Lambert Faulk alias Lamb Folk, Company D

The labor of freeborn and enslaved men could be requisitioned by the Confederacy to build fortifications and other structures. That was nearly the fate of this soldier. There was a lot of testimony on behalf of three claimants — the legal widow, a “contingent” widow (a woman who claimed she was married to the soldier), and a minor child. The many unrelated witnesses who shared a surname gave a lot of detail about kinship, residence, landownership and the community’s social and local history.

Widow — 146,274 / —–, Edy Faulk
Cont. Widow — 171,894 / —–, Maria Folk
Minor — 795,520 / 577,383, Andrew J. Faulk

Deposition, Edie Faulk, 2 April 1894
60 years old; housekeeper; residence, Deep Creek, Norfolk Co., Va.
“I saw him [the soldier] a few weeks before he died and then he had a bad cough.
“I was married to the soldier about 10 years before the war in Nansemond Co., Va near Holy Neck Chapel by Rev. Robert Rawls, a white minister, had license and were regularly married.

“Henry Jordan, at Copeland, Va. and Jesse Copeland about 5 miles from Suffolk, Va. were present … I was distantly related to my husband.. At the time we were married the soldier was living with Mr. James Griffin and I was working for Mr. Wm. Hare. Mr. Hare was present at our wedding supper. After our marriage we lived on Mr. Hare’s land and Miles Copeland’s land in Nansemond Co., Va. During the early part of the war we moved to Portsmouth … Elijah Copeland and Lucinda Hurst know that we were living together at said time..

“At the time of the soldier’s death, I had one child living which I had by him, a boy named Andrew Jackson, do not know when he was born but he was about 10 years when the soldier died … he is now living in Portsmouth, Va… I lived near Portsmouth in an old house on the Seaboard Road, lived there about 3 years. After that I moved in this neighohood and have lived hee ever since. Lived with my son up to five years ago and also lived on Dr. Shmooy’s [?] place, he lived in Phila at that time.

“I have given birth to two children since the soldier’s death … Hattie was born in 1870 and died 3 years ago and the other name Ella Frank born in November 1876 and died in 1889.
“I never lived with Exum Rawls … He was the father of the two children born to me since the soldier’s death … My husband took up with [Maria Gardner] during the war or before the war … The soldier always recognized the child Andrew J. as his own … I do not know positively but think my first name is Edie and not Edith. Letitia Briggs attended me when Andrew J was born … “

__________, Elijah Copeland, 2 April 1894
54 years old; occupation, farmer; residence, Gilmerton, Norfolk Co., Va.
“My mother went to their wedding supper on Mr. Hare’s land. I was a small boy at that time … their son Andrew was born on Mr. Porter‘s land about 1854 or 55 … I came to Portsmouth about 1863 … [Faulk] had been taken away by the Southern soldiers but he came to Portsmouth soon afterwards … soon enlisted in the US army …
“… one named Hattie and one name Ella. Do not know when the youngest one was over but she was about 11 or 12 years old when she died about 4 years ago … Exum Rawls had a wife named Louisa during the time or soon after he came to claimant’s … Louisa was a cousin of my wife …”

Deposition, William H. Hare, 22 June 1894
78 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Boxelder, Va.
“I have lived on this farm since 1844 … we hired her [Edie] part of the time while she was a girl … I hired him [Faulk] before he was grown and after he was grown … They were afraid to remain. At least he was afraid that he would be carried away to help build forts or somthing that kind … I loaned them a team and they went off and came back …. to my best recollection they were married on my place … I think about 1852”

Deposition, Jesse Copeland, 22 June 1894
66 years old; occupation, farmer; residence, Copeland, Nansemond Co., Va.
“Lived in this county all my life, except about 5 years when I lived in Norfolk Co., Va … knew her from childhood … knew [him] from boyhood …

__________, Elisha Copeland, 22 June 1894
62 years old; occupation, mail carrier; post-office address, Savage’s Crossing, Va.
“I have lived in Nansemond, Va. all my life except about 2 or 3 years and even during that time I was back at Christmas … I was present when she was married in 1850, ’51 or ’52 to Lamb Faulk near Holy Neck Chapel in Nansemond Co.”

