Frederick Powell alias Frederick Powers, Company K***

The soldier and his family were well established in Norfolk County (Portsmouth, Churchland, Western Branch) and the surrounding area (Hampton, Williamsburg, James City County). In addition to their own statements, support of the pension applications from siblings, in-laws, neighbors, and veterans provided rich details about the community. Earlier posts included research notes from documents dated 1875 to 1901 and research notes from documents dated 12 May 1902 through 17 May 1902. This week’s post includes research notes from documents dated 23 May 1902 through 29 May 1902.
 

Invalid – 794,363 / 1,045,114
Widow – 624,326 / 536,183, Lilly J. Powell

Deposition, Zachariah Johnson, 23 May 1902
about 60 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, W Norfolk, Va.
“I am well acquainted with the claimant, her name is Lucy Powell, that is what she is always called. She is the widow of Fred. Powell.”
“He lived near me for some years before his death. He was sent away from here, or went away from here, and died at the Soldiers Home, so I understand, not as I know.”
“I don’t know his age or where he was born.”
“He left some small children by Lucy. She don’t live more than about a quarter of a mile from me. … As far as I have seen, she has lived a proper life since Powell’s death.”
“I knew her before she married Powell, knew her first husband, but forgot his name. He is said to be dead. I heard of her marriage to Powell but did not see them married.”
“He might have drank but was sober whenever I saw him. I don’t know if he had a wife or not before he had Lucy.”

Deposition, Mary E. Elliott, 23 May 1902
38 years old; wife of Jas. Elliott; post-office address, W. Norfolk, Va.
“I was well acquainted with Fred Powell about 16 years prior to his death…. He died at the Soldiers Home, was very sick, nearly helpless, when taken there.”
“I know the age of one of her children. Leana, she was born the same nght my little boy (John Wesley Elliott). He was 15 years old last December. I cannot tell you the date but he was born just 3 days befoe Christmas Day…. I have a record of the birth of my child but cannot find it now.”
“Bessie Powell is the next older child, she is about 20 years old, I was married 19 years ago, and she was then a baby in your arms.”

Deposition, Sandy Danes, 23 May 1902
59 years old; occupation, carpenter and light work; post-office address, West Norfolk, Va.
“I was well acquainted with Fred Powell … He lived near me about 16 years up to the time he went to the Soldiers Home, last saw him two days before he went, was at his house..”
“I have known claimant from a child. When she was married to Geo Johnson her first husband. I was his first waiter.”

Deposition, Lucy J. Powers, 24 May 1902
“Yes, my first husband was a soldier; I do not know in what Co or Regt he served: I had his discharge certificate from the army. I tried to get a pension as his widow before I was married to Fred. Powers. Never got it. My attorney was a man in Hampton named Bickford, who is dead. I gave him the discharge he said he was going to send it to Washington I have never seen it since. … [George Johnson] was born in Nansemond Co., Va.”

Deposition, Andrew Powell, 27 May 1902
53 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“I am well acquainted with the claimant Lucy Powell. I used to go and see my brother Frederick Powell who was her husband. They lived in Norfolk Co. on the Western Branch.
“My said brother was married twice only. His first wife, Pattie Powell died at Williamsburg, Va. Don’t know the date but she died before he married Lucy … I was not present at the time she died, was working away, cutting wood. I am certain she died as I got home a few days after she was buried … I used to go and see him while he was sick at the Soldiers Home before he died there. I am sure that he was a soldier as I used to go and see him while he was a soldier, camped at Ft. Magruder near Williamsburg. … He could not write”
“He was born near Jamestown, was not born in Gloucester Co. … He left small children by Lucy, don’t know their ages …. His father was Wisdom Powell and mother was Betsey Powell.”

Deposition, Lewis Waller, 27 May 1902
47 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“I became acquainted with Lucy Powell in 1874. I was present and saw her married at Churchland, Va. to my cousin Fred Powers. Powers was his correct name but he was more often called Powell. …. His first wife was Pattie (Webb). She died at Williamsburg, Va. in 1872 in March. I was present when she died. She died next door to me. …. I don’t know the dates of birth of any of Powers’ children by claimant except the oldest boy.
“I never knew Bessie, Lena, Anna Mary and Frederick, his youngest children. They were all born after I left the Western Branch.
“Fred came to see me several times and told me about his children.
“I last saw him just before he went to the Soldiers Home. He died at the Soldiers Home and is buried there, so I have been told.”
“I remember when he came home in 1866. He had on his soldier’s clothes then.”

