James N. North, 1st Lieutenant

This soldier, born in Nova Scotia, enlisted as a Private in a Massachusetts infantry unit and was discharged as a First Lieutenant from the cavalry. He became President of a beverage corporation founded in 1891. That company exists today.

Invalid — 1,397,744 / 1,166,101
C-2, 463,729

Sworn Statement by Thomas J. Morton, Jr., Notary Public, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 16 June 1911
“I personally examined the record of births, marriages and deaths in the family bible of Richard and Rebecca N. North, married August sixth, eighteen hundred and thirty-nine, and there found recorded the birth of James N. North on September tenth, eighteen hundred and forty-one.”

Declaration for Pension, James N. North, 23 June 1911
69 years old; residence Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts; post-office address, 1012 Beacon St., Brookline, Norfolk, Mass
“enrolled at Boston … discharged at Fort Monroe, on the 17 day of June 1863 … residence since leaving the service have been as follows: Boston and suburbs”
“Also personally appeared Thomas J. Morton Jr., residing in Boston and Frank J. Hall, residing in Quincy … their acquaintance with him of 16 years and 20 yeara, respectivly”

Questionnaire, James North, 10 July 1911
[married?] Fanny Rebecca North; Fanny Rebecca Howe
[when, where, by whom] Oct 16, 1873 at Medford by Rev. Henry Clay Delong
[record] “town records of Medford, Mass”
[previously married] “no other marriage”
[children living? names and dates of birth] Elizabeth Rebecca Dunham, Nov 12, 1874; Marion Howe James, Mar 15, 1876; Norman Howe North, Sept 16, 1886

Questionnaire, James North, 10 July 1911
[date of birth] Sept 10, 1841
[place of birth] Winsor or Wilmot, NS
[date of enlistment] Dec 15, 1861
[place of enlistment] Boston, Mass.
[address before enlistment] Chelsea, Mass.
[post-office address at enlistment] Chelsea, Mass.
[occupation at enlistment] clerk
[discharge date] Oct 10, 1865 or Oct 7, 1865
[place of discharge] Richmond, Va.
[residence since discharge] Chelsea, Somerville, Quincy Somerville, Medford, Boston, Brookline, Allen, Mass
[present occupation] President, American Soda Fountain Co.
[physical description] 5 feet 4 1/2 inches tall, 144 pounds, blue eyes, gray hair, light complexion, “left eye imperfect – large mole near left armpit”

Declaration for Pension, James N. North, 15 March 1912
70 years old; residence, 1012 Beacon St., Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; post-office address, 282 Congress St., Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
“enrolled at Boston, Mass. under the name of John Norman North, on the 15 day of December, 1861 as a Private, in Co., B, First Reg Mass [illegible] Infantry … was honorably discharged at Richmond, Va., on the 7 day of October, 1865. That he also served meanwhile from Sept 25, 1863 to Dec 30, 1863as 2d Lieut 35 USC Inft from Dec 1863to Feb 15, 1865 as Lieut 1 USC Cavalry from Feb 15, 1865 to Oct 7, 1865 as Lieut [illegible] 24 Reg Mass Vol Inft … that his occupation was clerk; that he was born September 10, 1841 at Wilmot (or Windsor), N.S.
“That his several places of residence since leaving the service have been as follows: Chelsea, Somerville, Quincy, Somerville, Medford, Boston and Brookline”
“Also personally appeared Frank J. Hall, residing at Quincy, Mass. and John T. Skinner, residing in Boston, Mass. … acquaintance with him of 21 years and 25 years, respectively”

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Joseph Nelson, Company K

The soldier and his cousin went to Norfolk after being discharged from the service. The cousin worked in “the swamp” — presumably in the Dismal Swamp where laborers cut timber and produced naval stores — and saw little of him for a few years. The soldier married twice. There weren’t any children from the first marriage.

