This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

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My great great grandmother, Susan Rice Ragan died of Valvular heart disease at age 76. This document from her Widow’s Pension file contains a statement of the attending physician.

STATEMENT OF ATTENDING PHYSICIANS

Give date of the pensioner’s death – December 6th 1911
Give date of commencement of pensioner’s last sickness: Valoula heart disease for years.
From what date did the pensioner require the regular and daily attendance of another person constantly until death? For several months.
During what period did you attend the pensioner? Oct 15th 1911 to Dec 6th 1911.
State nature of disease from which pensioner died: Exhaustion following valvular heart disease.
Does your bill include a charge for all medicine furnished the pensioner during last illness? yes.
I certify that the foregoing statement is correct.
Jan 23rd 1912
Jasion L. Proudfoot M.D.
Attending Physician

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“Valvular heart disease is characterized by damage to or a defect in one of the four heart valves: the mitral, aortic, tricuspid or pulmonary. The mitral and tricuspid valves control the flow of blood between the atria and the ventricles (the upper and lower chambers of the heart).”
Valvular Heart Disease – Johns Hopkins Medicine

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

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This is one of the after death bills found in Susan Rice Ragan’s pension file.

In Account With

Mrs. L. C. Evans & Son
Undertakers and Embalmers
Telephone 44-2

Funeral expense of Susan Reagan $44.50. I here by certify that I hold W. R. Sherman responsible for any claims that I may claim have for funeral expense her deced supplies furnished for funeral expenses of Susan Reagan certificate No. 126.156

Mrs L. C. Evans & son

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I was surprised to find a telephone number on the bill sent in 1911. I could not find a local paper with an advertisement concerning telephones, but this one is for Tennessee in that year.

Mrs Evans and Son funeral home buried several of the people I have been looking at during this challenge. When her husband died in 1898, Mrs. Evans was left with eight children from the ages of 18 to 10 months. She was farming in 1900 but by 1910 she was identified as an undertaker and her older sons had taken over the farming. By 1930, she had retired and her son Harry was listed as the undertaker. In addition to farming, I think some of the sons were involved all along.

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

Today a timeline for my newly found GG grandmother with notation of where I found the information.

Susan Rice Ragan

Age 0: Birth  abt 1835 • Virginia

Age 19: Birth of Son Henry Rice (1854–) Tennessee. 1870 U. S. Census

Age 20: Birth of Daughter Anna Celia Rice: Feb 1855 • McMinn County. 1870 U. S. Census

Age 20: Marriage to Nelson Ragan:10 Dec 1855 • McMinn County. Widow’s Pension File

Age 22: Birth of Son Philip Ragan 26 Dec 1857 • McMinn County. Widow’s Pension File.

Age 25: Birth of Daughter Sarah Ragan:20 Jun 1860 •McMinn. Widow’s Pension File.

Age 25: Enslaved by William L.Rice. 1860 McMinn County Slave Census

Age 29: Husband Nelson Ragan mustered into the United States Colored Heavy Artillery in Knoxville, TN.

Age 29: Death of Husband Nelson Ragan (1838–1864)20 Mar 1864, Knoxville, TN Military Records & Pension File

Age 29:  21 Mar 1864 • McMinn County, TN Began to receive her $8 a month Civil War Widow’s Pension, back dated to her husband’s death. Widow’s Pension File.

Age 29: Birth of Daughter Mary Susan Ragan 20 Jun 1864 • Athens. Widow’s Pension File.

Age 34: 23 Jan 1869 • Susan applied for her Widow’s Pension. Widow’s Pension File.

Age 35: 1870 • Athens: Henry 15, Ann (Celia) 14, Phillip 10, Sarah 8, Mary 6. Celia can read, no one else can. Susan receiving pension. No outside work listed. 1870 U. S. Census.