__________, Henry Jordan, 22 June 1894
65 years old; occupation, farmer; residence, Hollands, Va.
“I have lived in this neighborhood all my life except about 2 years which I was away with Gen’l Butler’s army … knew her from childhood. I was present when she was married to Lamb … I knew Lamb Faulk before he was grown … After their marriage they lived on old man Billy Hare‘s land, on Zachary Porter‘s land, and on Miles Copeland’s land … I have been married 40 years and they were married 4 or 5 years before I was … I have the free papers which I show you not over 12 months when the clt and soldier were married and they had not been married over 12 months when he was born …

Affidavit, Edie Faulk, 25 June 1894
“Charley & Ida are not my children . I was living on the Seaboard road near Portsmouth when they were left with me … not more than a year or two after the war closed …

“Exum Rawls lived in Nansemond Co. and used to visit down here … I stayed in the house of Stephen Watkins while his wife was living and helped her wash & cook. She died while the war was going on from small pox … I lived in the same house after his wife died … He slept in one room and I in the other … He commenced to work for the fibre company and I came out to cook for him and moved the household goods which were mine out to the fibre company place [which was also called the Shoats Place] … When Charley and Ida were left with me I was living in the same house in which I lived with Stephen and his wife. [She] was dead about a year or better when they were left with me … [Charlie] was about 3 years old and she was about 1 year old .”

General Affidavit, Joseph Cassell and Jno Cuffee, 30 January 1896
[Cassell] 40 years old;
[Cuffee] 35 years old; Deep Creek, Norfolk County, Virginia
“Edith Faulk can hardly walk”

General Affidavit, Lucinda Hurst, 6 April 1903
59 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Va.; post-office address, cor South & Godwin Streets
“That she is well-acquainted with Andew Jackson Faulk, the claimant. That affiant knew his father Lambert Faulk who died a soldier at a place called ‘Oak Grove’ in 1864. That affiant knows his mother Edith Faulk.
“That Andrew Jackson Faulk … was born in affiant’s mother’s house in the spring of 1853. Affiant fixes the date of his birth as follows: The ‘great snow’ was in the year 1857 in February and he was at that time four (4) years old. Affiant was in the same house at the time of his birth and she has nursed him many a day. that she was his nurse a long time. That after his birth he lived in the same house with affiant a long time and affiant has seen Edith Faulk, his mother, nurse him from her breast many a time, Andrew Jackson Faulk is now 50 years old. That ‘Oak Grove’ was a suburb of the city of Portsmouth and affiant’s house now stands on a part of it. That Andrew J. Faulk’s birthplace is Nansemond County, Va. several miles from Suffolk, Va.”

General Affidavit, Elijah Copeland, 24 September 1903
63 years old; residence, Gilmerton, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, Gilmerton, Norfolk Co., Virginia
“That he has been personally acqauinted with A.J. Faulks … ever since his birth … but cannot give the exact date … A.J. Faulk’s mother and father were free people of color, were illiterate and there is no record of A.J. Faulk’s birth …”

General Affidavit, Lucinda Hurst, 5 October 1903
61 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“personally acquainted with A.J. Faulk all of his life … she and Lambert Faulk lived in one and the same neighborhood for many years before the Civil War. That affiant came down to Portsmouth, a. before the time Lambert Faulk enlisted in the US Army and was near spot when he did so enlist.”

__________, Elijah Copeland, 22 January 1904
“I was 63 years old the 15th of last Nov”; occupation, stevedore; post-office address, Gilmerton, Va. “have known the claimant all his life … His mother is my aunt … I was small [when his parents married] … Anderew Jackson Faulk is the only child of Lamb Faulk … Edie Faulk had one or two other children by the soldier but they died in infancy … I believe that their other children were born before Andrew J. was born … I think he is about 50 years old … I was born in 1840 and I think I was about 14 years old when he was born … the claimant had two daughters Alice and Mary Lizzie born before the soldier died. Alice is dead. No, sir, neither of them was the soldier’s child, they looked like white man’s children … Edie lived in same house with Stephen Matthews for several years after Lamb’s death.”

Deposition, Phoebe Copeland, 15 April 1904
about 61 years old; widow of Thompson Copeland; post-office address, 1316 Columbia St., Portsmouth, Va… “knows the claimant Andrew J. Faulk since he was a baby. We lived in the same neighborhood in Nansemond Co., Va. His father was Lamb Faulk and his mother Edie Faulk. They were both freeborn. I remember when they were married. My mother and father went to see them married. I was a smalll girl then … Andrew must be about 53 to 55 years old….My mother used to take care of him when his mother would be away working. She herself stayed over at our house all the time. And now is the only child of Lamb Faulk. I heard that Edie had one or two more by him, but I did not know them. Yes, Edie, had two daughters Alice and Mary Lizzie, but neither is Lamb Faulk’s child. Alice is dead. I could not tell whether Andrew was Lamb’s oldest child or not.
“Yes, Lamb and Edie were separated but not divorced. He had to go away, don’t know why, never went back that I know of. He stayed down here before the war, don’t know how long. I don’t know that he lived with another woman after he left the neighborhood.”