Deposition, Hester Waller, 27 May 1902
about 44 years old; wife of Lewis Waller; post-office address, Hampton, Va.
“I am well acquainted with Lucy Powell … I saw them married near Churchland, Va. and they lived in the same house with me on the Western Branch.
“Fred Powell and my husband were first cousins. I first knew Fred Powell in Williamsburg, Va. … I don’t know the dates of birth of any of her children. I never saw Bessie, Lena, Anna Mary and Frederick Powell…. He himself told us about them when he came to see us.”
“I am sometimes called Easter … I was living next door to [Pattie] when she died.”
“I was not living with her when these children were born and don’t know the dates of their births.”

Deposition, John Pitt, 29 May 1902
about 62 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, West Norfolk, Va.
“I am well acquainted with the claimant Lucy J. Powell, have known her some 40 or 50 years …. Her first husband was Johnson. After his death, she married Fred Powell. … He was never called Powers so far as I know. I lived near him for a number of years up to the time he went to the Soldiers Home … He appeared to be a good man, had no vicious habits that I know of … she was the only wife I knew him to have.”

Read Full Post »

Frederick Powell alias Frederick Powers, Company K**

The soldier and his family were well established in Norfolk County (Portsmouth, Churchland, Western Branch) and the surrounding area (Hampton, Williamsburg, James City County). In addition to their own statements, support of the pension applications from siblings, in-laws, neighbors, and veterans provided rich details about the community. Last week’s post included research notes from documents dated 1875 to 1901. This week’s post includes research notes from documents dated 12 May 1902 through 17 May 1902. Next week’s post will include research notes from documents dated 23 May 1902 through 29 May 1902.
 

Invalid – 794,363 / 1,045,114
Widow – 624,326 / 536,183, Lilly J. Powell

Deposition, Willis Darden, 14 May 1902
58 years old; occupation, dealer in oysters, etc; post-office address, West Side Swimming Point Bridge, Portsmouth, Va.
“I became acquainted with the claimant 1867 or 1868, near Churchland, Va., she was at that time Lucy Johnson, the wife of George Johnson. …. I saw his body after death, and was the administrator of his estate … he has been dead 30 years … was my first cousin”

Deposition, Dawson Gordney, 14 May 1902
60 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 40 Cook St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I did not know him before he enlisted …. He had lost a part of his thumb … He made his home over the Western Branch, about Churchland. I never saw him at his home but he told me he lived over there. … I heard that he died soon after I last saw him…. Don’t know where he was born or his age. Don’t know that he had lost part of his thumb. I heard that he had a wife don’t know who she was or her name … I never knew him by the name of Powell.
“I don’t know where he lived in 1866. I saw him here in Portsmouth in 1866, and some time after that he told me that he lived on the Western Branch but when he moved out there I don’t know.”

Deposition, Nelson Elliott, 14 May 1902
about 60 years old; occupation, cobbler; post-office address, 520 Glasgow St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I don’t think that I knew him before enlistment. I have seen him twice since discharge, both times in Norfolk. … I never knew him by the name of Frederick Powell. I don’t know where he lived at any time after the war. I don’t know that he ever had a wife, don’t know anything about his family …. I saw him only twice after he was mustered out … never lived near him … I did hear that he lived about Churchland or Western Branch … his eyes were either greyish or black, don’t know his age or where born.”

Deposition, Dennis Brown, 16 May 1902
60 years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 927 [or 929?] Dinwiddie St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I became acquainted with Fred Powell about 15 or 16 years ago. We both then lived on Tom Evers farm on Western Branch, close together. … I lived near Powell from the time I first knew him until he was taken to the Soldiers Home. We went there with him. … His son helped me to take him there.”
“I lived near claimant until about 2 years ago when I moved to Portsmouth.”
“He was not a drinking man …. Lena Anna Mary is one child. Her name is Annie May but she is sometimes called Lena…. I first met him about 22 years not 16 years ago.”
“He was not a drinking man.”