Invalid — 867,253 / 625,591
Widow — 979,256 / 737,267, Margaret Nelson

Marriage License, Joseph Nelson and Margaret Mitchell, 13 October 1868
Husband, 23 years old, widowed; wife, 24 years old, single. Both were born in Norfolk, Virginia; both resided in Norfolk, Virginia. Husband’s parents, Tony and Sally Nelson; wife’s parents, [blank]. Husband’s occupation, driver. Geo. T. Watkins, officiant, performed the ceremony in Norfolk on 15 October 1868.

Deposition, Joseph Nelson, 31 December 1901
about 59 or 60 years old; business, undertaker; residence and post-office address, 235 Charlotte St., Norfolk, Va.
“I was born in Suffolk, Va. a slave to Elisha Norfleet (decd). My father’s name was Toney Nelson and he was a slave to ‘Parson’ Keeling. My mother’s name was Sallie Norfleet and she was a slave to my master.”
“Immediately after my discharge I came to Norfolk and have resided here ever since.”
“I received over $200 bounty after I was discharged … but didn’t receive any back pay.
“My witnesses were Alonzo Hodges, Isaiah Nicholson (decd), Norman Pleasant, and George Goodson.”

General Affidavit, Edwin Ferby, 1 January 1912
70 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 16 4th Street

General Affidavit, Enoch Gordon, 1 February 1912
69 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, 263 Cumberland St.
“That I am first cousin to the soldier Joseph Nelson and I in fact am the only near relative now living now that I know of … When we were discharged we all came to Norfolk, Va. and I worked in swamp & saw very little soldier first two years and about two years after discharge … [soldier’s first wife] died in Norfolk, Va. soon after the close of the war”

General Affidavit, Rebecca Mackey, 1 February 1912
63 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 32 Ave. A, Huntersville
“That the soldier Joseph Nelson and his first wife lived with my mother Susan Lowery where Mrs. Nelson died on Fenchurch St., Norfolk, Va. and was buried by undertaker Salzberg and is now also dead … Joseph Nelson remarried to Margaret the claimant. There was [sic] no children by soldier’s first union.”

General Affidavit, Cuetta Wilson, 1 February 1912
61 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 35 Ave. A, 9^th Ward           
“That Joseph Nelson’s first wife died in my mother Susan Lowery’s house. We were then living on Fenchurch St. between Holt & Mariner St. Norfolk, Va. and while I can’t remember this Mrs. Nelson’s name, I being young and so much excitement in those days, yet I do remember her as a corpse and about undertaker Salzberg’s burying her. Her husband Joseph Nelson worked for this undertaker at time Mrs. Nelson died. Mr. Salzberg has been dead several years….it was a year and more than a year after first Mrs. Nelson died before Joseph Nelson married Margaret.”

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Willis Nixon, Company A

The applicant was the couple’s adult daughter. The midwife who delivered her testified that the applicant’s parents had been enslaved in Chowan County, North Carolina where they had a “slave marriage.”

Minor — 411,416 / 331,910, Harriet Allen

General Affidavit, Nathaniel Davis, 30 January 1890
52 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … 257 Green [or is it Queen Street? — Leslie] St., Norfolk Co., Va.
“That he knew Willis Nixon from his return from army … was present at the time of his death which occurred in August 1868 … knows these facts from having lived in his house at time and having raised applicant from childhood. Mariah Davis age 53 living 257 Green [as above …Leslie] testifies to same facts as Nathaniel Davis. Penny Nixon the wife of Willis Nixon died in August 1883. She died in Mariah Davis’ house in Portsmouth, Va.”

General Affidavit, Richard Thompson, 14 Feburary 1890
34 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … 283 [or is it 288? 238? — Leslie] Cumberland St. … “That he knew Willis Nixon from the time of his return from Army … Affiant waited on him during his sickness and was present at his death and attended his funeral. Also knows Harriet Allen daughter of soldier … his only child … Dr. Jassle attended him but is now dead. Emma Jane Ferebee, 32 years of age, living Springfield, Norfolk Co., Va. testifies to same, their knowledge is derived from having known the family well….”