Age 40: 25 Dec 1875 • Stops receiving  $2 per month for Phillip, has reached 16. Widow’s Pension File

Age 41: 19 Jun 1876 •  Stops receiving pension for Sarah as she has reached 16. Widow’s Pension File

Age 45: 19 Jun 1880 • Loses $2 pension for Mary as she reaches 16.

Age 45: 1880 • Athens, Widowed; Head; 2 children, Phillip(laborer) and Mary, who is literate and in school. 1880 U. S. Census

Age 55: Jun 1890  Census of Pensioners. 1890 Veteran’s Census

Age 65: 1900 Widowed; Birthed 5/3 alive;Sarah – cook, birthed 6/3 alive and her 3 – Frank (waiter), Blanch & Charles Hale (at school). 1900 U. S. Census

Age 75: 1910: Widowed; rents house, illiterate,Grandson Frederick Hodge, 18 laborer at odd jobs. 1910 U. S. Census

Age 76: 4 Nov 1911 Last pension payment of $12.00 Widow’s Pension File

Age 76: Death 6 Dec 1911 Died of heart disease. Doc. charged $4. Cared for by daughter Mary Hodge. Widow’s Pension File.

Burial Dec 1911 • Buried Hammond’s Cemetery, Athens. Find-a-Grave

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

Charles Hale was the grandson of Susan Rice Ragan (my XX great grandmother) and the son of her daughter Sarah Hale Gallimore, which makes him my first cousin twice removed. Although not expected to live, Nellie Hale did survive and lived until 2004.

2 Negroes Arrested in Attack on Hale and Wife

A hat, lost by one of the two bandits who shot and critically wounded Charles Hale, well-to-do negro grocer, and his wife Nellie, at their home, 2519 Herman street, late Saturday night, led to the arrest of two negro men, one of whom yesterday confessed that they both fired on the couple.

The two negroes who are charged with hiding in the Hale home and attacking the man and his wife in an effort to rob them when they came home from Hale’s grocery store are Robert Waddy, 26, coal dealer, 2811 Clifton road, and George McAdoo 19, 2627 Herman Street, charged with assault with a pistol with intent to commit murder, burglary, and carrying pistols.

Though Waddy steadfastly denies any implication in the crime, McAdoo, in his confession, outlined the entire scheme, accusing Waddy of laying the plans and furnishing the weapons.

Hale and his wife are not expected to live, offices said.

Feeling in the Northwest Nashville section where the Hales were leaders in the negro neighborhood, is heated.

Incessant detective work on the part of Detectives Leo Flair, John Shepperson, George Redmond, Earl Gore and Sergeant John Griffin resulted in the arrest, for investigation, of McAdoo, Monday night. A hat which had been found near the scene of the shooting shortly after the Hales had been waylaid as they came into their house had been identified as McAdoo’s.

Quizzed by Chief of Detectives Elkin Lewis on Tuesday, McAdoo made a full confession, implicating Waddy, who was arrested late yesterday by the afore-named officers. The charges were then placed against both negroes, although Waddy steadfastly denied implications.

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Hale – Wednesday morning, January 8, 1931, at 5 o’clock at a local infirmary, Charles Hale, aged 42 years. survived by wife, Mrs. Nella Hale; mother, Mrs. Sallie Gallimore of Harriman, Tenn., and David Gallimore of West Palm Beach, Fla., sister, Mrs Blanche Drake of Harriman, Tenn.; cousins Dr. Albert Clage, Jake and Henry Clage. all of Detroit, Mich., and Miss Josie Clage of Indianapolis, Ind.; Nephews, Albert, William and Jap Drake and Alton Hale, all of Harriman, Tenn. Remains will be at his home 2519 Heiman street. Thursday, afternoon, Funeral Friday. January 20 at 2 p.m. from St. Luke C.M.E. Church, corner 26th and Heffernman streets. Services will be conducted by the pastor, Rev. P. Jas. Coleman, assisted by Elder Preston Taylor, Pallbearers: Clarence C. Terry, Nick Stuart, Harrison Kendall, Westley Crutcher George Fugett and H. E. Clarke. The remains will be placed in the vault at Greenwood cemetery, Taylor & Co., Funeral Directors.