Deposition, Isaac Buxton, 17 May 1902
65 years old; occupation, waterman; post-office address, 1342 London St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I have known the claimant Lucy Powell from a girl. I knew her father Billy Baines. We were both raised near Churchland. Lucy’s first husband was my brother George Johnson. He died about three years after he married claimant. … I was sent for soon after he died and attended to his burial.”

Read Full Post »

Frederick Powell alias Frederick Powers, Company K*

The soldier and his family were well established in Norfolk County (Portsmouth, Churchland, Western Branch) and the surrounding area (Hampton, Williamsburg, James City County). In addition to their own statements, support of the pension applications from siblings, in-laws, neighbors, and veterans provided rich details about the community. This post includes research notes from documents dated 1875 to 1901. Next week’s post will include research notes from documents dated 12 May 1902 through 17 May 1902. The following post will include research notes from documents dated 23 May 1902 through 29 May 1902.
 

Invalid – 794,363 / 1,045,114
Widow – 624,326 / 536,183, Lilly J. Powell

Marriage Certificate [copy], Frederick Powell and Lucy Jane Johnson, 15 May 1875
Marriage took place in Norfolk County, Virginia on 16 May 1875. Groom was 39 years old; bride was 25 years old. Both were widowed. Groom was born in James City County, Virginia; bride was born in Norfolk County, Virginia. His parents were Ivins and Betsey Powell; her parents were William and Lucy Bains. He worked as a laborer. The officiant was Reuben Jones.

General Affidavit, Frederick Powell, 26 September 1891
46 years old; residence, Norfolk Co, Va; post-office address, West Norfolk, Virginia
“place of birth, James City County, Va.; occupation when enlisted, farming (slave). His company was company K … Capt. Whiteman, 1st Lieutenant North, 2nd Lieutenant Hart, 1st Sergeant Thom Pitt, some of his comrades, Zachariah Johnson, Albert Jones, Squire Bright, and Ned Pitt.”

General Affidavit, Lamb Byrd and Sandy Jackson, 30 May 1892
[Byrd] 34 years old; address, 2 Smith St.,
[Jackson] 53 years old; 30 Cumberland St.,
“Their knowledge is obtained from long acquaintance … that he is now in their presence and they have every opportunity to to see and know his condition and that he is in their opinion a helpless cripple.”

General Affidavit, Frederick Powers, 15 October 1892
47 years old; residence, West Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office address, West Norfolk, Virginia
“the person who made out his application may have signed his name Fred Powell as he is generally called so by people who do not pronounce his name correctly, that he has always been named Fred Powers but his friends and comrades called him Powell. He does not know for what reason except that it is esasier to say Powell than Powers”

For Officer’s or Comrade’s Testimony, Dawson Gordney, 4 December 1894
post-office address, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Virginia
“Went by and was called Fred Powell by his comrades. He said his name is Fred Powers … I have known him ever since the war. I am not educated and I cannot spell but we boys always called his name Powell”

For Officer’s or Comrade’s Testimony, John Pitt, 4 December 1894
“I knew Fred Powers at the time of his enlistment and have known him ever since his discharge and now live in the same neighborhood with him …. I have always heard him called Fred Power”

General Affidavit, Frederick Powell alias Powers, 29 December 1894
52 years old;
“That he is unable to furnish any medical testimony … for the reason that Dr. Kimball of Churchland, Va. refuses to testify in his case, that Dr. Kimball treated him for said disabilities but says he has no record and cannot testify from memory”

General Affidavit, Easter Waller, 12 February 1898
35 years old; post-office address, Hampton, Elizabeth City County, Va.
“I have been acquainted with [the claimant] twenty years. We lived together.”

Sworn Statement, Lucy J. Powers, 5 November 1898
“presented to me her Family Bible with the following names of her children therein as follows: Freddie Powers age. Born July 4, 1892; Annie May age. Born December 21th 1891; Leanner Powers age. Bessie Powers age. Born April 22th 1883.

