PLEASE HELP Interpret This Document?

[East Tennessee Roots]

Per a 1920 US Census file, my 2d g-grandma was 'Sophia Calhoun' but her DOB is listed "abt 1864." So, could she in fact be minor child v. widow of this Soldier? OTOH, 1920 Census data also list Sophia as a widow living with her son and his family at that time (sigh)...

The service file cards that were downloaded by @Taylin say he deserted. That might explain the alias Sophia used. Was Augustus married more than once? Many younger women, north and south, married these much older Civil War Veterans knowing they would usually be entitled to a pension after their husbands passed. It happened often

 

[lelliott19]

No X 3. The Civil War pension doc is sole reference to this putative ancestor discovered so far. But I'll check 1890 Veterans Census records as you suggest. If public access is free, a link might be quite helpful Tnx!

Cluck Ill look up the 1890 census for you and send you a link to any records I can find. Ill be looking for Augustus/Joshua Calhoun b. about 1837/1838 in household with Sophia Calhoun (or possibly not if she is his 2nd wife) b. about 1864. Do you know what state? County and/or city would be helpful too. Ill start with Louisiana since that's where he enlisted. Ill let you know if I find anything.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Per a 1920 US Census file, my 2d g-grandma was 'Sophia Calhoun' but her DOB is listed "abt 1864." So, could she in fact be minor child v. widow of this Soldier? OTOH, 1920 Census data also list Sophia as a widow living with her son and his family at that time (sigh)...

If it helps and whatever it's worth, The source I use, http://civilwardata.com/ has only two Union soldiers with this name. This Augustus, and a Augustus Calhoune in the 11th Ney York.

 

[lelliott19]

Ok. Ive got Sophia in the 1920 US Census as a 56 yo widow, living with her son William Hawkins; his wife Mary Hawkins; and their son Joseph Hawkins at St Elmo, Mobile, AL. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R6Q-WTF?i=21&cc=1488411
Sophia is listed on this page, with the daughterinlaw and grandson, but her son is on the previous page. So youll have to click the page back button to see him. In the image below, I just pieced the two pages together for you.

And here she is in the 1930 US Census as a 67 yo widow, living with her grandson Will Taovis (Travis?); his wife Ella; their son Ernest and some other Hawkins and Johnson relatives in Biloxi, MS. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRHX-Q4T?i=54&cc=1810731&personaUrl=/ark:/61903/1:1:XMBY-LK4

No luck yet in finding Augustus/Joshua Calhoun or Sophia in the 1890 US Census.

 

[CLuckJD]

... service file cards downloaded by @Taylin say he deserted. That might explain the alias Sophia used.

Oh my gosh! I did fail to notice that detail. So, his widow provided this alias when she applied for benefits, not the Soldier himself?

Many women married a much older Civil War Vet knowing they'd usually get a pension after his death.

Wow! This BIG news may go far to clarify how she was a widow by the 1920 US Census when 1910 data show marriage date in 1888, or just 1 yr before she had a son who's my great gdad

 

[CLuckJD]

Augustus enlisted and mustered in Company H on 5/19/1863. Counting him, there were 15 with the Calhoun surname.

Thanks so much for this info!

​

 

[CLuckJD]

No luck finding Augustus/Joshua Calhoun or Sophia in 1890 US Census.

Thanks a MILLION for all your help, although I had most of that info. Why do you think Civil War records are silent as to Augustus/Joshua and Sophia?

 

[Taylin]

his widow provided this alias when she applied for benefits, not the Soldier himself?

The soldier enlisted under the name Augustus and when she applied for benefits she must have known this and it was clarified in the application process. I have an ancestor, Fidelis, who enlisted under Felix, and when his widow went for a pension it was the same deal.

Probably any question you could have can be found by ordering these pension records from the National Archives (1.5 - 4 months waiting time on average) or as @John Winn commented contact @RhinehartRoots as they will be at the National Archives this month and could get these records even faster.

I ordered paper records when I was investigating a soldier and I gave those papers to one of his great nieces who initially got me interested in him, but it was 100+ records that spanned 20+ years of records of him fighting for a pension. In it were written testimonies from himself and people who knew him, a letter he wrote to President William McKinley and much more. Needless to say, I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[LSBusch]

So, you mean to say there was no way Barrows could obtain pension benefits except using an alias name before he was granted amnesty for desertion at Gburg? Where did that leave the true Jackson Brown insofar as his own claim?

I don't know the answer to your questions, but Barrows did not apply for his pension until 1903. What I am referring to as amnesty is a notation regarding an Act of Congress dated May 17/86. I assume that meant 1886, so Barrows definitely did not apply for a pension before he was granted amnesty. (If I'm wrong, I hope someone will correct me!) I found some information on the real Jackson Brown's military career but not a record of his applying for a pension.

 

[lelliott19]

Thanks a MILLION for all your help, although I had most of that info. Why do you think Civil War records are silent as to Augustus/Joshua and Sophia?