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The names in bold are those of my grandfather, Dr. Albert B. Cleage and his siblings, another proof of relationship between the two families. Now I have to figure out who Alton Hale is.

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

Today’s testimony is from Amanda Cleage’s Widow’s Pension File.

Deposition B

Mrs. Mattie Davis
56 years old
1239 Birch Street, Lost Angeles, California

I am the wife of Mason Davis.  I was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas, and lived in the state of Texas before coming here to California to reside. I have been living here in Los Angeles with my husband for 21 years, having come here from Austin, Texas.

I had lived in and about Austin, Texas ever since I was a baby and never lived in any other part of the state. I first became acquainted with Abram Cleag, the soldier, and his wife, the claimant, Amanda Cleag, when they first came to Dr. Phillips plantation near Austin, San Marcos, Texas, to which place they had gone with the Tucker family from Athens, Tenn., as they told me after I became acquainted with them.

I can’t state exactly what year it was that the Cleags came to Dr. Phillips plantation near Austin, Texas, but I knew them in and about Austin, Texas all of twenty (20) years.

The Cleags had rented land from Dr. Phillips and farmed it. My husband and I were also farming land which we had rented from Dr. Phillips, and we were the first people that the Cleags got acquainted with near Austin.

They remained on the plantation all of a year, and there worked in and about Austin, and at times worked for Dr. Phillips. After the Cleags left Austin, Texas to come here to Los Angeles, we followed them within a few months afterwards, and met them here and have known them ever since up to the time of Abram Cleag’s death in Long Beach, Calif., about a year ago. We used to visit back and forth and Mrs. Cleag and I do yet since they went to Long Beach from this city.

I know of my own knowledge, from association and observation, that the soldier, Abram Cleag, and his wife and widow, this claimant, lived together as man and wife all the time. I knew them in Texas, and all the time I knew them in Los Angeles, and Long Beach, Cal., up to the time of the soldier’s death, as aforementioned.

I personally know that they were never separated, never lived apart, and were never divorced during all these 40 odd years I knew them as man and wife, and I personally know that claimant has not remarried since the soldier’s death.

During his lifetime – Abram Cleag told us that he had been in a Tennessee regiment during the war, and it is my understanding that he was drawing a pension for his army service

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Mattie and Mason Davis were born into slavery. They raised seven childen. One died in infancy. They farmed in Texas. After moving to Los Angeles, Mason Davis worked as an express man, driving a delivery truck. For awhile, Mattie worked as a laundress.

The whole family was literate by the 1900 census. Both of them registered to vote. After Mason died in 1919, Mattie lived with her sons until her death in 1927.

Something I was surprised to learn about the family was that Mason and Mattie Davis’ great grandson, Allen Clayton Hoskins played “Farina” in the original Little Rascals.

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

After posting the testimony given by Louis and Alfred Isbell saying they witnessed Susan Rice and Nelson Ragan married, I decided to look them up in the records. And this is what I found.

The plantation of Benjamin Isabel was near to both the plantations of James H. Reagan and William L. Rice in McMinn County. These are the presumed slave holders of Nelson Reagan, Susan Rice and Alfred and Louis Isabel. I have not found records linking them to these slave holders, but the ages on the 1850 and 1860 slave censuses point that way.

Their mother, Milla was born about 1810 in North Carolina. Louis and Alfred were both born in Tennessee in 1831 and 1838 respectively. Alfred Isbell married Leticia Rice in 1850 during slave times. She and her parents had been born in Virginia. Letcia gave birth to 16 children. By 1910, only three were still alive. Louis married Amanda and they had at least one son, John. None of them could read or write.