General Affidavit, Willis Darden and Isaac Buxton, 11 March 1901
[Darden] 57 years old; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
[Buxton] [illegible] post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“George Johnson the first husband of the claimant Lucy J. Powers, died sometime during the months of January 1871 in Western Branch District, on Grimes Farm, near Churchland, in Norfolk Co., Va.”
“[Affiants] are relatives of the said George Johnson — affiant Darden being a cousin and affiant Buxton a brother of the said George Johnson, and saw his body after death”

General Affidavit, Mary E. Elliott, 13 March 1901
33 years old; post-office address, West Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“That Leana, the daughter of the claimant … and her husband … (now
deceased) was born on the night of of the 23 of December 1886.
“That she fixed this date by the fact that her son, John Wesley, now dead,
was born on the same night, as Mrs. Powers’ daughter Leana was, and her family
record made the day after said son was born shows the date to be Dec 23, 1886.
Affiant and claimant were near neighbors at that time.”

Read Full Post »

Dennis Peebles, Company K

This soldier enrolled at Albany, New York and suffered illness and injury during his service. He settled in Wisconsin after his discharge and died there almost 50 years later.

Invalid — 664,155 / 833,262

Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, Dennis R. Peebles, 10 July 1888
61 years old
“[on or about] July 1865 I contracted fever and at City Point, State of Virginia about November 1864, I contracted gravel. At City Point, State of Virginia on or about … October 1864 sprained my ankle while jumping the breastworks”

General Affidavit, Dennis R. Peebles, 18 July 1892
65 years old; residence, [illegible], Winnebago Co., Wisconsin; post-office address, [illegible], Wisconsin
“On or about the month of November 1864 while at or near Newport News, State of Virginia while marching (the regiment not being mounted) we came upon an old breastwork and was forced to jump the ditch and in doing so I fractured the fibula of the leg from which I suffered a long time and have been materially disabled ever since”

Declaration for Invalid Pension, Dennis R. Peebles, 25 February 1907
80 years old; post-office address, RFD 5, Stevens Point, Portage Co., Wisconsin
“enrolled at Albany, NY … on the 19th day of September 1864 … honorably discharged at Brazos Santiago Texas on the 21st day of November 1865 … occupation as farmer … born Jan 15th 1827 at Bristol, Vt … his several places of residence since leaving the service have been as follows at [illegible] NY, until 1867 then at Monroe Co., Wisc until 1876 then moved to [illegible] untill 1902 to Plover where I have since lived”
“Also personally appeared L.C. Clark, residing at Plover, Wis and L.M. Kilmer, residing at Plover, Wis … their acquaintance with him of 5 years and 4 years respectively”

Application for Reimbursement, Charles W. Parkhill, 15 July 1912
72 years old; residence, Plover, Portage County, Wisconsin; post-office address, RFD 5, Stevens Point, Portage County, Wisconsin
[deceased pensioner] Dennis Peebles
[capacity] invalid
[married] yes, twice: Maria Peebles; Betsey Peebles
[wife living] no
[children under 16 years of age] no
[life, health, or accident insurance] no
[money, real estate, or personal property] no
[cause of pensioner’s death] dropsy and heart trouble
[beginning of last sickness] about year prior to death
[date when illness required daily medical attention] about June 12, 1912
[names and post-office addresses of physicians] Dr. F.A. Southwick, Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Dr. G.D. Whiteside, Plover, Wisconsin
[those who nursed pensioner during final illness] Charles W. Parkhill, Rosalia A. Parkhill, Grace E. Allen and William E. Allen, from about June 1, 1912 to June 10, 1912
[pensioner’s residence during final illness] residence of Charles W. Parkhill
[pensioner’s place of death] residence of Charles W. Parkhill
[pensioner’s death date] June 19, 1912
[pensioner’s burial place] Plover, Portage County, Wisconsin
[payments paid] $50.00 by Plover, Portage County, Wisconsin
“Also personally appeared Ed. E. Johnson and Ella Mullen [both of Stevens Point, Wisconsin]
[Note: Payments totalling $105.50 were made: Dr. Southwick, $6.00; Dr. Whiteside, $4.50; Undertaker, $90.00; digging grave, $5.00 — Leslie]

Read Full Post »

Alexander Patterson, Company K

This individual wasn’t a soldier but a civilian working at Fort Monroe as a teamster. He considered his employment as “having served” and an unscrupulous attorney convinced the man to file for a pension as an invalid. The witnesses were shady. The man changed his testimony during the application process and his application, rightly so, was rejected.