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Barney Hutchins alias George Wilmer, Company H

The soldier and his brother John Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer served in the same company. Born free men in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, they worked as watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. The brothers were with a friend Alexander Hazleton alias William Fortney when a group of men attempted to kidnap and enslave them. The three men escaped and enlisted under assumed names. They returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore at war’s end.

Invalid — 1,137,020 / 1,138,640
Widow — 1,034, 690 / 782,665, Susan Hutchins

General Affidavit, Solomon Price and Elias Bryson, 5 August 1895
[Price] 67 years old;
[Bryson] 69 years old;
“citizens of the town of Centreville, County of Queen Anne, State of Maryland … We have known him for a long while and we know that before he went into the Services of the U.S. he was a strong healthy man and we often met during the war and after the war our intimacy has been kept up for we all have lived together or rather very near each other … this affidavit has been written for us … by Alfred Tucker, at Centreville, Queen Anne County, Maryland “

General Affidavit, Boswell Griffin, 27 December 1895
57 years old; citizen, Wye Mills, Queen Anne’s County, Maryland;
“I am personally acquainted with George Wilmer … We were both in the army but in the same Regt. … We frequently met while we were at Brazos and Brownsville, Texas …”

Questionnaire, Barney Hutchinson, 25 March 1901
[birthplace] near Queenstown, Md
[place of enlistment] Onancock, Va.
[previous residence] in Queen Anne Co., Md
[occupation] laborer
[enslaved] “I was born free.”
[place of discharge] Brazos Santiago, Texas
[residence since discharge] Queen Anne Co., Md.
[occupation] “I work on farms when able.”
[physical description] 5’6″, brown skin, smallpox marks
[a different name in service] no
[different name in pension application] no
[current name] Barney Hutchins

Form 3-442, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, K.C. Kniffen, Chief, Record Division, 27 January 1909
Please furnish the names and post-office addresses of officers and comrades of Co. H, 1st Reg’t U.S.C. Vol. Cav.

Theophilus H. Butler		Surry C.H., Surry Co., Va.
George Goodson		Waterway, Princess Anne Co., Va.
Jeremiah Locker		Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
Ferdinand Ohlenberger	2d Lieut	c/o Aug. Limberger, San Antonio, Tex.
Albert Page		Oak Tree, York Co., Va.
Richard Pierce	Sergt	c/o J.W. Hosier, Suffolk, Va.
Alfred Simpson		#28 1/2 Lincoln St., Nofolk, Va.
Joseph Scott		Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
Jerry White		#243 Lincoln St., Hampton, Va.
John H. Williams		Mapleton, Princess Anne Co., Va.