Physician’s Affidavit, Harriet Allen, 15 February 1890
“citizen, Town of Norfolk, No. 19 Fifth St. … That she is unable to give the testimony of Doctors as there was none in attendance that she knows of, none who attended her father or mother, that she was young at the time and is entirely dept on the testimony of his comrades & friends…”

General Affidavit, Matilda Chambers, 15 February 1890
52 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … Chapel Lane No. 21 … [that she knew] Harriet Allen from time of birth, that she was present when she was born and waited on mother in her confinement … January 1859 was the month and year … [the applicant’s mother and father] belonged to John Thompson in 1858 and were married on his farm in Chowan Co., NC. Know fact from having been present at time when married. Penny Nixon had two other children which were younger. They died in 1865, the same year and only one month after heir mother…”

General Affidavit, Mariah Davis, 30 January 1890
53 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … 257 Queen St. … That she knew Penny & Willis Nixon, knew they were married, was present at time June 1858, cannot give exact date, that they had three children: Harriett, Willliam, and Henrietta
Harriet was born January 1861 living
Willliam ” ” ” August 1863 dead
Henrietta ” ” ” October 1864 dead
My knowledge of facts are derived from being present at time of birth but am unable to give a more accurate statement but know the month and year …”

General Affidavit, Ellen Johnson, 26 February 1890
45 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … 158 Brewer St. … That she knew Willis Nixon, that he died close to my residence, that she visited him in last sickness, that he had been afflicted with what I supposed to be consumption … wasting away for years before death until he was a mere skeleton …”

General Affidavit, Thornton Johnson, 26 February 1890
52 years old; “citizen, Town of Norfolk … 158 Brewer St. … That he knew Willis Nixon, that he visited him frequently during his last illness … that he died on August 1872 I think I know that I attended his funeral and present when he died …”

General Affidavit, Edward Bray and America Hall, 5 March 1890
[Bray] 42 years old; residence, Princess Anne Rd., Norfolk Co., Va.
[Hall] 45 years old; 56 North Street, Norfolk, Va.
Norfolk County, Va. “That they knew Willis Nixon that they knew him from time of his return from Army until his death … finally died at Currituck Co., NC on or about 1869 … attended his funeral and assisted in burrying him. Also know Harriet Allen and know she is the only child of Willis Nixon, this knowledge is derived from long acquaintance and being intmate with the family until the present time.”

General Affidavit, Harriet Allen, 2 July 1890
29 years old; “Her father Willis Nixon died in 1868 August 3rd … her statements were made from what was told her by her uncle Nathaniel Davis that he had miscalucated the time and made it 1868 instead of 1869, that she was quite young and could not give dates from her own knowledge and was entirely dependent on others’ statements, that what she can learn from Maria Davis‘s statement was correct she being present when applicant was born and asserts that it was on the first month of 1861, the year the soldiers from her section entered in war of the rebellion, and this is what fastens the correct time of her memory. Claimant prays that the correct dates of August 3rd 1869 and the date of birth January 1861 be accepted as amendatory to her original statements in Declaration and that such corrections be accepted in proof of her claim.”

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Arthur Nelson, Company F

During his service, the soldier assisted the regimental blacksmith by removing old shoes from the horses, paring their feet, and putting on new shoes.

Invalid – 723, 609 / 531,384
Widow – 974,229 / 735,329, Hannah Nelson

Deposition, Arthur Nelson, 17 May 1893
“fifty odd years … occupation, laborer when able to work”; post-office address, Lamberts’ Point Road, Norfolk, Va.
“Q: Do you know W.R. Drury?
A: Yes. he is the man that filed my new law claim. Soon after the new law claim I went to the office of Mr. Drury with London Hurdle and Alfred Felton as identifying witnesses to make my application under the new law. … Drury swore me by having me kiss the Book, at least I am not certain that I did so. W.R. Drury swore me by my holding up my hand. I do not remember that Drury swore Hurdle and Felton.
” Q: Do you know B.A. Richardson, Jr.?
A: I do not know him and never heard of him before. … I don’t know how Richardson’s name happens to be on my application.”

