James Sparrow, Company D

The soldier was freeborn in Princess Anne County, Virginia; his (second) wife was born enslaved in Perquimans County, North Carolina. The couple married in Norfolk County, Virginia and lived in “the suburbs of Portsmouth in Norfolk Co, Va till Feby 1894 when covered by extension of city limits.” Their pension claims are particularly well-documented as the applications include official copies of the couple’s marrriage license and the soldier’s death certificate as well as statements from many witnesses who had known them well for many years.

Invalid — 716,151 / 530,904
Widow — 902,570 / 670,678, Susan Sparrow

Marriage License [copy], James Sparrow and Susan Long, 7 December 1882
James Sparrow, 51 years old, and Susan Long, 35 years old, were married at the residence of Susan Long in Norfolk County, Virginia. The groom was born to Adam and Mary Sparrow in Princess Anne County. The bride was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina but her parents weren’t named. The officiant was Rev. Dempsey Thompson.

Death Certificate [copy], James Sparrow, 10 July 1908
[residence] 1441 Glasgow Street, Portsmouth, Virgnia
[age] 60
[condition] married
[birthplace] Virginia
[father’s name/birthplace] Adam Sparrow / Virginia
[mother’s name/birthplace] “not given” / “not given”
[occupation] laborer
[informant] Susan Sparrow, 1441 Glasgow
[cause of death] “dysentery complicated with senile decay”
[physician] W.T. Reid, MD
[burial] Mount Olive Cemetery, July 12, 1908
[undertaker] George Colden, Norfolk County

Widow’s Application for Accrued Pension, Susan Sparrow, 8 August 1908
“That she had been previously married … Also personally appeared Sarah Holland, residing at Portsmouth, Va, and Georgia Sparrow, residing at Portsmouth, Va. … personal intimate acquaintance of the parties for more than 20 years and seeing the body of the said soldier after his death and attending his funeral.”

General Affidavit, Margaret Smith, 16 August 1908
59 years old; post-office address, South Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“That she was well-acquainted with James Sparrow … and was also personally well acquainted with his first wife who was known in the neighborhood as Jakie Sparrow; that said Jakie Sparrow died on County St., Extended in Norfolk County, Va. … the death of Jakie occurred sometime before”

General Affidavit, Sarah Holland, 17 August 1908
about 60 years old; post-office address, 203 Nicholson St., Portsmouth, Va.
“That I was personally well-acquainted with Nelson Long the first husband of the claimant Susan Sparrow.
“That she knows that the said Nelson Long died on Glasgow St now in the City of Portsmouth, then in Norfolk County near Portsmouth, Va. That she knew of the death from a report of it in the neighborhood at the time. That she cannot remember the date of said death but she knows that it occurred at least two years before claimant was married to the soldier James Sparrow”

General Affidavit, Rebecca Drew, 24 August 1908
46 years old; post-office address, 1331 Glasgow St, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was well acquainted with Jakie Sparrow, the first wife of James Sparrow, late husband of the claimant … That the said Jakie Sparrow died shortly before I was fifteen years old. I can state this much as to the date because shortly after her death the said James Sparrow came to my mother’s house near Portsmouth to live and continued to live there for about a year till he married the said Susan who was formerly Susan Long. I was fifteen years of age at the time the said James Sparrow came to live with us. The death of Jakie Sparrow occurred in Norfolk County near Portsmouth, Va. I was present at her funeral, also saw and recognized the body after death.”

Claimant’s Affidavit, Susan Sparrow, 9 September 1908
61 years old; post-office address, 1441 Glasgow St, Portsmouth, Va.
“[James Sparrow] was married only once before his marriage to this claimant. His first wife was named Jakie Sparrow, who died some two or more years before his marriage to this claimant.
“That I was married but once before my marriage to [James Sparrow]. My first husband was named Nelson Long who died about two years before my marriage to [James Sparrow] … no reliable record of deaths was kept in Norfolk County where both parties lived at the time of their deaths.”

General Affidavit, Rebecca Drew, 9 September 1908
46 years old; post-office address, 1331 Glasgow St., Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was personally well-acquainted with late James Sparrow and his wife Susan Sparrow before they were married to each other.”

