Deposition M
18 June, 1890
Thomas Bradford

I am about 52 years of age, a gardener and my post office address is, Athens, Tenn.

            I remember Katie Cleage. I knew her here at Athens when Cleage used to live here before the war. I was pretty well acquainted with her, she was a young girl then. I knew Philip Cleage well. They were kin to me by marriage. Philip was in the same regiment and company with me. I was in Co. A. 1^st U.S.C.H. Arty. No sir, Philip was not married at all, he was a single man. Katie was not married up to the war, after the war I do not know what became of her, I never seen her any after the war. Katie and Philip never lived together as man and wife before the war and I know they did not after the war because he died before the war ended.

I was with the company at Chattanooga the biggest part of the time. I was there when Philip took the smallpox and was sent to the hospital and just before we were mustered out my brother was taken and we left him there and after he got better he made Chattanooga his home. He died five or six years ago. When we were in Chattanooga Katie was not there at all, if she was I never heard of it. Her master took her off south during the war and I don’t know whether she had got back or not. I do not know whether Katie had any children, I think that she did have a white child.  That was very customary here in the south though. I am positive she was not in camp at Chattanooga with Philip.

I know Nelson McCaury, he kind of prayed at marriages. I don’t know as he was a preacher, he might have been too, the way darkies preached three days. His wife was named Lucy McCaury. Nelson McCaury raised me. I was a boy and was kept under his care. He died. I know it must have been between five and six years before the war. The war began in 1861 and it was five or six years before that. I am a little related to the claimant by marriage. I have not seen her since the war. I have fully understood all your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.

Thomas Bradford
18 June 1890

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All I could find on Thomas Bradford was his military file, his name on a Will as a member of the enslaved household of Nelson and Lucy and his gravestone.

Sgt. Co. A, 1st USCHA, USA Burial Cedar Grove Cemetery, Athens, McMinn County, TN
Enlisted Jan. 26, 1864 in Knoxville, promoted to Corporal Sept. 21, 1865, and mustered out Mar. 31, 1866

Deposition K

Lucy McCaury
16 June 1890

I am 86 years of age, will be on the 4^th day of July and my post office address is, D at Peabody’s Row, Chattanooga, Tenn. I have lived in Athens, Tenn. ever since 1888. I lived at James Bradford’s, near the plantation of Alex Cleage and Jemima Cleage.

            I knew Katie Cleage the claimant from the time she was a little girl until near, about the wind up of the war. I have only seen her once since the surrender and just spoke to her, that was about two years after the surrender. I met her at a meeting. Yes sir, Katie was married during the time I knew her, I knew when she was married. I was there the same evening that they were married. My husband was a preacher and I knew he married Katie to Philip Cleage. It was the first of the war when they were married I don’t think I can be mistaken, I know I was in the room when they were married, it seems as natural to us now as it did then. I do not know of but one Katie Cleage.  The Katie Cleage that I know was not a hand out anywhere. She worked in the house for Mrs. Cleage. Philip was a laborer on the farm.

The night they were married they had a frolic on the Cleage farm. I do not know where Katie slept after she was married, but before that she slept in the main house on the farm.  I frequently visited Philip and Katie and they had their own room in the quarters. They had two children, I don’t know whether they lived or not. Philip went in the army. I can’t tell how long after they were married. If Katie had any children before she was married to Philip I don’t know it, I think it was a short time after they were married she had one and then again after that I heard there was a birth. I never saw Philip after he went in the army. Katie never had any other husband besides Philip, if she had I never heard of it. She was quite young when she married Philip.

I am not related. I have no interest in this claim for a pension. I am sure I am not mistaken about my husband marrying Katie and Philip. It was in the Cleage house, in the cabin, in those days they did not marry as they do now. They just came in from the yard to the house. There were a good many present when they were married. I don’t recall now particularly who was there, but the room was full. Yes sir, there were white people there. I did not see, I never noticed particularly about whether any of the white members of the Cleage family were there.

Q. Katie says she was married on the steps of the mansion and by her master Aleck Cleage?
A. I think she is very much mistaken, I don’t mean to say only what is right and I think I am right in what I have stated.

By Client’s Atty

Q. Did the Cleage’s keep a family carriage?
A. Yes sir.

Q. You don’t remember who drove the carriage, whether they had a coachman or not?
A. Yes sir, Jerry was the real old driver from the start and then they had a smaller man come in to drive.

Q. Did you know anyone else on the plantation who performed the marriages besides your husband?
A. The master or missus sometimes said some sort of foolish ceremony and then they would go off to live.