Deposition, Ephraim Jeder, 12 April 1894
about 73 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 138 Queen St., Norfolk, Va.
“I have known Arthur Nelson … for the past 20 years. .. Some time in the latter part of June 1893 Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood asked me to be a witness for Arthur Nelson on an applicaiton for pension she had just written up and I signed that application by mark as I cannot write my name, and I then went to the office of R. Bagnall, Jr., N.P., on Church St the city. ….”
“Q: Do you know Jno. T. Wilson?
A: Yes, sir. He is a white man. He was in Mrs. Lockwood’s office when I signed that paper. And he was sitting by Mrs. Lockwood at the table on which she was writing and he was signing his name to a great number of papers but I cannot say whether or not he signed his name to Arthur Nelson’s application….”
“Q: Have you another name beside that of Ephraim Jeter?
A: Yes, sir. I am sometimes called Lasker…”

Deposition, Dempsey E. Ferebee, 16 April 1894
60 years old; occupation, minister of the gospel; residence and post-office address, 22 Lincoln St., Norfolk, Va.
I have known Arthur Nelson “well for the past 30 years. … I was a witness for him about a year ago on his application for pension executed before R. Bagnall, Jr. N.P. in his office on Church St. in this city. …”

Deposition, David A. Brown, 18 April 1894
39 years old; occupation, shoemaker; post-office address, 339 Church St., Norfolk, Va.
“Q: Do you know a colored man by the name of Arthur Nelson?
A: No, sir.
Q: Do you know one Dempsey E. Ferebee?
A: No, sir…”

Deposition, Humphrey McCoy, 20 April 1894
34 years old; occupation, porter; post-office address, 70 Willoughby St., Norfolk, Va.
“Q: Do you know Arthur Nelson the claimant?
A: No, sir….I am employed just across the street from where R. Bagnall Jr. office was at that time and he called me over to his office to attest the signature of someone and I wrote my name as it appears on [Nelson’s] papers.”

Deposition, John T. Wilson, 28 April 1894
50 years old; occupation, “collector”; post-office address and residence, 92 Clay Ave., Norfolk, Va.
“Q. Do you know a colored man named Arthur Nelson?
A: Yes, sir. I do.
[Wilson says that he remembers Nelson coming in to Lockwood’s office] “and I think I signed his applicaiton probably as a witness to his identity.”

Deposition, London Hurdle, 4 June 1896
65 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Va.
“I have known [the claimant] since October 1862. I came inside the Union lines in October 1862 and I found the claimant at work in the Quartermaster Dept at Norfolk, Va. and we worked together in said Dept from said date until he (the clt) enlisted in Co. F, 1st USCC. He preceded me in service about a week.”
“In 1867 clt went to work for Geo. W. Jennings on his farm near Lamberts Pt., Va. and I went to work at the same place in 1868 and we worked there together for the following 20 years when Mr. Jennings died.”

Deposition, Beverly West, 4 June 1896
63 years old; occupation, brickmason; post-office address, 9 Hampton Court, Norfolk, Va.
“I was the Orderly Sergeant of Co. F, 1st USCC from its organiztation in December 1863 until its muster out of service Feby 4th 1866.”

Deposition, John Parsons, 4 June 1896
50 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, cor Maltby Ave & Princess Ann Road (Norfolk, Va.)
“I have known [the claimant] since in Dec 1863. I think we enlisted about the same time in Co. F 1st USCC in December 1863…. I have not known much of him since our discharge from service.
“I was with my company all the time during service …. I was not intimately associated with claimant during service — only knew him in a casual way as a member of the company.”

Deposition, Joshua Brickhouse, 6 June 1896
about 59 years old; occupation, blacksmith; post-office address, 4 [or 9?] Rhea’s Lane, Norfolk, Va.
“I knew Arthur Nelson, the claimant, who served with me … I did not know him prior to enlistment and I have not associated with him much since service.”

Deposition, Henry Fentress, 11 June 1896
52 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I knew Arthur Nelson during his service in said company. I knew him well for seven or eight years before the late war but I have only seen him a time or two since our muster out of service with the company Feby 4, 1866.”

Deposition, William Fuller, 11 June 1896
62; no occupation; post-office address, Soldiers Home, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I first met [claimant] after joining the company. I knew him well during service but have not seen much of him since our discharge from service.”