Invalid — 1,121,446 / —–

Deposition, Alexander Patterson, 22 June 1893
63 years old; occupation, wood-sawyer; residence, 820 South Street, Portsmouth, Virginia
“I served in USC Cavly. I was a driver of a team at $25 per month. I do not remember the company. I was with Q.M. Bowers at Williamsburg, Va. I was a teamster three months. Then the next 8 months I was to get $10 per month but I never got a cent. At Fortress Monore I was examined for a soldier but I was not fit for one so I stopped there in hospital. No sir I was never a soldier properly.

“I went to W.R. Drury of Norfolk, Va. last year sometime and he wrote out a claim for me under both the old and new laws. Yes I had witnessess: Mr. Barnes wrote the sealing part and swore me. He is in the court house at Portsmouth and does all the ‘swearing’ there.

Q. “When Drury wrote those claims out for you did you have any witnesses?
A. “No sir, I did not have any withnesses then…. [Barnes] got two witnesses here in the clerk’s office. Their names I do not know. They are the only witnesses I ever had.
“I know David Segany — it is not Sigine. I salso know Burrell Fains. I think he belongs to my church. Drury asked me for names of two men who knew me. I named George Brown and Nick White. They were not present. I never paid Drury anything. I was to pay ten dollars when I got my pension.

“I told Mr. Drury I was not in the Colord Cavalry but in the white Cavalry and he said he was going to change it but he never did.
“Drury put the letters A & K there so both rolls might be searched for my name but I was never in either one of those companies. I was a teamster in the 1 US Cavly. I got a discharge but it has been so long since that it got burnt.”

Deposition, David Segine, 27 June 1893
67 years old; ocupation, laborer; residence,6th St extended S, Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va.
“I went to Mr. W.R. Drury in Norfolk, Va. sometimes last year to testify that I knew Alexander Patterson for use in an application for pension. … Patterson was with me at the time I went to Drury’s office but I was not there when he put the claim in as that was afterwards. I just told Drury that I knew Patterson and had known him for probably twenty years …. No sir, Burrell Fains was not there at the time I was. I cannot say that I know B.A Richardson Jr. but the name seems familiar. I never identified Patterson before Richardson or any other man.”

Deposition, Burrell Fains, 28 June 1893
63 or 64 years old; residence, 407 Crawford St., Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I have known Alexander Patterson some ten or twelve years.”
“I was a witness for him about two years ago. I suppose I went over to Norfolk, Va with Patterson to a man whose name I do not know but who had an office on Bank Street of that city to identify Alexander Patterson. …. Patterson was trying to get a pension was the reason he wanted me to identify him. … The man we went to see on Bank St was a spare, old man, and I think he was a lawyer. I do not know B.A. Richardson Jr. Notary Public.”

Declaration for an Original Pension Application, Alexander Patterson, 29 June 1893
about 69 years old; residence, 820 South St., Portsmouth, Va.
“enrolled as a Private on the day of June 18__, in Company A or K of the 1st Regiment of the USC Cavy commanded by Captain Smith and was honorably discharged at Yorktown, Va. on the 4 day of February 1866 …. and in the line of duty, at Williamsburg, in the State of Virginia … July 1863, he contracted hernia while lifting heavy bags of grains (right side) … was not taken to hospital but was treated in his tent by Regt Surgeon Manly [sic] for three weeks … [he has been employed] only at Hampton Va at hospital as nurse & laborer … since leaving the service this applicant has resided in Portsmouth in the State of Virginia, and that his occupation has been that of a laborer … prior to his entry into the service above named he was a man of good, sound physical health, being when enrolled a slave. That he is now nearly totally disabled”

Read Full Post »