Lucy (her mark) McCaury

Q. Each couple considered themselves married after ceremony and felt obligated not to marry anybody else?
A. Yes sir.

Re-direct

Q. Have you fully understood all the questions and have I set down your answers correctly?
A. Yes sir, I have understood it all

Lucy (her mark) McCaury

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After writing this blog post, I realized that Lucy McCaury was the mother of Malinda Allen who was deposed yesterday. More on this and on Lucy McCaury’s family and life in the records later.

I found the information for this post in Katie Cleage’s Civil War Pension file, and any links above.

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link – Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing

There were 2 brothers (Charles A. and Lewis) and a sister (Patsy). Lewis has since died. In 1872 they testified, under oath, that their brother Philip never married and that they were the next of kin and eligible to collect the money that the government owed him, as a soldier, at his death. If the siblings admit Philip was married, it would mean they lied, under oath, to receive the money. Perhaps they would have to give it back. They probably believed they would anyway. The money they collected, about $40 then, would be worth about $823 today. The siblings do not stand to gain anything else. They would not qualify for the pension Katie is applying for as they were not his dependents.

This letter was written in 1883, eleven years after Philip’s siblings collected his bounty and arrears pay and one year after Katie began the application process to receive a pension. At that time, her first lawyer was doing nothing to advance her case. She talked about that in this post -> Claimant’s Statement. The depositions we are reading now were taken in 1889 and 1890.

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Treasury Department, Second Auditor’s Office
Washington, February 23, 1883
Respectfully returned to the Hon. Commissioner of Pensions

            In the case of Phillip Cleage late Corp’l Co. A: of “U.S.C.H.A. Vols. $40.50 arrears of pay to include Feb.’ 18 1866, ware allowed Chas, Lewis and Patsy Cleage, brothers and sister of said soldier, by Certificate, 589287, March 29, 1872.

            In their application executed Sept. 5, 1871, the brothers and sister state that soldier has never married and leaves no widow nor children.

            Alexander Cleage and David Cleage, the identifying witnesses, swear to soldier’s celibacy, from acquaintance of twenty-three years; they also swear that claimants and the soldier and their parents belonged to them and that they, (claimants and soldier) were children of the same mother.

            June 5, 1882 Katie Cleage files her application in which she states that she is the widow of the said soldier and was married to him June 1863 near Athens Tenn. by one Alexander Cleage, their former owner, who pronounced them man and wife, after the manner of slaves.

            John Rowland and Benj. A. Cobb identified claimant as the widow of soldier and testify that they lived and cohabited together as man and wife; that they served in the same regiment with soldiers and know that he obtained a furlough to visit claimant and that when he was sick with smallpox claimant visited him as his wife; they swear to acquaintance from childhood.

           It appears through correspondence of this office with the P.M. at Athens Tenn. that Germina (Jemima) Cleage, widow of Alex. Cleage, denies that her husband performed the marriage ceremony between soldier and claimant and states that soldier was never married; that they lived together as many slaves did prior to the war, that Lewis and Patsy are the only surviving heirs; that a short time before her husband’s death, soldier called to see his old master and told him that he had never married; and that she never heard of soldier living with Kittie or any other woman and thinks it is a made up case.

            Dennis, Auditor, L.W.L 77

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I found the information for this post in Katie Cleage’s Civil War Pension file, and papers from the Freedman’s Bureau, (who dispersed the money) found on FamilySearch.org .

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link – Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing

This is Isaac Charlton’s third deposition.

Deposition H

Isaac Charlton
14 June 189

I am 49 years of age about, I have no occupation because disabled and my post office address is Harrison Ave (No. 140) Chattanooga, Tenn.

            I knew Philip Cleage before the late war, I did not know the claimant though. Philip was in my company and was a good soldier, was promoted a sergeant just before he died. I have made a statement in this case before special examiner Getchell. I know the fact that claimant came to camp at Chattanooga and staid with Philip. I know for this reason, I was made Patrol sergeant to keep the women out of camp, only those who had husbands. I was ordered to allow the claimant in to be with her husband Philip and I did do so and she was with him until he was taken out and carried up the hill and she followed him and when they found he had the small pox they sent her back and I lost track of her. I was a sgt. In Co. A, 1^st U.S.C.H. Arty.

Question: Are you acquainted with Philip’s brothers and sister?
Answer: I was with his brothers and have seen his sister Patsy often.