General Affidavit, Mary Outlaw, 9 September 1908
64 years old; post-office address, 604 Blunt St, Portsmouth, Va.
“That she was well and intimately acquainted with James Sparrow and his wife … having known them for more than 35 years

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Susan Sparrow, 1 October 1908
[birthplace] Hertford, Perquimans Co, NC
[residence at time of acquaintance] Pinner’s Point near Portsmouth, Va
[length of acquaintance before marriage] about 7 years
[when, where, by whom married] Dec 7, 1882 in Norfolk Co, Va. by Rev Dempsey Thompson
[residence since marriage] “suburbs of Portsmouth in Norfolk Co, Va till Feby 1894 when covered by extension of city limits”
[previous marriage] yes
[marriage since soldier’s death] no
[enslaved?] “Yes. Only one owner named Samuel Long was not a slave at time of marriage to soldier”
[soldier’s birthplace] Princess Anne Co., Va
[soldier’s residence at acquaintance] Norfolk Co, Va.
[soldier’s enlistment] “I do not know”
[enlistment date] December 15, 1863
[residence before enlistment] Princess Anne Co., Va
[age at enlistment / occupation] 36 / laborer
[height / skin color] 5’6″ / dark
[only wife] no
[soldier enslaved?] “soldier was never a slave”

General Affidavit, Penny Skinner, 14 October 1908
79 years old; post-office address, Carroll St, Portsmouth, Va
“That I have known the claimant Susan Sparrow from her childhood. My acquaintance with her began in Hertford, Perquimans Co., North Carolina. We both moved to Virginia in the same week during the Civil War, and I have known her quite intimately since her childhood. Her first husband was named Nelson Long, who married her at Hertford and brought her to this state. Her next and last husband was named James Sparrow who died recently.”

General Affidavit, Shedrach Smith, 14 October 1908
about 70 years old; post-office address, London St near Godwin, Portsmouth, Va.
“That I first became acquainted with James Sparrow … sometime prior to the Civil War. When we was living in Princess Anne County, Va. I was then living in Norfolk County not far from Princess Anne. I cannot now tell you what year it was when I first met the said James Sparrow. I know that he was a very young man hardly grown. Some years after I became acquainted with him he married Jakie Sparrow, a relation of my mother’s family, and lived with her till he died.”

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Andrew Anderson, F&S

The widow, a lifelong resident of Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to live with her son. The soldier’s will was never admitted to probate and there was confusion about the widow’s name before marriage but his application based on invalid status and her application based on widow status were approved.

Invalid — 815,831 / 740,173
Widow — 770,259 / 542,553

General Affidavit, Henry Small and William Tenant, 4 January 1891
[Small] 48 years old; residence, 95 Liberty Street, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
[Tenant] 45 years old; residence, 97 Liberty Street, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.
“That they know Andrew W. Anderson aforesaid and have frequently visited him and attend to him; that he is now very sick and confined to his bed and room … he will die in want of proper medical assistance and proper attention, he is an object of charity and entirely dependent on his wife who is quite delicate and unable to do any manual labor, his friends are obliged to attend him in his helplessness.”

Deposition, Andrew W. Anderson, 8 May 1893
49 years old; residence, 95 Liberty St., Norfolk, Va.,

Deposition, Lazarus Taite, 8 May 1893
63 or 64 years old; oocupation, day laborer
“I have known Andrew W. Anderson 29 or 30 years … Wm. Anderson and me served in the same company and I urged him to make the application … my name on that declaration is a forgery”

Deposition, William Bright, 10 May 1893
49 years old; occupation, laborer; residence, 76 Nickerson Street, Norfolk, Virginia

Deposition, B.A. Richardson, 11 May 1893
28 years old; occupation, traveling salesman; residence and post-office address, 50 Roanoke Ave., Norfolk, Va.
“At that date I was a notary public and had a seal … my brother C.A. Richardson informed me that W.R. Drury in my absence took my seal away with him.”
“I signed some declarations in black for my uncle W.R. Drury, Pension Attorney”