Deposition, Barney Hutchinson alias George Wilmer, 8 September 1909
“65 years, July 8 last” post-office address, Wye Mills, Queen Anne Co., Md.
“I was born in this immediate locality in Queen Anne Co., Md. was about 20 years old when I enlisted, farm laborer … I had no measles scars or marks before I enlisted except scars from smallpox, which I had in Feby 1864.
“I have but one brother John H. Hutchins who served in the same co and regt with me. I have five sisters and half-sisters living. They are:
Sarah Emory wid[ow] of John Emory who lives not far from Centreville.
Tamsey Hurd – widow of Oliver Hurd – lives in the road from Centreville to Wye Neck.
Ann Maria Curtis – 1135 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore, Md.
Rachel Griffin [illegible] Bazwell Griffin lives near here.
Lizzie Saulsbury – wife John Saulsbury – no his widow – she lives in Baltimore, Md. but I cannot give her street address. I lived here until just before I enlisted. Then I went to Baltimore accompanied by my brother John. After we got to Baltimore a man fooled us and got us in a boat to dredge for oysters and took us down the Chesapeake Bay.
“When we got down the Bay – we left the boat – ran away and landed on the Va. shore near a place called Pungoteague – went from there to Onancock, Va. where we met a recruiting office who offered us three hundred ($300) bounty so we enlisted and we were taken to Cherrystone, Va. then by boat to Norfolk County then to Newport News, Va. where we got our money for enlisting and our uniform.
“We did not send the money home we kept it and spent it.
“Q. Anything out of the ordinary happen in the Regt?
A. One man whose name and co. I cannot recall was hung at Ft. Lincoln for killing a man before we got to the Regt. while his co. was in Norfolk.
“Butler and Parker of my co. – given names forgotten – deserted – were caught – tried by court martialed [sic] – put on duty but never received any pay …
“Q. Name the officers of the co.
A. Lt. xx Waterman commanded the co. until we went to Texas. Then he was made Provost Marshall and after that Lt. Whitsell commanded the co. We also had a Lt. xx Smith with us for a time.
No Captains was with the Co. while I was in the Regt.
The Sgts. were Odly. xx Boyd, Sgt. xx Williams, Sgt. xx Scott, Sgt. xx Wright. Copl. xx Butt, Copl. xx Hardess, Copl. xx Wright.
I cannot give first names of any of these men or address.
“I remember the following members of the Co. Levin Smith, John Williams, “Bob” Furby, Arthur Webb, Isaac Gardner, xx Wingfield, Bob Hughes, xx Albert. I think he was made Copl. while we were in Texas. Noah [illegible], Abraham Henry. I do not know where any of these men are — never saw them before I enlisted, have not seen one of them since. They were mostly from Va. Copls. Butt — and Sgt. Boyd did live in Norfolk — so they said — before they enlisted.
“I saw no one from Queen Anne Co., Md while I was in the service …”
“Q. Why did you change your name when you enlisted. Because I had run away from the oyster boat and was afraid I might be caught. I do not know why I selected the name George Wilmer rather than some other alias. I knew plenty of people named Wilmer in this section of Md. I was freeborn.”

Letter from Special Examiner, 17 September 1909
“In connection with this claim I have also investigated the claim of John H. Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer … a brother of the pensioner George Wilmer; the report in both cases being mailed at the same time.
“The evidence in these two claims should be considered together.
“I intended to have taken both [statements] the same day so that they might not have an opportunity to coach or communicate with each other but Barney was away from home and it was almost night before he could be located — too late for me to return to the locality and secure his brother’s testimony on the same day.
“Barney is the brightest of the two brothers and seemed to be able to give a finely detailed history of his service, considering he was called upon without warning. He cannot read or write and there is no roster and there is no roster or other history of his Regiment on the peninsula so far as I can [illegible].
“I am therefore inclined to believe the statement he has made is based upon his memory alone.
“While he states he met no one of his former acquaintances and friends in the army except his brother John H. and Alex Hazleton alias Mr. Fortney.”
“He is an encyclopedia of information about soldiers who enlisted from Queen Anne Co., Md. but he was never given information adverse to a claiamant and sometimes his information is not correct so I do not know how much reliance to place in his testimony in this case.
“The Eastern Shore of Va. locality described by Hazleton I know well and the George Powell he refers to was a local merchant … Powell died some ten years ago. I did not have pensioner and his brother go with me to Hazleton as they are poor, John very poor and disabled … Hazleton is not a pensioner, nor an applicant and seemed unbiased in his manner.”

Declaration of Pension, Barney Hutchins, 27 May 1912
67 years old; residence, Carmichaels, Queen Anne, Maryland; post-office address, Carmichaels, Queen Anne, Maryland
“that he is the same person who enrolled at Nan Cock [sic], Va. under the name of George Wilmer … that he was born July 8th, 1844 … his several places of residence have been Queen Anne County, Maryland … ”

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Susan Hutchins, 26 September 1914
65 years old; “she is the widow of Barney Hutchins … who died on the 10th day of September A.D. 1914 … that she was married under the name Susan Little … in January 1889 by Rev. _____ Lee … at or near Carmichael, Q.A. Co., Md.
“Also personally appeared Frederick Nichols, residing at Centreville, Md, and Daniel Hutchins, residing at Carmichael, Md. … an acquaintance with her of 40 years and all his life, 40 years, respectively … “

General Affidavit, John H. Hutchins and Rachel E. Griffin, 6 [8?] October 1914
[Hutchins] 72 years old; of Queenstown
[Griffin] 65 years old; of Centreville
“citizens of the County of Queen Anne, State of Maryland …
That they were intimately acquainted with Barney Hutchins and Susan Little from the time said parties became of marriageable age up to the time of their marriage … that said parties were married about the year 1869 in Queen Anne County, Maryland by a minister named Lee …”

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John Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer, Company H

The soldier and his brother Barney Hutchins alias George Wilmer served in the same company. Born free men in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, they worked as watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. The brothers were with a friend Alexander Hazleton alias William Fortney when a group of men attempted to kidnap and enslave them. The three men escaped and enlisted under assumed names. They returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore at war’s end.