 Question: have you ever been approached by any of Philip’s family or Atty. since the war for the purpose of securing your testimony in their claim for a bounty?
Answer: It must be about fifteen years ago, Charles and Lewis and Patsy came here to see a claim against named – Snyder and Mr. Snyder said I might make a good affidavit for them and I said Philip had a wife. The brothers said that Philip had no wife. I refused to testify because I knew he had. Our Capt. Elliott gave Philip and myself a pass to go home to see our wives. Capt., said there was no use in any of the boys asking for a pass unless they were married. I went as far as Sweetwater, Tenn., and went through the country home and Philip went in down to Athens. This was before I ever saw Philip’s wife. I do not know as to whether or not Philip’s brothers got the back pay and bounty, but they went on to Washington to get it. I do not know what informants they had, but I saw the names of one of the Cleage family, but I didn’t remember which one it was.

I lost sight of the claimant for eight or ten years after the war and since then I have seen her frequently except about two and one half years I was sick. I have never known and never have heard that she has remarried. I know very little about her children. She told me the child my wife took care of was a little boy she was raising. I am not related. I have no interest in this claim for a pension.

I have fully understood all your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.

Isaac Charlton

14 June 1890

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Tomorrow will be a flashback about the siblings and Philip’s bounty. The two surving siblings, Charles A. and Patsy will soon be giving testimony and, not surprisingly, casting aspersions on Katie’s character and marriage.

I found the information for this post in Katie Cleage’s Civil War Pension files .

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link – Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing

Deposition G

Edmonia Charlton

14 June 1890

I don’t know my age exactly. I never did know. I must have been about 10 years old at the beginning of the war. I am the wife of Isaac Charlton and my post office address is East 2^nd of Harrison Ave., Chattanooga, Tenn. I have known the claimant for twelve or more years, I have lived near her and known her well. She has been a hard working woman ever since I have been acquainted with her. She had one child when I first got acquainted with her. I don’t know how many she has now for I have not lived near her for about seven years. I took care of the child I know about, when she, the claimant, was working out. She has never lived with any husband when I was taking care of the child, I don’t know whether he died, or they were separated or what because I never asked her any questions. I never saw her husband.

No sir, I do not know that she had a husband, I just knew her as Katie when she worked at Mrs. Sherwood’s and when she got me to take care of this child. I never have seen her with any man. She never has lived with any man since I have known her. I never heard a thing against her character, she has always been steady and a hard working woman.

I am not related. I have no interest, not a bit in this claim for a pension. I have fully understood all your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.  

Edmonia (her mark X) Charlton.  Isaac Charlton interprets the mark.

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Read about the Charltons at this link -> Edmonia and her husband Isaac Charlton

Resources I used for this post include: Katie Cleage’s Pension file and Ancestry.com

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link –> Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing

Deposition F

14 June 1890

Millie Valentine

I am about 75 or 76 years of age, a washerwoman and ironer and my post office address is No.____ Cedar St. (between 5^th and 6^th in rear of street) Chattanooga, Tenn. 

I have been well acquainted with the claimant better than fifteen years. I have been a near neighbor to her, within sight of her house ever since I knew her. She keeps house and takes in washing all the time. She has two children in her family, the oldest one is between six and seven years I think. That is all there is in her family. The claimant has never been married since I have known her. She does not live with any man as his wife, if she ever did I didn’t know it. I do not know who the two children belong to. Why, she is the mother of them. There never has been any notoriety about her manner of living. There has never been any scandal or talk about it that I ever heard. She is a steady, hard working woman.

I am not related to her. I have no interest at all in this claim for a pension. I have fully understood all your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded.

Millie (her mark X) Valentine

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Millie Valentine was born into slavery in 1825 in North Carolina. She ended up in Tennessee and lived in Chattanooga from at least the 1870 census until her death. In the 1870 census on ancestry.com, Millie appeared in the index to be living by herself. On the actual census form, I could see that she was living with her daughter Anne, her son-in-law Samuel King and their children Harriett and Andrew. There was another couple living there too. I was unable to determine a link between them and Millie, although there may have been one.

Twenty-one year old Samuel was literate and worked as a laborer. Annie was also twenty-one and could read but not write. She and Millie did domestic work. The two children were less than two years old. Samuel died at home of consumption in 1877. Annie died in 1879, also of consumption.

In the 1880 census 56 year old Millie was working as a laundress. Three grandchildren lived with her. Andrew was ten, Henry was eight and Minnie was seven. All of the children were in school. Granddaughter Harriett who appeared in the 1870 census, was not there and I fear she, like her parents, had died. She would have been eleven.