In 1870 the brother’s, their wives, young children and mother lived next door to each other in McMinn County. Louis owned real estate worth $400 and was a farmer. Alfred was farm labor and had no real estate. Both had personal worth of $200.

By 1880, Louis, Amanda and Milla were gone. John, now 13 was living with his uncle Alfred and was counted as one of their children. Alfred and John were working as laborers. John was able to read and was attending school. Nobody else in the house was literate.

In 1889 Louis was shot to death. Why? By whom? I have been unable to find the answers. Alfred was the administrator of his estate, but I do not know how it was disposed of. In 1900 his widow, Amanda, was an inmate at the McMinn County Infirmary. I do not know what her ailment was. She died befoe 1910.

In 1900, Alfred and his wife and son Henry lived next door to his nephew John and his wife. Both owned their homes. John was a preacher. Alfred was a farmer. Henry worked on the railroad and both wives were not working outside of the home. The younger people were all literate. Alfred and Leticia were not.

In 1910, Alfred, Leticia, son Henry and Henry’s wife Nellie and their son Austin were sharing a house and farming on land owned by Alfred. Like his Uncle Louis, Austin was shot to death. He was 17.

Alfred Isbel died at age 79 in McMinn County of Senility and Chronic Nephritis ( kidney failure). He was a farmer and a widower. His son Henry was the informant. He is buried in Hammond’s Cenetery, a black cemetery in Athens, McMinn, TN.

Statewide registration of deaths was not required until 1914. That is why I could not find death certificates for everyone. Sometimes there will be information about burial which can be very helpful in filling in the blanks.

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I used censuses from 1860 to 1910, and death certificates for the information in this post. I found the records on Ancestry dot com and find-a-grave.

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

State of Tennessee
Monroe County

On this the 2^nd day of March A.D. 1869 personally came before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and state above written Rose Shurman and Eliza Wilson, persons whom I certify to be credible and who being by me duly sworn declare that they were personally present at the birth of the following children born unto Nelson Reagan now deceased and his wife Susan Reagan viz. Philip Reagan born the 26^th day of December 1857, Sarah Reagan born the 20^th day of June 1860, Mary Susan Reagan born the 20^th day of June 1864. That they remember the facts from private record of which the above is a copy of the names and dates and also from being present in the capacity of fellow servants and nurses and also from an intimate acquaintance with said children up to present date. They further declare that it was not customary to make church or other public record of the birth of children at the time and place of the birth of said children. They further declaim that they do not believe Mrs. Susan Reagan can produce better testimony than this affidavit in support of the dates of birth of said children as no physician was in attendance at said births and that they make this statement from personal knowledge having no interest whatsoever in the pension claim of Mrs. Susan Ragan.                     

Rose (Her X mark) Sherman
Eliza ( Her X Mark) Wilson
Attest T. A. Boyd/ N. F. Spielman

Sworn to and subscribed before me and at the same time personally comes Mrs. Susan Reagan who is well known to me to be the person she represents herself to be and who being by us duly sworn according to law declares that the foregoing is the best witness she can present in support of the birth of said children for the reason no church or other possible record was ever made of the births of said children nor was any physician called to see her as she was in a state of bondage and she further discloses that in her original declarations she stated her husband said Nelson Reagan deceased was a private and that she is now informed her husband was in Co. “C” 1st Reg. U.S. colored artillery heavy and that she thinks she was led to make this error by the defective means of giving true information at the time and that this statement is made to correct the former affidavit as declaration.

Susan (her Xmark) Reagan
Attest: T. A. Boyd W. T. Spielman  

Sworn to and subscribed before me and I certify that the contents of the foregoing declaration were carefully read and properly explained before signing and that I have no interest in the Pension claim of Mrs. Reagan. T.T. Butter

State of Tennessee Monroe County Justice of the Peace

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Susan Rice Ragan gave birth to five children. The first two were born before her marriage to Nelson Ragan. My great grandmother Celia’s father was said to be a member of the slave holding Rice family. The only maiden name I had known her to have was “Rice”. Perhaps her older brother Henry was a Rice too. That is why they were not included in the pension, although they were young children, they weren’t the soldier’s children.

