Granville Hunt, Co UNA

This is a skimpy file but since research doesn’t begin and end with a pension application, additional research is a matter of course.

Widow — 328, 349 / —–, Julia A. Hunt

Sworn Statement, Julia A. Hunt, [no date available]
“The plantation records are not available are not available in proof of my marriage to said Graville Hunt, and that I have failed to find the whereabouts of my former owners, and cannot say whether they are dead or alive.,,, I was married to Granville Hunt when I was of the age of about thirteen years …

General Affidavit, Absalom Steele, 12 November 1887
67 years old; residence, [blank], Marion County, Illinois
“That he was well acquainted with Geo W Hunt during the late Rebellion and that he was a loyal man”
“

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Daniel Hopper, Company G

Jane Hopper sought a widow’s pension, claiming her husband died on 15 June 1871 from consumption and lung disease contracted during his service. Witnesses confirmed the 1859 marriage (enslavers’ consent) and the children Indianna (1868) and Robert (1870). Affidavits also attested to Jane’s good character.
A very important note: This pension application contained documents from the Pension Bureau indicating that W.R. Drury, who had processed numerous claims for members of the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry, was indicted for fraud.

Widow — 427,170 / —– , Jane Hopper

Widow’s Claim for Pension, Jane Hopper, 16 April 1890
45 years old; post-office address, c/o WR Drury, 15 Bank St, Norfolk, Va.
“Daniel Hopper was a corporal … she further declares that Daniel Hopper, her husband died at Portsmouth … on or about thw 15th June, 1871 of consumption and lung disease … all the children of her deceased husband who were under sixteen years of age at the time of his death Indianna Hopper born 1868 also Robert Hopper born 1870″
“Also personally appeared, Anson Farrier [sp?] and IJ Riles residents of Norfolk, Virginia”

General Affidavit, Owen Hopper and John Guy, 24 June 1890
[Hopper] 50 years old; residence, 69 Janes St
[Guy[ 61 years old; 40 Liberty Street
“That they were well acquainted with Daniel Hopper … said soldier while at Chickahominy Swamp on or about the Spring of 1864 line or duty contracted deep cold”

Widow’s Declaration for Pension, Jane Hopper, 13 November 1890
40 years old; residence, Newton St., Norfolk, Va; post-office address, c/ WR Drury, 16 Bank St, Norfolk, Va.
“under the name of Jane Warden … 1859 by master’s consent at Bear Quarter, Norfolk Co, Va. … previously married no … her said husband died at Portsmouth, Va. on the 15th day of June 1870… the following are the names and dates of birth of all of said legitimate children yet surviving, viz.
“Indianna Hopper of soldier by claimant born 15th day of June 1868
“Robert Hopper of soldier by claimant born by claimant born June 1st 1870
“Also personally appeared, Owen Hopper residing at 69 James St, Norfolk, Va. and John Guy, 40 Liberty St., Norfolk, Va.”

General Affidavit, Willis Creekmore and Mary Ann Wilson, 13 November 1890
[Creekmore] 59 years old; residence, Barboursville
[Wilson] 48 years old; residence, Queen St
“That they knew Daniel and Jane Hopper, that Jane belonged to Jerome Creekmur and Daniel to Israel Forman, that they were married by master’s consent in 1859, at what is known as Bear Quarter at the farm Jerome Creekmur … Their knowledge is derived from having lived on the same farm and was present at their marriage and knew them from that time to the present.”

General Affidavit, Zachariah T. Hutchings and George Coleman, 29 July 1891
[Hutchings] 45 years; of Portsmouth, Virginia
[Coleman] 51 years old; of Portsmouth, Virginia
“That they know both Daniel Hopper and Jane Hopper his wife aforesaid from time of Daniel’s return from Army in 1866 … that she had two children born of said cohabitation while still living in Portsmouth, Virginia by name of Indianna Hopper and Robert Hopper, the firstborn on or about September 1868. The latter on or about June 1st 1870. That Daniel Hopper died in Norfolk Co in suburbs of Portsmouth … died on the 15th of June 1870 a short time after the birth of last child, that he was well known in Portsmouth and vicinity”

