s house, on the Old Military Road, in the said County. I was present at the marriage, which was solemnized by Rev. George Carney, a colored minister. … The said Geo Carney died shortly afterwards.”
Sworn Statement, Thomas Darden, 21 July 1909 [date stamped by Pension Bureau]
67 years old; post-office address, 1401 County Street, Porstmouth, Va.
“That I was personally well acquainted with Robert Feraby the husband of Eliza Feraby, the claimant, having known him intimately from his boydhood days, in Princess Anne County, Va., where we were brought up in the same neighborhood and worked together. We after the Civil War lived in the same neighborhood in Western Branch District, Norfolk County, Va where the said Robert Feraby married the said Eliza and where I first became acquainted with her”
Sworn Statement, Jack Ballard, 21 July 1909 [date stamped by Pension Bureau]
65 years old; post-office address, Quillian [?], Norfolk County, Va
“I became acquainted with Robert Feraby in the year of 1866, while he was employed as a laborer by Mr. Joseph C. Taylor, in Western Branch District, near Portsmouth, in Norfolk County, Va.”
Deposition, Eliza Ferby, 5 January 1910
nearly 65 years old; occupation, housework; post-office address, Merchant Mills, NC
“Robert Furby, don’t know how to spell it, that was his war name, but his father was named Armstrong. His mother gave him the name of Toney. He was called Toney Armstrong here. He was born in Norfolk, Va. on Church Street. He belonged to the Armstrongs. I don’t know his father’s name but his mother was Lucy Armstrong. He had brothers and sisters, all dead. I cannot think of their names except one. She was Rachel Stone. Her husband is dead too. None of his people are living so far as I know.
“I met him in Norfolk, Va. after the war was over. I worked there in Portsmouth about four years. Went there after the war was over. I worked for Mr. John Lingo in Newtown, Portsmouth, Va.
“Q. What name was he known by when you first knew him?
A. Bob Ferebee, but I heard a white man call him Toney Armstrong. I asked him about it and he said his name was Toney Armstrong but he gave himself the name Robert Ferebee when he went into the war.
“I was married to the soldier near Portsmouth, Va. at the home of John and Ann Miller, by Rev. Geo Connor or Carney, a Methodist preacher.”
“Q. When were you married?
A. I don’t know the date but Mrs. Lucy Williams got married about the same time, some wheres, came home the same day I did, and she put the date down on a piece of paper.”
“I was married under the name of Eliza Hopkins. My parents were Richard and Jennie Hopkins. I and my mother belonged to Job Hall.”
Deposition, John Lyles, 5 January 1910
about 57 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Drum Hill, NC RFD
“I knew Toney Armstrong well. He lived near Merchants Mills, NC and died there.
“I first knew him near Portsmouth, Va. soon after the Civil War. I know his wife Eliza Armstrong. They were married near Portsmouth, Va in a colored settlement. I have forgotten who married them but it was a colored preacher.
“No, sir, I did not see them married but I was outside the house in which they were married and I could have seent hem married. I saw the preacher go in the house … don’t remember the date, but over 30 years ago. They left that neighborhood directly after they were married. When I saw them again they were living near Merchants Mills. That was about 12 years ago.”
Deposition, Fanny Langston, 10 January 1910
between 60 and 70 years old; widow of [illegible] Langston; post-office address, Quillan, Va
“Q. Can you tell whose picture this is?
A. It favors Tom Copeland and it favors Bob Feraby too. They look alike. Tom Copeland is dead and Bob is dead too. He died somewheres in North Carolina, his wife said.
“I first knew Bob Ferebee during the war at Gum Pond, near Portsmouth. He was not in the army then, don’t know what year that was … I knew [Eliza Hopkins] before she was Bob’s wife. She then lived with her cousin Lucinda Reddick, now dead, near Getty’s Station, not far from here.”
“It was said they were married at Ann Miller’s home on the old military road, also called Deep Creek Road. … I knew her a good while before she married Bob.”
Deposition, Martha Taylor, 10 January 1910
about 65 years old; wife of David Taylor; post-office address, Bowers Hill
“I do not recognize the picture you have shown me without telling me whose picture it is…. Yes, I know Robert Fereby … I kept house for him … I first knew him a year or two after the war was over. We were both then living in Portsmouth…. My name was Martha Reddick then.
“He ran off with Eliza Hopkins while I was keeping house for him. I knew her. I used to work in the field with her….. I never saw her after they ran off over 30 years ago till last year”
Deposition, Jack Ballard, 10 January 1910
65 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Quillan, Va.
“I worked with him at Joe Taylor‘s nearhere … I saw him in uniform during the war … He lived on Joe Taylor’s land with Martha Reddick, now Martha Taylor … Bob and Eliza left here some years after the war. I heard they went to North Carolina.”
Deposition, Calvin White, 10 January 1910
76 years old; occupation, farming; post-office address, 2605 County Rd
“I did not know him before enlistment”
Deposition, James Nelson, 10 January 1910
60 years old; occupation, undertaker; post-office address, 225 Charlotte St, Norfolk, Va
“[Ferebee] has lived in this city since 1866. I have seen him within a year … He did live on Princess Anne Ave. He may live there now. I have not heard of his death.”
Application for Reimbursement, Eliza Feraby, 18 November 1910
70 years old; residence, Merchants Mills, Gates Co, NC
“[Item 25] State the names of the persons by whom the pensione was nursed during the period or any portion of the period od last sickness and the period covered by such service in each instance
Eliza Feraby, his wife; W.J. Hoskins and Blanche L. Hinton. All these persons were with him, by his bedside, or in easy reach thereof, July 8,1908 to July 14, 1908.
“[Item 26] Where did the pensioner live during last sickness?
Near Merchant Mills, Gates County, NC
“[Item 27] Where did the pensioner die?
Where he lived, in Gates County, NC
“[Item 28] When did the pensioner die?
July 14, 1908
“[Item 29] Where was the pensioner buried?
At his late residence, in Gates County, NC
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 