Deposition, Arthur Nelson, 13 June 1896
about 58 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office, Lamberts Point, Norfolk, Va.
“If Lieut. Garrett can be found he may remember that he took my house from me while we were still at Fort Monroe, Va. in the spring of 1864.
Q: Why did Lieut. Garrett take the house?
A: I can’t say. I was detached from the company to assist the regimental blacksmith, who was a white man. Don’t know his name. I was detailed to assist him in shoeing horses and I staid [sic] with him as his assistant until in the spring of 1865 when we got ready to go to Texas. Then I was put in charge of Major Sykes horses on the trip from City Pt., Va. to Brazos Santiago Texas and I attended to his horses after arriving in Texas while I was detailed to help London Hurdle in the Commissary Dept. in which I continued until I was muster [sic] out service.
Q: What duty did you do when assisting the regimental blacksmith?
A: I was employed in removing old shoes from the horses first in paring their feet and putting new shoes on their feet.”

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Arthur Nelson, 12 March 1898
[married] yes, Hannah Nelson, Hannah Old
[where, when, by whom] 1859? Princess Anne Co., Va., married by consent of owners
[record] “no license granted in those days”
[previous marriage] no
[living children] Alex; Georgianna; Elizabeth; Sanderson [????]; Arthur; Cornelius … all over 22 yrs

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Hannah Nelson, 30 October 1911
68 years old … she was married under the name of Hannah Old to said soldier at Princess Anne County, Va. … Also personally appeared London Hurdle residing at Norfolk, Va. … Alfred Felton residing at Norfolk, Va..”

General Affidavit, Hannah Nelson, 30 October 1911
68 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, Lamberts Point Road, Norfolk, Va.
“… they were married with the consent of their owners in 1859 … she was sixteen years of age at the time of their marriage and had not been previously married … that all of their children are over the age of sixteen years … “

General Affidavit, London Hurdle and Alfred Felton, 31 Occtober 1911
[Hurdle] 81 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 9 Star Street, Norfolk, Va.
[Felton] 82 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va; post-office address, 40 Avenue A, Norfolk, Va.
“That they were both well acquainted with the claimant and and her late husband Arthur Nelson since 1862…. that they know that he was married to the claimant prior to the war….that they have both lived near to the claimant and her husband ever since they came back from Texas at the close of the war.”

Deposition, Hannah Nelson, 16 December 1911
about 68 years old; occupation, washing and housework; post-office address, Lamberts Point Road, Norfolk, Va.

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Robert Nash, Company B

During his service, this soldier had the misfortune of losing horse equipment and camp and garrison equipment. At discharge, he owed the U.S. Army $6.23. The 2020 estimated equivalent is $105.00.
— Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served with the United States Colored Troops [microform]: 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry (1997). Reel 0010 – 1st United States Colored Cavalry: Moss, James – Polk, James (online at http://www.archive.org/details/compiledmili0010akesunit). Nash’s Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) can be viewed at n139-n155.  

 

Widow  – 430,661 / —– , Gloria Nash

 

Widow’s Declaration for Pension, Gloria Nash, 20 August 1890 
58 years old; address, Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, c/o W.R. Drury, Norfolk, Va.  “Robert Nash] contracted a heavy cold resulting in consumption and general debility contracted in service and died on the 30th day of March 1868 … she was married under the name of Gloria Halstead to Robert Nash on the 24th day of December 1863 by master’s consent at Norfolk Co., Va. … names and dates of births of all his legitimate children yet surviving who were under sixteen years of age at father’s death:
William Nash born October 15th, 1859;
Robert Nash born January 15th, 1861;
James Nash born February 22nd, 1862″

 

Questionnaire (Form 3-060) Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, on/about 29 October 1890
“t is alleged that Robert Nash enlisted in year 1863 and served as a private in Co. B, 1 USC Cav … and was discharged at “not stated” … It is also alleged that while on duty …he was disabled by consumption and debility died Mar. 30, 1868 … was treated in hospitals of which the names, location, and dates of treatment are as follows:  none alleged ….”

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