Invalid — 1,132,138 / 917,423

General Affidavit, Robert Scott and Frank Moore, 5 June 1893
[Scott] 57 years old; citizen of Wye Mills, Queenanes [sic], Md. … I have been knowing Levin Wilmer for forty years …
[Moore] 50 years old; citizen of Wye Mills, Queenanes [sic], Md. … have been knowing Levin Wilmer for the last twenty years …”

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Louisa Wilmer, 4 June 1898
[married] yes, Louisa Wilmer Louisa Scott
[when, where, by whom] April 1864; Rev. M Smith; Centreville
[record?] had no children; consent of master
[previously married] no
[living children] no

Deposition, Barney Hutchins alias Geo. Wilmer, 8 September 1909
65 years old (July 4 last); post-office address, Wye Mills, Md.
“I served under the name of George Wilmer. My correct name is Barney Hutchins. My brother John H. Hutchins enlisted at the same time I did in the same co & regt under the name of Levin William … We served together – were discharged together – and came home together – and this has been our home ever since we changed our names because we were afraid the captain of the oyster boat would capture us.
“He is two years and four days older than I am – somewhat shorter than I am … my [enlistment] certificate is all right except as to place of birth”
[Note: Two witnesses were Effie Hutchins and Fannie Hutchins — Leslie]

Deposition, Laura Hutchins, 9 September 1909
“I don’t know my age” … post-office address, RFD Queenstown, Md. “I am the wife of John H. Hutchins … during the war I remember he left in fall of the year … and I never heard anything more of him until after the war had closed when he came back home wearing citizens clothes but had his army clothes with him.
“[He and his brother] had been wanting to go in the army before they left.”
[Note: A witness was Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, Rachel F. Griffin, 9 September 1909
“I don’t know my age. I was about 12 years of age when the war commenced.
“P.O. RFD is Queenstown, Md.
“I have two brothers living, John H. Hutchins and Barney Hutchins. Both live near me. Both born and raised and always lived in this locality except when they were in the army.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stansberry and Larenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, John H. Hutchins, 9 September 1909
67 years old (July 4 last); post-office address, Wye Mills (or Queenstown, Md).
“I have not had my discharge certificate for years — some man came around here said he could get bounties for me and I gave him my discharge certificate and I have not seen it since.
“The man’s name was William B. Hill, W. Fayette St., Baltimore, Md. I do not know his number. He got my discharge just after I returned from the army.
“I never received any bounty, cannot say if Hill collected bounty for me or not. I wrote him several times, but could get no reply.”
“I was born near here in Queen Anne Co., Md. Lived here in this neck until just before I enlisted then I went to Baltimore, Md. where a man got us drunk and said he would take us to the “West Indies” but instead he got us in an oyster boat, and took us down the Chesapeake Bay to [illegible]
“We remained on the boat until Saturday night when we stole one of the [illegible] small boats and rowed ashore and went to Onancock, Va., then we met a recruiting office who offered us $200 to enlist.
“We thought the captain of the oyster boat was after us so we changed our names and enlisted.
“Q. Who do you mean by ‘we’?
A. My brother Barney Hutchins who enlisted as George Wilmer and another man who left here with us, got in the oyster boat and enlisted with us.
“This third man was Alex Hazleton he enlisted as William Fortney. My correct name is John H. Hutchins and I am known by that name by everybody in this locality.
“Q. Why did you choose the name Levin Wilmer as your alias instead of some other name.
A. Because I used to go with a boy named Levin Wilmer (dead) before I enlisted. He and I were chums and I thought of his name as a good one to go by when I enlisted