Deposition, Andrew W. Anderson, 16 January 1901
57 [?] years old; occupation, laborer; post-office address, 133 Liberty Street, Norfolk, Va.
“I was born near Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va. I was freeborn. My father’s name was Jadarest [?] Anderson. my mother’s name was Barbara Ann Anderson. I have no sisters living. I have one brother. Izaiah Anderson, Hampton Home, Va. who served in the Navy. Don’t know on what ship.
“I was a farmer at enlistment”
“Garrard was my first Col[onel]. Seip was my last Col[onel]. W.H. Cabiness was my Capt.; Vandervoort was my 1st Lt.; Smith was 2nd Lt; William Teemer, ord. sgt.; Harper was 2nd Sgt.; John Robinson Sgt.; Philip Bagnall was my tentmate. I was in the Battle of Drury’s Bluff in 1864, at Church Hill near Richmond in 1864. Some were killed at both places, but none of my co.
“I was wounded in my head at Church Hill in 1864 and had my left arm broken while in camp while engaged in wrestling [?] at Scott’s Creek, near Portsmouth, Va., in Jan 1865.”
“I have resided in Norfolk, Va. since discharge … have been treaeted for a gallstone by Dr. Thompson and Dr. Walker, Norfolk, Va. … William Bright and Lazarus Tate were my witnesses in my pension claim.”
“Bertha W. Anderson is the name of my lawful wife. We were married Jan [illegible], 1869, at Berkley, Va. by Rev. Peter Sherpherd. … I have no children under 16.”

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Bertha Anderson, 3 September 1902
58 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va; post-office address, 54 Livingston St., Cleveland, Ohio
“Also personally appeared, Anna Davis, residing at 461 Cumberland [?] St … and Martha C. Walker, residing at 377 Cumberland [?] … their acquaintance with her of 40 years and 30 years, respectively”

General Affidavit, Bertha Anderson, 15 September 1902
69 years old; residence, Cleveland, Ohio; post-office address, 54 Livingston St., Cleveland, Ohio
“[married] at Providence Church, Norfolk Co., Va. … her name at the time of such marriage was Bertha Wilson … when claimant was between three and four years old her mother married a second time to one Wilson Moore and claimant was sometimes called Bertha Moore through the confusion of her step-father’s name … [Andrew Anderson] owned a small lot of land, unimproved, in Norfolk County, near Providence Church, which is supposed to be worth about $30; that said lot was left to the claimant by the will of the soldier, which has never been admitted to probate; that with the exception of the said lot neither she nor her husband owned any property except a few articles of household furniture which have been sold for about $10 or $15 ; that she has no income from any source and owns no interest in any stocks or bonds… that she has been a resident of Norfolk, Va., all her life, but is now going to Cleveland, Ohio to live with her son, and therefore gives her address in Cleveland, Ohio.”

General Affidavit, Rev. Peter Shepperd, 16 October 1902
87 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, 325 8th St, NE, Washington, DC
“He is a regularly ordained minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, continuously since the year of 1864, and states that that he married the claimant Bertha Anderson, to her husband the soldier, Andrew W. Anderson, in this case, at Berkley, Norfolk Co., Va., on the 7th day of January 1869, he acting in the capacity of the officiating minister … he, the affiant, failed to make a return of the marriage of this claimant to the soldier.”

General Affidavit, Bertha Anderson, 16 June 1904
60 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia; post-office box, 56 Johnson Ave, Norfolk, Va.
“Her pension is paid by the agency at Columbus, Ohio, where she formerly lived; that she has been living in Norfolk, Va. about eight months and expects to live here the rest of her life.
“She therefore respectfully requests that she be paid by the agency in Washington, DC instead of Columbus, Ohio.”

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James Lind, Company K

This freeborn carpenter was born in Boston and settled in New Orleans after the war but the place of his enlistment is unclear. The couple had no children.

Invalid — 1,100,526 / 82?, 331
Widow — 907,018 / 675,708, Louisa Lind

Affidavit, Peter Perry, 4 April 1892
72 years old; residence, Lyon & Coliseum St, 13th Ward, New Orleans
“I have been working with claimant as carpenter since 1866 off and on … [Lind] fell from the roof of a house where we were at work … he is not able to perform severe manual labor. Disabilities not due to bad or vicious habits and of a permanent character.”

Affidavit, Edward King, 4 April 1892
79 years old; residence, 200 Berlin St., New Orleans
“I have known claimant since 1866 and have known him well during the intervening time”

Affidavit, Tilton Turner and Randall Carter, 15 May 1895
[Turner] 66 years old; residence, Peters Ave
[Carter] 59 years old; residence, Peters near Arcadia, NO
“We were neighbors of this man James Lind who is well known to us. He is a carpenter by trade. He does not do any ordinary manual labor. We have known him for 6 and 25 years. During the last 6 years he has not been able to do the work of any ordinary workman…. We would not under any circumstances employ this man as a laborer at the usual wages. His general habits and character are excellent.”