Looking at Chattanooga City Directories, we see that Millie continued to work as a laundress . Her grandsons lived with her. Andrew worked as a hackman and Henry as a laborer. Andrew died from consumption in 1894. He was twenty-four years old. Millie died the following year from chronic bronchitis. She was about 78 years old. I saw no more of granddaughter Minnie King.

Millie’s surviving grandson, Henry King married Cora Dixon in 1895. Henry worked as a laborer. They had six children. Three of them died before 1900. The surviving children were Harthenia King, born 1897; Lee R. King, born 1903; William King born 1906.

Tragically, two of them died before they reached adulthood. Harthenia was fourteen when she died of pneumonia in 1915. The death certificate stated that she had also a spinal disease that caused great suffering two years before she died. Twelve year old William F. King died from appendicitis In 1918 . Lee R. King was the only son that survived childhood.

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I found the information for this post in Katie Cleage’s Civil War Pension file, on ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link – Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing

Deposition E

14 June 1890
David Bridges

I am 41 years old, a farmer by trade and my post office address is Market House (stall 13.) Chattanooga, Tenn.

I have known the claimant ever since I was a small boy. I lived in Athens near her from the time I was a small boy until during the war. I left there in 1862 and went in the army in 1863. I was not an enlisted man, that is, I was taken prisoner before I was mustered in. I have seen the claimant since the war, but it has been some time ago.

When I knew her in Athens she was what I suppose you would call married, in those times we had no license. She was living with a man as his wife. The man she was living with was Philip Cleage. I knew him well. I used to go out very often to see them. I don’t know how long they had been living together, but they were living home when I went off to go in the army. They had one or two children, I disremember which, there was one certain. I could not tell whether the child lived. I remember their having one child, the last time I went to the farm the child was a small child, a baby in its mothers arms. I don’t know whether Philip worked on the farm, or what he did do. I do not know what Katie did, I did not live with them, I was only there back and forth Sundays and nights. They lived in a cabin back of the Cleage mansion. I saw Philip after he went in the army, at Knoxville. I saw the claimant during the time I was in Knoxville. She was with Philip and staid in the camp with him and was known as his wife. My brother married in the Cleage family and his wife came to Knoxville while I was there. My brother is named George Sherman and he lives in Athens, Tenn. He did not belong to the same regiment the claimants husband did. My brother’s wife who was at Knoxville is not living. I am positive that Philip Cleage and the claimant lived together as husband and wife before and at the time of the war and after he went in the service. I do not know of my own knowledge but after I came out of prison, I did not get home until 1867 and I was then told that Philip was dead. I have seen and heard of the claimant, but I have never visited her any since the war.

I have never heard that she had remarried since Philip ‘s death. The only one of Philips brothers living that I know of is Charles, at Athens, Tenn. Yes, he was living in the Cleage place during and before the war. I am not related. I have no interest in the world in this claim. Katie has never mentioned the matter to me, I never knew that she was looking for, or expecting a pension.

I have fully understood all your questions and my answers have been correctly recorded

By claimants Atty.:  Are you certain about seeing the child?

David Bridges: I am. I saw the child and supposed it was his child and had reason to suppose it was. I may be mistaken about it’s being her child.

14 June 1890

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David Bridges was born into slavery about 1844. He married twice. The first time to Nancy Loucey. They had at least four children together. In the 1870 census, David could read but not write. By the 1880 census he could read and write. I do not know if he attended school or if his children taught him as they learned. I was impressed with his handwriting in signing his signature.

David worked as a laborer in Athens, TN for some years and then about 1881, the family moved to Chattanooga where he worked at Hoyt’s Tannery. In 1887, Nancy Bridges died in Chattanooga. She was 45. The cause of death was given as edema. Her remains were returned to Athens and buried there.

In 1894, fifty year old David married 32 year old Charity Martin. They returned to Athens where they had three children together. David worked as a laborer. He died sometime between the 1900 and the 1910 census. I have been unable to find a death record for him and unable to find the family in the 1920 census. However, I know he died before 1910 because Charity listed herself as a widow. And he doesn’t appear anywhere else.

Charity worked as a cook. She suffered from tuberculous for two years before dying on October 2, 1921. Her son David Bridges was the informant on her death certificate. He did not know her parents names.

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I found the information for this post in Katie Cleage’s Civil War Pension file, on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.

For links to the other posts in this series, click this link – Katie Cleage’s Pension Hearing