General Affidavit, Jane Hopper, 17 September 1891
“She is unable to give the testimony of Com[rades] Officers or Regimental surgeons as she is unable to get an answer from them, that she cannot give the testimony of the physician who attended him in his last illness who was Dr Gus Billisoly in Portsmouth, Va. as he refused to look it up without paymnet of money which she has not to give him, that she is entirely dependent on his friends, neighbors and her husband’s comrades to prove her claims, that her husband’s dying outside the city limits there was no official record of his death and having been married under slave laws none was given to same it being only required to have consent of master … she is well known in this community.”

General Affidavit, Zachariah Hopper and George Coleman, 17 September 1891
[Hopper] 45 years old; Norfolk, Va.
[Coleman] 51 years old; Portsmouth, Va.
“That [claimant] is a woman of good character and bears a good reputation and is still his widow residing in Portsmouth … and has none other income than except that derived from her own manual labor … Their knowledge is derived from long and continued acquaintance still reside very close to widow and have had every opportunity to see and know of how they speak.”

Deposition, Jane Hopper, 19 Occtober 1892
47 years old; occupation, housekeeper; residence and post-office address, 20 National Lane, Norfolk, Va
“My said husband died twenty-two years ago last June … [my attorney was] WR Drury of no. 16 Bank St, Norfolk, Va. … WR Drury has done my writing for me. John Guy & Owen Hopper signed affidavits for use in my claim (old law) … I have never appeared before BA Richardson Jr to sign and execute an application under the new law.”

Deposition, Owen Hopper, 19 October 1892
52 years old; occupation, oysterman; residence and post-office address, 69 James Street, Norfolk, Va
“I have known the clt Jane Hopper for the past 40 odd years. I also knew her late husband Daniel Hopper all his life until he died. He and I were members of Co G 1st USCC”

Deposition, John Guy, 19 October 1892
62 years old; occupation, laborer; residence and post-office adddress, No. 42 Liberty St, Norfolk, Va
“I have known the clt Jane Hopper for the last 40 years and I served in the same Company with her late husband Daniel Hopper during the late war.”

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Granville Hunt, Company UNA

Note to researchers: Be on the lookout for inconsistencies, red flags, and so on. For example, according to this pension application, the soldier enlisted in the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry in Memphis sometime during October or November 1863. In fact, the regiment was organized at Fort Monroe in December 1863.

Widow — 328,349 / —–, Julia Ann Hunt

Declaration for Original Pension of a Widow — Child or Children under Sixteen years of age surviving, Julia Ann Hunt, 21 April 1885
48 years old; residence, Clinton, DeWitt County, Illinois; post-office address, Clinton, DeWitt County, Illinois
“That she is the widow of Granville Hunt who enlisted under the name of Granville Hunt at Memphis, Tennessee, on or about the 15th day of October or first of Nov AD 1863 in First Cavalry Union Colored Regiment … who was killed at Battle in Virginia near RIchmond, Va. The day cannot be stated with certainty … she was married under the name of Julia Ann Sales to said Granville Hunt on the plantation near Carlville on [illegible] Tishimongo County, Mississippi, under the form of slavery marriages: no record being kept as applicant knows at or near Baldwin, Miss”

Sworn Statement, G.W. [illegible] and T.O. Tyson, 7 April 1886
“We are personally acquainted with Julia Anne Hunt now residing in Chicago, Ill.”

General Affidavit, Absalom Steele, 12 November 1887
67 years old; residence, Fairman [sp?], Marion County, Illinois; post-office address, Fairman [sp?], Marion County, Illinois
“That he was well acquainted with Geo. W. Hunt during the late Rebellion and that he was a loyal man never aided or abetted the Southern Confederacy in any way or form whatever, and I know of his being a strong Union man in every respect.”

General Affidavit, David Kissner, 30 November 1887
50 years old; residence, Fairman, Marion County, Illinois; post-office address, Fairman, Illinois
“That I was well acquainted with George W. Hunt since 1865 … was well acquainted with Lydia M. Hunt who died December the thirty first 1869 and knew that George W. Hunt died March the nineteenth 1886. Of the date of their deaths I know to be facts for I have a record of them.”