Office of Board of Health, Recorder of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 15 December 1898
“W. Beltz, an undertaker, native of this City residing at No. 7808 Maple St., who hereby declares, that James Lind (colored), a native of Boston, Mass., aged 60 years, departed this life yesterday, (7 Oct 1908) at No. 2100 Peters Ave., in this city.
Cause of death, endocarditis
Certificate of Dr. J.Y. Hunter
Deceased was married, a carpenter & 40 years in city
“I do certify, the foregoing to be a true and faithful copy from the original recorded in Book marked No. 144 Folio 1187.”

Questionnaire (Form 3-173), James Lind, 29 November 1898
[wife’s name] Louisa Lind … Louisa Nelson
[where, when, by whom] January 16, 1868; New Orleans, Louisiana; Rev. Emperor Williams
[record of marriage] “the regular marriage certificate”
[previously married] no
[living children] “never had any children”

Questionnaire (Form 3-493), James Lind, 29 November 1898
[present residence, post-office address] 2100 Peters Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana
[residence from Feb 1, 1866 to present residence] “I lived at first at Magazine & Erats St., NOLA; second, Elenor & Camp; 3rd cor Peters Ave & Liberty St., No. 2100
[post-office nearest residences] New Orleans, La
[occupation since February 4, 1866] “I was when able to work, a carpenter”
[known by any other name] no
[different name in military service] no

Affidavit, James Lind and Louisa Lind, 26 January 1899
“I desire to make and file declaration so that in the event of my death prior to that of Louisa Nelson she may not have difficulty to prove the legality of her marriage. … I am the identical ‘James Lend‘ who is mentioned in the original marriage certificate in my possession signed by Rev. E. Williams, and that my true name is James Lind … I am the identical ‘Loisa Nelson‘ sanctioned in the original marriage certificate in our possession and that my true name is Louisa Nelson … [married] according to the rites of the Methodist Episcopal Church [by] Rev. E. Williams, pastor Jefferson and Carrolton ME Churches, Ada F. Sparks, Sarah V. Phelps, G.W. Scott, witnesses”
[Note — A handwritten note on the document states ‘The above is a true copy of the original marriage certificate this day exhibited to me’ — Leslie]

Affidavit, Louisa Lind, 20 November 1908
[birthplace] Mississippi
[residence when you became acquainted with the soldier] New Orleans, Louisiana
[length of acquaintance before marriage] one year
[[where, when, and by whom married] New Orleans
[previous marriage] no
[marriage since soldier’s death] no
[children born to you and soldier] no
[enslaved, previous enslavers] “Yes — William Robney — at date of marriage I was free – my only name before marriage was Louisa Nelson”
[soldier’s birhplace] Massachusetts
[soldier’s residence at your acquaintance] New Orleans
[soldier’s place of enlistent] “supposed to enlist in Massachusetts”
[date soldier enlisted] abpit 1862
[residence before enlistment] Massachusetts
[soldier’s age at enlistment, occupation, skin color] “about 30 … carpenter … greefe [sic]”
[his only wife] yes
[soldier enslaved?] no

General Affidavit, Nathan Hunter, 30 November 1908
66 years old; residence, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; post-office address, 1900 [illegible]
“I have known Louise Lind since her childhood, she was never married before she married James Lind on the 16th day of January 1868
“I have also known James Lind … since he was a young man of marriageable age, he was never married before he married Louise Lind befoe he married Louise Nelson … I have been a friend of both the above before and after marriage”

General Affidavit, J.W. Pierce, 30 November 1908
62 years old; residence, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; post-office address, 7508 Oak [illegible], New Orleans, La. 1900 [illegible]
“I have known Louise Lind nee Louise Nelson since her childhood … I have also known James Lind … since he was a young man of marriageable age … I have knowledge in the above testimony from being a half-brother of Louise Lind and a friend of James Lind before his marriage and a constant visitor at their home.”