“The three of us — my brother and Alex Hazleton and I were sent to Norfolk, Va. where we were given our uniforms and then sent to Ft. Magruder, Va. We remained there until the spring, then we went somewhere “on the side” of a R.R. in Va.” and while there Lee surrendered, then we went to Richmond after the “vaccination [sic] of Petersburg” We then went to a place called “Camp Lincoln” and lay there until the “25th Corps” including my Regt. was sent to Texas.
“Our Rgt. was shipped from Ft. Monroe on the ship ‘Meteor‘ to Brazos Santiago, Texas the summer of 1865.
“This was headquarters until we were ordered home to be discharged.
“We came home on the ‘Evening Star’ to City P’t. ,Va. when we were discharged and paid off. I came directly back here by way of Baltimore, Md. and this has been my home ever since.
“My brother, and Alex Hazleton, were the only ones in my Regt. I had known before my enlistment.
“Alex Hazleton came back here with us, remained around here several years, and I have seen him a few times since he left here.
“The last I heard of him he was in Cecil Co., Md. somewhere about Sassafras.
Q. Have you seen any other membes of your co. since the war?
A. I met Bill White who was visiting in Baltimore, Md. but I do not know his address and I met another member of the Co. in Baltimore. but I cannot call his name, this was just after the war.
“Q. Who were the officers of your co?
A. We had no captains. Lt. ____ Waterman — he was promoted to Provost Marshall. Then Lt. ____ Whiteman took command of the Co. in Texas and was in command until our discharge.
I cannot recall the name of the other Lt. He was an Irishman.
The sgts. were. Odly Sgt. ____ Boyd [or Byrd?], Asst. Sgt. Bill White, Sgt. ____ Scott, Sgt. ____ Wright, Sgt. ____ Shorts.
The Crpls were Butts, Wright, Williams — I cannot give first names of these officers and do not know where any of them is.
“The others in the company I can think of ____ Winfield — he was my tentmate. My brother Barney Hutchins – alias George Wilmer also tented with me. I had another tent mate, his name I cannot recall.
A man name ____ Gordon was in the tent next to me.
A man named ____ Bush, and Bob Hughes drilled next to me.
There was a Sgt. Bill Reed who was reduced to the ranks.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stansbery and Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

“My mother and father are dead. I have but one brother living — have three full and two half-sisters living. My brother is Barney Hutchins. My sisters are Rachel S. Griffin, Anna Maria Curtis, 1135 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore, Md., Lizzie Salisbury, Balto., Md. My half sisters are Alphonzie Hand and Sarah Emory. …
“I never saw Fred Nichols in service. … The co. was made up almost entirely of natives of Va…. I was freeborn … … I was not quite 22 when I enlisted… I told the recruting office not to let “them dredge men” the oystermen catch us or they would kill us. .. I am married — have been married just once. My wife’s maiden name was Louisa Scott. She was not married before she married me.
“She and I were married in Wye Neck near here by a white preacher whose name I can not recall in Easter holidays 1864. I do not suppose there is any record of this marriage because colored people could not then get license to marry and I do not recall if there is a church record. I think the minister was Episcopalian.

“I made a mistake when I said my wife had not been married before I married her. My wife was the widow of Ben Hicks when I married her. They parted and he died some five or six years ago.”
“I have heard the testimony of my brother Barney Hutchins read — do not desire to cross-examine him.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stanbery and Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, Frederick Nichols, 10 September 1909
63 years old; post-office address, Catonsville [?], Md. … “I knew [John H. Hutchins] well before his enlistment. We lived in the same section of the county…. I think I had seen him before that at Deep Bottom, Va. when John Ewing of the 39th, his brother-in-law, called my attention to him and his brother Barney.
“When I met them in service, they both had on a cavy uniform and were with the 4th U.S.C. Cav.”
[Note: The document reported that the brothes were with the 4th US Colored Cavalry. I don’t know if the witness misstated the fact or if the clerk recording the testimony made a mistake — Leslie]

Deposition, Alexander Hazleton, 16 September 1909
post-office, Balt, Md.; post-office address, Sassafras, Kent Co., Md.
“I gave my age when I enlistd as eighteen — but in fact was but fifteen. I was born and raised in Queen Anne, Md. near Wye Mills, Talbot Co., Md. … [John H. and Barney Hutchins and Hazleton] were ‘playboys’ together, raised together, enlisted at the same time … served together … discharged at the same time – and came home together and lived near neighbors for about four years after my discharge.
“Since I have been here I have occasionally visited them — have occasionally corresponded with them.
“Saw them last about four years ago. Here from them last, through correspondence, about one year ago. … Barney has had smallpox and his face is marked.”
“[After we deserted the oyster boat] we went with George Powell to Pungoteague where we were offered $300. We did enlist but we only got $200. From Pungoteague we were sent to Norfolk, via Cherrystone, Va.
“We enlisted at Norfolk … I enlisted and served as William Fortney. … I am not a pensioner. I never applied for a pension.”