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Horace Hudson, Company I

The officer and his widow’s applications included near identical comments from many community members. Statements in the later years are more varied. He disappeared for a time but returned to their home shortly before his death. Of six children only their daughter’s identified by name.

Invalid — 946, 154 / 672,283
Widow — 808,440 / 593,054, Catharine Hudson

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Horace Hudson, 4 May 1898
[married] Cathrine A. Hudson maiden name Siple applied for divorce and shall succeed
[when, where, by whom] Dec 7th 1867, Rev A. Reynolds at Oneonta
[record] no certificate; her mother and my brother were witness; brother, Sarel Hudson of Oneonta
[previously married] no
[living children] “have no children which I acknowledge”

Sworn Statement, Sarah M. Smith, 22 May 1899
residence, Rennselaer, Rennselaer County, New York
“She was present and witnessed the marriage of Catharine A Siple to Horace Hudson … Oneonta, Otsego Co, State of NY, Dec 3d 1867″

Sworn Statement, Ida Mandel, 24 May 1899
residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York
“She was present at and witnessed the marriage of Catharine A. Siple to Horace Hudson at Oneonta, Otsego Co, NY on the 3d day of Dec 1867”

Sworn Statement, William H. Siple, 25 May 1899
“Catharine A. Siple was not married previous to her marriage to Horace Hudson”

Sworn Statement, Samuel Mendel, 5 June 1899
residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, NY
“He was acquainted with Horace Hudson previous to his marriage to Catharine A Siple”

Sworn Statement, James Robert, 7 November 1899
residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, NY
“He was acquainted with Horace Hudson previous to his marriage to Catharine A Siple … Horace Hudson was never married prior to his marriage to Catharine A Siple”

Sworn Statement, Sylvester Ford, 8 November 1899
61 years old; residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, NY
“He is acquainted with Catharine A. Hudson … the said Catharine A. Hudson was never married previous to her marriage to Horace Hudson”

Sworn Statement, Charles O. Hanford, 23 December 1899
49 years old; residence, East Meredith, Delaware County, New York
“He is acquainted with Catharine A. Hudson and her husband Horace Hudson, and that the said Horace Hudson deserted his wife Catharine Hudson about the First of January 1896 … and that the said Catharine A. Hudson is a person of good moral character and in necessitous circumstances”

Sworn Statement, Alva Emery, 20 December 1899
66 years old; residence, East Meredith, Delaware Co, NY
“Acquainted with Catharine A. Hudson and her husband Horace Hudson, and the said Horace Hudson deserted his wife Catharine A. Hudson about the First of January 1896”

Sworn Statement, William A. Black, 12 February 1901
35 years old; residence and post-office address, [illegible], Wayne County, Pennsylvania
“[Hudson] has boarded with him for the past 5 years and during that time he has not been a well man …. he could scarcely wait on himself and if he lives from now on he will have to be waited on as he is suffering from Bright’s Disease … no income other than his pension, and has no friends here”

Sworn Statement, Dr. Daniel E. Drake, 13 February 1901
residence and post-office address, [illegible], Wayne County, Pennsylvania
“I have been practicing medicine 11 years. I have known said soldier for the past 5 years or more. I hae treated him profesionally about 2 years.”

General Affidavit, E.S. Bisbee, 27 May 1904
33 years old; residence, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY; post-office address, Mendale, NY
“He is the town clerk of the town of Meredith, Delaware County, NY and as such town clerk is the custodian of the vital statistics of said town and of the records thereof, he further says that he has examined said records as to the death of Horace Hudson late of said town of Meredith deceased and that the following is a true transcript from said record of the same
Date of death: May 12, 1904
Age: 75 yrs 2 mos 3 days
Chief Cause of Death: Cerebral Hemorrhage
Contributing Cause: Chronic Bright’s Disease