After I realized that this was my great great grandmother’s pension file, I checked to make sure that Susan Ragan wasn’t W.R. Sherman’s first wife’s mother. she wasn’t. I looked for “Susan Ragan” in the 1870 census and found her with five children. One of them was my great grandmother, Celia. I had been looking for my great grandmother as Celia Rice in the 1870 census for years but, could never find her. That was because her first name was Ann, which I did not know until I found her death certificate a few years ago. In this census the whole family was listed as “Ragan”.

The Ragan household was number ten on the census sheet in 1870. The number for the household of my Cleage 2 X great grandparents, Frank and Juda and their children, including my great grandfather Louis, was five.

I next looked for Susan Ragan in the 1880 census, but was unable to find her. I found her in the 1900 census, but not in the 1910 census. Finally, I decided to add Susan Rice Ragan to my family tree as my great grandmother ‘s mother. Immediately, I found her in the missing censuses using the name “Rice”. Susan Ragan had come up as “Rice” after I added her to the tree because my great grandmother’s father was a member of the slave holding Rice family and so I had ” unknown Rice” as her father’s name. Ancestry attached the name to her mother as a former spouse. So Ancestry searched for her under both “Ragan” and “Rice”.

In the 1880 census Susan and two of her children, Philip and Mary (Mollie) were living in Athens, TN. On the same sheet was William Roger Sherman with his first wife and their children and Sallie Cleage and her children. You may notice that Susan’s age here is given as “30”, making her nine years older than her son Philip. In the 1870 census, she was listed as being “40”. Ages in census records are not to be trusted.

By 1880 my great grandmother Celia was married to Louis Cleage and they were living in rural Louden County TN with four children. Henry Rice was no where to be found. Sarah/Sally was working as a servant in a white household in McMinn County.

This is my 7th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. In the 2015 challenge, I wrote about the Cleages formerly enslaved on the plantations of Samuel and his sons Alexander and David Cleage of Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Most of the people in these posts are not related to me by blood or DNA, however my ancestors were enslaved on the same plantations with them.

Late last year, I ordered the Civil War Pension files of the Cleage men who served in 1^st Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery (USCHA), during that war. Through these files I learned that their lives were much richer and more complex than census, death and other records can show. I am using the information from pension files and records that I found through the pension files for this years challenge.

Witnesses to the Marriage of Nelson Reagan/Ragan/Regan and Susan Rice.

State of Tennessee
McMinn County

On this the 29th day of March A.D. 1867 personally came before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State above written, Alfred Isabell and Lewis Isabell, persons whom I certify to the credible and who being by me duly sworn declare that they were personally present at the marriage of Nelson Reagan deceased with Susan who is now applying for an army pension on account of the services and death of the said Nelson Reagan deceased, late a private Co. “A” as they have been formerly informed but are now informed was a pic Co “C” 1^st Reg U.S. Colored Artillery Heavy and who died whilst in said service that said marriage took place in the county of McMinn and state of Tennessee on or about the 10^th day of December 1855 and that one Isaac Cleig, a colored preacher, performed the marriage ceremony and the same was according to the usual custom for the marriage of slaves at the time and place.

They further declare that said marriage was followed by a constant cohabitation as husband and wife up to the date said Nelson Reagan enlisted in the army that they have never had a question raised or doubt expressed as to said marriage or cohabitation. They further declare that it was not customary to make marriage records for colored people in state of Tennessee at the time this marriage took place. That they make the foregoing statement from personal knowledge of the facts having no interest in any claims in which the same may be used as evidence.

Alfred (his X mark) Isbell
Lewis (his X mark) Isbell

Attest
T.A. Boy
W. T. Hielman

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I regret that when I got to my ancestors file, it did not have the transcribed testimony of the later cases.