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Friday Charity alias Friday Whipple, Company I, 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry

Four brothers from Southampton County, Virginia — all freeborn — enlisted in cavalry units: Henry Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Joshua Charity, Company A, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Thomas Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; and Friday Charity alias Friday Whipple, Company I, 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry.

This young man fled his apprenticeship and enlisted in the Union Army. He died of “congestive fever” (malaria) in a regimental hospital.

Mother – 292,885 / 225,641, Gincy Charity
See M.O. Ctf 225,614 Thomas Charity E 1 U.S.C. Cav (2 sons)

[Note: The mother filed for pensioner’s benefits on 19 May 1882. The handwritten note at the bottom of the pension index card — it begins “See M.O. Ctf” and stands for “Mother’s Original Certificate” — directs the researcher to the shared application and certificate number assigned to both young men. — Leslie]

 

Declaration for an Original Pension for of a Father or Mother, Jinsey Charity, 12 May 1884
71 years old; post-office address, Franklin, Southampton Co., Va.
“[the soldier] enlisted under the name F. Whipper … died while in service between Richmond and Petersburg on the 1st day of April 1865 . . . the said declarant was married to the Father of said son at Southampton Co., Va. … in 1821 …
“Also personally appeared Henry Darden, residing at Jerusalem, Va. and H.W. Taylor, residing at Jerusalem, Va.”

 

Statement of B.F. Pope, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Army, War Department, Surgeon’s General’s Office, Record and Pension Division, 30 September 1884
“Friday Whitford, Private, Co. I, 2 U.S.C. Cav. died in Regimental Hospital, Feb. 27, 1865 of ‘Congestion Fever.'”

 

Letter from, B.F. Knight, Clerk’s Office of the Circuit and County Courts of Southampton, Jerusalem, Va. to Hon. J.C. Black, Commissioner of Pensions, 16 November 1885
“I have been requested by Ginsie Charity of my neighborhood, whom I know well, to go to Washington to collect her pension money which she thinks is ready. In order to save her needless expense, I write to know if the claim has been adjusted and should I come to Washington with power of attorney, and I collect the claim…”
[Note: This letter was signed by B.F. Knight — Leslie]

 

Sworn Statement, Gincy Charity, 22 January 1887
“I am the mother of Friday Charity … and that my residence has always been this county and that my p.o. address since 1865 has been Newsoms, Va. … no one has been legally bound to support me since since 1865 nor since the death of the soldier nor have I ever married since the death of my son Friday. … that my husband abandoned me prior to the death of the soldier & left me to support myself as best I could … I have never owned any property either before or since 1865 except a few chairs & a bed and my son Friday wrote me letters while in the army & I only possessed a knowledge of his death by information of one Henry Williams who returned a private of Co I. 1st Reg. U.S. Col. Cav. “

 

Letter from Jincy Charity to Jno. C. Black, U.S. Pension Commissioner, Washington, DC, 22 January 1887
“I have waited so long because I have been so much troubled to get this pension that I had despaired of ever getting anything from the Gov. but I am now so old & feeble & so poor and needy that I have determined to make one more effort.”

 

Letter from John Charity to Hon. John C. Blackwell [sic], 28 December 1887 [date stamped]
“Dear Sir,
“You will please let me know whether a child can draw a pension on his brother. The name of the man I am after now is Friday Charity but enlisted under the name Friday Whipper, Reg. 2, Co I. His mother died May 11, 1880. I want to know whether her youngest son can draw it or not.”

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Thomas Charity, Company E

Four brothers from Southampton County, Virginia — all freeborn — enlisted in cavalry units: Henry Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Joshua Charity, Company A, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; Thomas Charity, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry; and Friday Charity alias Friday Whipple, Company I, 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry.

Before enlistment this soldier and two of his brothers were bound out until each was 21 years old.