General Affidavit, Ida Mendel, 4 July 1904
67 years old; residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York; post-office address, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York
“She was well acquainted with the claimant and her late husband Horace Hudson … she was present at the marriage of claimant and said Horace Hudson … at Oneonta, NY on the 3rd day of December 1867 by Rev. A. Reynolds, a minister of the gospel”

General Affidavit, Catharine A Hudson, 16 July 1904
58 years old; residence, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY; post-office address, Mendale, NY
“That she has no property real or personal or [illegible] except a little household furniture, that she has no bonds, stocks, or investments … and has no income from any source except her own manual labor, that her income from her manual labor amounts to about $15.00 per month, and that no person is legally bound to provide for her support. Also that there is no public or church record of claimant’s marriage to the soldier, and no public or church record of the birth or baptism of said minor child, Hilda Henderson.”

General Affidavit, Elizabeth McCully, 27 July 1904
53 years old; residence, Oneonta, Otsego Co, NY
“She was well acquainted with the above named claimant and her late husband Horace Hudson … She was present at the birth of said soldier’s daughter S. Hilda Hudson … born on the 18th day of July 1889 at Davenport Center, Delaware County, NY, that she was present at the said birth as a nurse of assistant. That the attending physician was Dr. G.A. Mahorg.”

General Affidavit, James Roberts and George Reynolds, 29 August 1904
[Roberts] 77 years old; residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York; post-office address, Oneonta, NY
[Reynolds] 74 years old; residence, Oneonta, Otsego County, New Yor; post-office address, Oneonta, NY
“well acquainted with Catharine A. Siple and Horace Hudson from the type they became of marriageable age until they were married to each other in December 1867 … We state the foregoing facts from personal knowledge and recollection.”

General Affidavit, William L. Low and Tracy L. Shaver, 12 November 1904
[Low] 52 years old; residence, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY; post-office address, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY
[Shaver] 33 years old; residence, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY; post-office address, Meredith, Delaware Co, NY
“known and lived neighbor to the said Horace Hudson and said Catharine A. Hudson for two years immediately prior to the death of said Horace Hudson on May 12th 1904 … daughter Hilda Hudson is still living and resides with her mother.”

Deposition, Mrs. Catharine A. Hudson, 23 May 1905
58 years old; post-office address, Merridale, Delaware County, New York
“I do not know the date of his enlistment or discharge. I have his commission as First Lieut … he was in the service about three years … married December 3, 1867 by Rev. A. Reynolds. The minister has since died. We were married at my home in Oneonta, Otsego Co., NY. There are two living witnesses to the marriage. Mrs. Ida Mendell and Saul Hudson, a brother of soldier. … His brother Saul knew me before my marriage … I had lived in Oneonta some 10 or 12 years before my marriage. Mrs. Mendell, Jas. Roberts, & Geo W. Reynolds knew me prior to my marriage … [my husband] was 15 years older than I. I had known himin the neighborhood of two years prior to my marriage. I became acquainted with him after he came from the army … Hudson, Geo W. Reynolds, and James Roberts knew him well prior to our marriage. Mr. Reynolds and he enlisted together I think … [After the war] we were running a boarding house then just as we do now … He died May 12, 1904. I have not remarried since his death. I own no property either real or personal and have no income except what I am able to come by my own labor. I had six children by soldier, three of whom are still living but only one was under 16 years old age when soldier died. Her name is S. Hilda Hudson and she was born July 18, 1889. She is still living and makes her home with me.”

Deposition, Henry G. Sheldon, 23 May 1905
68 years old; post-office address, Meridale, Delaware Co, NY
“I have known the claimant Mrs. Catharine A. Hudson for 15 or 20 years … I got acquainted with them when they lived at East Meredith. He left a hardwre store there. I used to trade with him some. Then I knew of him going off and leaving her at East Meredith. He was gone several years and she went and brought him back to her home her and he lived with her til his death, a period of a year or a year and a half.
“She took care of him during that time. I attended his funeral and know that he was buried from the hosue where she now lives. I was living in East Meredith when he left her but I don’t know why he went away … She has always been a woman of good character and I never heard a word against her character except what he said. After he went away she conducted a boarding house out in East Meredith and here, and I never heard a harmful word against her.”