Letter from B.F. Harper, Auditor, Treasury Department, Washington, DC to Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, DC, 9 February 1909
“James Lind … (P.O. address c/o Peter Small, Custom House, New Orleans, La) states … that he was born free; that he volunteered in November 1864 … that he is identified by L.H. Stone, and E. Sullivan, (neither residences nor P.O. address given)
“James Lind alleges … that his age is 39 years … He is identified by Eugene Sullivan, and John W. Pierce of the County of Orleans, La.”
“His post office address is 236 Peters Ave., New Orleans, La.; that his age is 54 years … He is identified by L.R.. Lowe, and W.R. Matzler, of the County of Orleans, La.
“The soldier signed by mark such rolls as have been examined.
“A tracing of his signture to the last named application is inclosed herewith.”

Handwritten Letter from J.W. Pierce, 4730 S. Liberty St., New Orleans, La., to Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, DC, 3 March 1923
“I am the only legal heir of Mrs. Louisa Lind, widow of James Lind who died January 7, 1923 in Oakland, California. I received her remains and buried them with her husband in this city. My son Thomas D. Pierce of Los Angeles, California, has forwarded to your office the particulars of her death and funeral, and also returned to you the last pension check.”

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Felix Johnson, Company B and Company K

The soldier enlisted in Company B and later transferred to Company K. A freeborn man, he died of smallpox months before war’s end leaving a widow with young children.

Invalid — 169, 526 / —–

Sworn Statement, Casandra Johnson, 25 December 1868
residence, Suffolk, Nansemond County, Virginia; post-office address, Suffolk, Virginia
30 years old
“her maiden name was Casandra Rodgers and that she was married to Felix Johnson on or above 24 Dec 1856 at [Nansemond County, Virginia] by mutual consent … married by consent of Master Alexander Rodgers to Felix Johnson a free man of color.
“She further declares that said Felix Johnson, her husband, died in the service of the United States as aforesaid at Old Point, in the State of Virginia, on or about the day of Fall, 1864 of smallpox. … the children of my deceased husband who were under sixteen years of age at the time of his death Harriet Johnson born Sept 1857 — William Henry born Oct 1858″
“Also personally appeared before me William Parker and Ann Porter, residents of Suffolk, Nansemond County”

Sworn Statement, Wilson Brickhouse and John Travis, 20 March 1869
[Brickhouse] had been Private in Company G, 1st US Colored Cavalry
[Travis] had been Private in Company I, 1st US Colored Cavalry
“they were well acquainted with Felix Johnson – that the said Felix Johnson enlisted in Co B 1st U.S.C. Cavalry that he was afterwards transferred to Co K 1st USC Cavalry”

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Nelson Young, Company I

The soldier was killed in action at Fort Pocahontas, Virginia. His wife re-married and her second husband was appointed guardian of the soldier’s son, his only surviving child.

Widow – 105,405 / 84,935, Nancy Young
Minor -158,406 / 116,387, Rufus Young

Oath of Allegiance, Nancy Young, 1 December 1865
“I, Nancy Young, do solemnly swear in the presence of God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of States thereunder, that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all laws and proclamations which have been made during the existing Rebellion with reference to the emancipation of of slaves so help me God.”
“Nancy Young — a resident of Norfolk County … aged 28 years … doth on her oath … in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress appeared July 14, 1862, that she is the widow of Nelson Young who killed on picket duty on Wilson’s Landing on James River on or about … Sept 1864 … she was married … January 1864 by the Rev. William Knott a regular minister of the Gospel of the MP Church and has had five children … whose names and ages are as follows: Claudius, dead; Mary Anne age dead; Angenetta dead; Rufus aged five years; Elton dead … [Nelson Young] was a free person at the time of enlisting … and had been free … of his being freeborn … I hereby constitute and appoint Leopold C.P. Cowper of Portsmouth, Va. as my true and lawful attorney.”
“And personally appeared Southall Bass and Mary Bass residents of Portsmouth … they were personally acquainted with Nancy Young … they have known the said applicant and her said husband for 20 years”

Sworn Statement, Southall Bass and Alinzo Elliott, 31 December 1866
“they have known Nancy Young … for more than twenty years … they lived within five miles of [Nelson and Nancy Young] for twenty years … [Rufus Young] is now living with his mother in Norfolk County, Virginia … that said child is now is his 7th year being born in 1859 Nov … they have often been to to their house and seen the mother since said child was an infant.”