Maybe they aren't silent - I just havent found them yet? Do you know if they were living in Alabama or Mississippi? Or could it have been Georgia? There's an Augustus living in GA. Do you know if Augustus/Joshua was mulatto or could have "passed" for white to a census taker? What about the name of Sophia's mother? Do you happen to know her mother's name? Seems Sophia is easier to locate so Im working on her for now. I'm not giving up, just need some input to help refine the search. Thanks

 

[YankeeBill]

1) It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to use aliases. They may have been running from the law or under age without a parent's concent. If he was an escaped slave, he wouldn't want to use his first name, Also he could have been misregistered under the alias name (it happened more often than you think)
2) The date 1903 was the date she filed. He may have died in that year.
3) There is no 1890 census. It was destroyed by fire. However there is an 1890 Soldiers and Widows census that was taken. It was to see how many pensions were going to be needed. The census is incomplete due to mold and wetness when it was stored.
4) I'd check the 1870, 1880 and 1900 census around MS
5) a lot of info can be found free on FamilySearch.com including the abobe mentioned census

 

[CLuckJD]

Thanks so much for the reply but pls. clarify a few points:

1) Escaped slave wouldn't use his first name

But WHY retain the very same LAST name as captors who could thus easily locate fugitives before torturing and/or killing them for "treason"?

He could have misregistered under an alias (it happened often )

What were main reason(s) for this frequent misidentification? Knowing that information by itself may help my research quite a bit. As I currently understand, Union officers conspired to enlist fugitives under aliases for protection of the best soldiers with high motivation to ensure a Northern victory. .

2) 1903 was the date she filed.

WHERE did you get that info? What's most likely cause for so big a discrepancy from the year listed in my image post here? [/QUOTE]

 

[wesmith341]

Researching Ancestry.com, I ran across a Civil War Pension doc on a man by the name Joshua Calhoun as 'Soldier,' whom I feel is same as my 2nd great grandad! Far more verification before celebration, though. Vital info written by hand, so it's tough.

Please review a scan below and provide any inside tips on best way to go. (NB: Applicant "Sophia" Calhoun verified as 2nd great grandma, per 1920 US Census data on her son's household)View attachment 321438

Specific questions: ​

1. NAME OF SOLDIER
a. Why would it show an alias? Was this common for Black men who served the Union?
b. If so, why use their same last name vs. change it completely?
c. Does "Augustus" look correct as alias first name?

2. SERVICE: I assume "Col'd" is "Colored" but what's the rest of this scribble say? THE REST OF THE SCRIBBLE SAYS INF FOR INFANTRY

3. DATE OF FILING: Why delay 4 decades to apply for benefits?

4. APPLICATION NUMBER: Searchable databases that may yield more details about this Soldier and/or his widow-beneficiary?

5. REMARKS: Any clue whatsoever as to what this says?

Thanks for all your helpful advice in advance.

 

[CLuckJD]

Maybe they aren't silent - I just havent found them yet? Do you know if ...

Nada, No, and Negative is my belated reply to all queries related by your post, sir. Please see a PM from me and advise at first opportunity. Thanks!

 

[19thGeorgia]

I see a total of nine Calhouns in the same company H. Kinfolk?

 

[RhinehartRoots]

I looked at this pension file today at the National Archives. Joshua Calhoun and Sophie Smith were both enslaved by the same man, John Chambliss. They were married during slavery "according to customs of slaves," and according to Sophie, John Chambliss "pronounced us man and wife and gave us a big supper-- nothing else-- no license." So that may be why her application was denied-- it sounds like she had no real documentation of their marriage.

She called him Gus throughout the application. He died during the war in 1864 and they had no children together. She was living in Clairborne County Misissippi when she applied for the pension.

Does this match up with anything that you know about this couple? Hopefully that helps narrow down if this is your family or not. If this is potentially your direct ancestors, it could be a problem that they didn't have any children together.

-- Brian

 

[RhinehartRoots]

@CLuckJD Did you see my reply from a couple weeks ago that I had information about this pension file? I looked at it last time I was at the National Archives. Hopefully it helps narrow down if this is your family or not.

--Brian

 

[CLuckJD]

I looked at this pension file today at the National Archives. ...
Does this match up with anything that you know about this couple? Hopefully that helps narrow down if this is your family or not. If this is potentially your direct ancestors, it could be a problem that they didn't have any children together. -- Brian

Hello! please accept my regret for this late reply. But I have been so busy with present-day life's pressing matters to revisit the distant past. Thank you a million times for the new info. Rest assured it will get my thorough review, followed by a (hopefully) far more prompt response via PM or right here, depending on what secrets are discovered.

 

[CLuckJD]

@CLuckJD Did you see my reply from a couple weeks ago that I had information about this pension file? I looked at it last time I was at the National Archives. Hopefully it helps narrow down if this is your family or not. --Brian

Please see my last reply post that is slightly belated but expressed most sincere gratitude not lightly stated.

 

[CLuckJD]

I see a total of nine Calhouns in the same company H. Kinfolk?

No clue absent more details Standby for (hopefully) positive updates