Mother – 292,885 / 225,641, Gincy Charity
See M.O. Ctf 225,614 Friday Charity alias Friday Whippler I 2d U.S.C. Cav (2 sons)

[Note: The mother filed for pensioner’s benefits on 19 May 1882. The handwritten note at the bottom of the pension index card — it begins “See M.O. Ctf” and stands for “Mother’s Original Certificate” — directs the researcher to the shared application and certificate number assigned to both young men. — Leslie]

Sworn Oath, Gincy Charity, 21 August 1885
“Q: Where were you living in 1865?
A: Near Newsoms, Southampton County, Virginia and have never changed my residence.
Q: What were the names and ages of each member of your family in 1865?
A: William Charity, son 39 yo; Robert Charity, son, 37 yo; Louisa Charity, daughter, 35 yo; Mary Charity, daughter, 33yo; Henry Charity, son, 20 yo; Friday Charity, son, 18yo; Thomas Charity, son, 17 yo; John Charity, son, 13 yo and “John Charity her son was hired out to support his mother until he was 21 years old.”
“Q: Who was your former owner?
A: Freeborn and never belonged to anyone
Q: Did Thomas Charity marry and did he leave a child?
A: He never married and did not leave a child.
Q: At what time did your husband die?
A: [Note: The use of “she” and “her” means the examiner answered for the bereaved mother though I don’t know why — Leslie] She never had a husband all of her children above named were illegitimate and she has no property except a bed and a few housekeeping articles in all not worth twenty dollars. Her means of support was by her children, John Charity and others.
Q: Did Thomas Charity live with you at date of his enlistment and how did he aid you in your support prior to his enlistment?
A: He did live with me at his enlistment and by his wages he helped to support me.
Q: Have you married since Thomas Charity died and did he send you any money for your support while he was in the service?
A: I have never married and he never sent me any money while in the service because he could not get it to me.”

“Also personally appeared … Elijah G. Joyner and Benjamin F. Knight and made oath that they both have known the above named woman Gincy Charity (col’d) all their lives and that she is the mother of the above named soldier Thomas Charity.”

Sworn Statement, Herrod Pope, 10 June 1886
“[S]tated that [Gincy Charity] had eight children named William Charity, 39 years old; Robert Charity, 37 years old; Louisa Charity, 35 years; Mary Charity, 33 years old; Henry Charity, 20 years old; Friday Charity, 18 years old; Thomas Charity, 17 years old; and John Charity, 13 years old. Their father died in 1851. Three of the above children Henry Charity, Friday Charity and Thomas Charity was [sic] bound out to George Fogg who died 8 years back and as we can not give George Fog’s testimony the above named Herrod Pope swears that he was knowing to the binding out of these above named children and that the said Fogg was to pay the said Gincy Charity one hundred dollars each for the three children above named who was [sic] bound out annually until each one was 21 years old, and the said Herrod Pope further swears that the said Thomas Charity the soldier was in the employ of the said Fogg at the time of his enlistment and that Gincy Charity did receive the pay for each one as long as they remained with the said Fogg and that it was actually necessary for Gincy Charity’s support.

“And that she has been supported by what she could do herself and her youngest child John Charity (who is now free).

“[Thomas Charity] was paid three hundred dollars in advance of bounty money when he entered and was transferred to Fort Powhatan, there he died early in the Spring of 1865 … the officers of his company was Capt. Charlie Emmerson and Lieut. Garrett and George Saddler was Orderly Sergeant and they were the officers with him when he died or he was under their care. Thos. Charity was not wounded. Henry Charity was with him when he enlisted and was with him when he died. He died in the U.S. Hospital from disease contracted in the Army.”

Sworn Statement, Jincy Charity, 22 January 1887
“[I]n the year 1865 the names, ages, and relationship of my family was as follows:
Henry Charity – 21 years – son; John Charity – 14 years – son; Louisa Charity – 30 – daughter;
Mary Charity – 28 years – daughter … I furthermore swear that no one has been legally bound to support me since 1865 nor since the death of the soldier nor have I ever married since the death of my son Friday … that my husband abandoned me prior to the death of the soldier and left me to support myself as best I could.
“I furthermore swear that I had my son Friday bound out to Mr. Geo. Fogg (now dead) about 3 years prior to his death for my support and that he ran away & joined the U.S. Army & on account of which I did not receive one cent for his service.
“My son Friday wrote no letters while in the Army & I only possessed a knowledge of his death by information of one Henry Williams who returned (a private of Co I 1st Reg US Col Cav).
“We the witnesses to the above hereby state that we are citizens of the aforesaid co & state that our P.O. Address is Newsoms, Va., that we believe & know the above statements to be true that we have lived near the applicant and have known all of the above facts to have actually taken place; that we are property owners and considered reliable witnesses.
“B.F. Knight
E.M. Darden”

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