Deposition, Marshall Ware, 23 Mary1905
24 years old; post-office address, Meridale, Delaware Co., NY
“I have known this claimant Mrs. Catharine A. Hudson about six years. I knew her when she lived at East Meredith before she moved here. I knew Horace Hudson in the neighborhood of a year before his death…. I used to see him frequently and talked with him often … She and her daughter run a boardinghouse”

Deposition, Sarel Hudson, 25 May 1905
80 years old; post-office address, Oneonta, Otsego Co, NY
“Horace Hudson was my brother … Her maiden name was Catharine A. Siple, or ‘Cassie’ Siple as she was generally known … They were married at her mother’s house by Rev. Reynolds. … They lived together from the time of their marriage til six or eight years ago when he left her and was gone some time in [illegible], Pa. He wrote us from [illegible] as to how poorly he was. We sent the letter to his married daughter or wrote her to his condition … There was no disagreement between them and he left. He was jealous of her but I think unduly so and without cause. She was an active energetic hardworking woman and he was not so energetic and I think she brought more for the house than he did. Then there was considerable difference in their ages.”

Deposition, Geo Reynolds, 26 May 1905
74 years old; post-office address, Oneonta, Otsego Co, NY
“we enlisted at the same time … I knew from before her marriage to soldier … I did not know her well … They moved out of the locality soon after their mrriage and I knew very little of them after that.”

Letter from Ethel L. Burns to Pension Bureau, 13 June 1921
“Gentlemen: You are hereby notified of the death of Catharine A. Hudson which occurred on June 8, 1921.”
Note: Beneath her name, Burns inserted “(Daughter of the deceased)” — Leslie

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John Butt, Company H

A two-year-old and her mother were in their enslaver’s household when he moved to Norfolk County, Virginia. Former members of the household and neighborhood would present statements in affidavits and depositions. The soldier’s wife was visiting their children in New York when her husband died. In the confusion, misinformation was shared among friendsa and neighbors. Corroborating statements established proof of relationship.

Invalid — 838, 205 / 591,430
Widow — 683,709 / 479,593, Eliza Butt

Neighbor’s Affidavit, William Bray and Anna Banks, 22 November 1890
[Bray] 54 years old; Kemp Lane, Norfolk, Va;
[Banks] 50 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, 250 Charlotte St, Norfolk, Va.
“well and personally acquainted with John Butt for 20 years, and 21 years, respectively … we have worked together for the better part of these years … we are longshoremen … we live within six hundred yards of his house and have seen him daily for twelve or more years and are intimate with him … we testify that he is a man of good moral character and of good repute, and we have reason to believe that his disabilities are the result of any vicious habits.”

Neighbor’s Affidavit, Isaac Odum and Thomas Keeling, 18 December 1890
[Odum] 53 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, 66 Fourth St, Norfolk, Va.
[Keeling] residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, 22 Johnson Ave
“well and personally acquainted with John Butt for 25 years, and 25 years, respectively … we are longshoremen and mainly laborers. We work with John Butt, knew him intimately, see him every day when he is able to work and live so near to his home that we call there when he does not make his appearance … He is not given to vicious habits or practices that we know of, and is respected, a good man in the community in which he lives.”

Transcript from the Record of Death in the City of Norfolk, John Butt, 25 October 1898
[Name] John Butt
[Date of death] 17 September 1898
[Age] 53 years
[Color / Sex / Condition / Occupation] colored – male – widower – laborer
[Birthplace] Virginia
[Years residence in city] “not given”
[Cause of death] Heart disease
[Place of death] Norfolk, Va.
[Duration of last illness] “not given”
[Place of burial] West Point Cemetery
[Medical attendant] E.V. Newton, MD
[Undertaker] Jas. N. Jones