Sworn Statement, Nancy Ridgeway, 5 September 1867
“mother of Rufus Young, only surviving orphan child of Nelson Young … born on the 18th day of November 1860”
“Also personally came before me Mary Bass aged twenty seven years and Susan Elliott aged fourteen years, residents of Norfolk County, … they knew well the late Nelson Young and Nancy … that they lived within two miles of them … they saw the mother and child in its first infancy, that they often have seen the mother and said child within a few days after its birth

Sworn Statement, Thomas Ridgeway, 28 February 1868
residence, Norfolk County, Virginia
“that he is the legal guardian of Rufus Young his ward whose father Nelson Young now deceased … guardian of the minor child of Nelson Young who died at Wilson’s Landing, Va. being killed on picket on James River while on duty … Nancy Young [soldier’s widow] and mother of the child aforesaid, Rufus Young, again married being now the wife of the said Thomas Ridgeway … the parents of his ward Rufus Young were married at the home of Jesse Watts in the county of Norfolk, Virginia on or about … Jany 1855 by the Rev. William Knott, a minister of the M.E. Church and that I do constitute and appoint Leopold C. P. Corprew of Portsmouth, Virginia my attorney”
“Also personally appeared Alonzo Elliott and Josiah Elliott, residents of Norfolk County, State of Virginia … that they were personally and intimately …. Nancy Young widow of the said Nelson Young did on the 9th day of January 1867 intermarry with one Thomas Ridgway … now the legal guardian of said Rufus Young, that they were present and witnesseth the said marriage … [the couple] were married by the Rev. Jeremiah Thomas, a minister of the [illegible] Church in the County of Norfolk, State of Va. “
“Also personally appeared before me the Rev. William Knott, a minister of the [illegible] Church”

Court Decree, County Court of Norfolk County, Virginia, 3 March 1868
“The Court doth appoint Thomas Ridgeway, Guardian to Rufus Young orphan of Nelson Young dec’d: and thereupon the said Thomas Ridgeway, appeared in court and together with Wm. H. Elliott and Josiah Elliott his securities, who justified on oath as to their sufficiency, entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of One Thousand Dollars with condition according to law, which bond is ordered to be recorded.”

Sworn Statement, Nancy Ridgeway, 22 April 1868
“Her child Rufus Young was never baptized, that the children of colored persons were never submitted to this rite as she knows or believes.”
“Also personally appeared Venus Bivins by calling a midwife, aged fifty-five and Elizabeth Elliott, aged thirty-five years, residents of Norfolk County, Virginia … that they both were present at the time of the birth of and delivery of the above named Nancy Ridgeway when she was Nancy Young and the legal wife of Nelson Young … in the 18 day of Nov 1860 of her child Rufus Young”

Memorandum by Thomas M. Vincent, Assistant Adjutant General, 23 March 1868
“He is reported ‘Killed in action when on a search near Fort Pocahontas, Va. Augt. 1864. On Muster Roll dated Feby 4/66. ‘xx Was killed while skirmishing Augt. 28/64, where not known.’ Original Statements on file in this Office signed by the Co., Capt. He is reported ‘Killed August 18, 1864”

Sworn Statement, Dempsey Nash, Court Clerk, 13 July 1868
“It appears from the record in my office that on the 5th day of January 1867 a license was issued according to law to solemnize the marriage of Thomas Ridgeway and Nancy Young, a widow, both colored, and it further appears from the said record and the return of J.R.V. Thomas, a minister of the Gospel that he did on the 10th day of January 1867 duly celebrates the wrights [sic] matrimony.”

Declaration of Guardian of Minor Children for Increase Pension Under Act of July 25, 1866, 9 December 1876
“Thomas Ridgeway, aged about 45 years … mother of the child has remarried and that the date of birth of said ward is as follows 17th Nov 1860 … the maiden name of his mother was Nancy Elliott.”
“Also personally appeared Southall Bass and Thomas Riddick, residents of Portsmouth”
[Note: The word “increase” was handwritten and inserted before the word “pension” — Leslie]

Sworn Statement, Thomas Ridgeway, 30 June 1888
“Thomas Ridgeway, guardian to Rufus Young, orphan of Nelson Young … says that his post-office address is Portsmouth, Virginia”
“Also personally appeared Venus Bivins and Elizabeth Elliott”

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