General Affidavit, Nash Cowel, 26 October 1898
55? years old; residence, Norfolk, Virginia; post-office address, 8 Goff St, Norfolk, Va.
“acquainted with John Butt and with his widow, the claimant, before the said soldier enlisted in the army; that he was very intimately acquainted with them from the time said Butt enlisted; that they were married in April 1864 … that at time of soldier’s death, claimant was visiting a daughter in Philadelphia New York and was not present at time of said death which was very sudden, the soldier being found dead in his bed .. that claimant owns no property of any description and has no source of income; that there is no one legally bound to support her and she is supported entirely by her manual labor”

General Affidavit, Mary Tillet, 26 October 1898
49? years old; residence, Norfolk, Virginia; post-office address, 3 First Street (Springfield), Norfolk, Va
“well and intimately acquainted with John Butt and his widow, the claimant, for nearly all her life; that she was not present at the marriage of said parties, but was living in Norfolk at the time and was aware that such marriage had taken place … she remembers that it took place in the Spring of the year and that it was towards the end of the war … the record of death shows said John to have been a widower; that such record is incorrect … at the time of his death [the claimant] was visiting her daughter in New York and was not here to give proper information”

General Affidavit, Eliza Butt, 26 October 1898
52 years old; residence, Norfolk, Virginia; post-office address, 255 Queen St, Norfolk, Va
“that she was married to said John Butt on on Apr 24, 1864 that at that time no licenses were issued to colored people and there is no official record of said marriage; that she was married by Rev JN Mars and has in her possession the certificate given her by him, to which Randal Hodges is attesting witness; that she can find neither said Hodges nor Mars and supposes they are dead … that her name before marriage was Eliza Ferebee”

General Affidavit, Mary J. Wilson, 22 May 1899
70 years old; post-office address, 251 Queen St, Norfolk,Va
“I have lived a neighbor to the claimant, Eliza Butt, for the past fifteen years, and for the past six years, I have lived the second house from her … the claimant was not at home when her said husband died. She had left home about four weeks before his death to visit their children in NY and before leaving on said visit she employed me to take care of her house, and to look after her said husband during her absence … [her husband] remained well until within a few hours of his death and when he died Daniel Langley telegraphed for the claimant to return home and she did so at once and took charge of the burial”

Deposition, Mary Tillett, 22 May 1899
49 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co, Va; post-office address, 3 1st Street, Springfield, Norfolk, Va.
“I have known the claimant, Eliza Butt, all my life. I belonged to Dr. Wm. Wood, who owned the claimant and her mother, Rebecca Ferebee. In 1861 Dr. Wood moved all of us out near Hickory Ground, Norfolk Co, Va and when we moved out in said neighborhood I met and made the acquaintance of John Butt … he was not fully grown … I was not present at the marriage … I was living in Norfolk, just across the river when they married in Portsmouth, Va. … When I heard of his death I went to the house and so [sic] his body. This was the next morning after he died, and I was there the next day a few minutes after the claimant returned from NY. I also attended the funeral.”

Deposition, Charles Grandy, 22 May 1899
57 years old; post-office address, 20 Pollard St, Norfolk, Va.
“I have known the claimant, Eliza Butt, all her life. I belonged to Dr. William Wood who married a daughter of the late Ezekiel Troutman of Camden Co, NC, and this claimant, and her mother Rebecca Ferebee came to Dr. Wood through his wife.”

Deposition, Edward Troutman, 22 May 1899
80 years old; post-office address, 14 2nd St, Springfield, Norfolk, Va.
“I have known the claimant, Eliza Butt, all her life. … After claimant’s birth we came to Norfolk to live and I have lived here ever since. … I was not present at the marriage .. I did not attend [John Butt’s] funeral”

Deposition, Eliza Butt, 22 May 1899
“I was born in Camden Co., NC as I have been told but was reared in the City of Norfolk, Va having been brought here when less than two years old My parents were George and Rebecca Ferebee both dead … [my husband] was born and reared near Hickory Ground, Norfolk Co., Va. … When the Civil War broke out my owner Dr Wood, dead, left Norfolk moved his colored people, out near Hickory Ground, Va and I had lived there about two years before I married John Butt, who was owned by John Berryman, dead, then living near Hickory Ground. I had known my husband about two years prior to our marriage. … He died in the house where I now live, and where I have lived ever since his death.”

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