From Dennis Brandt ID 47232334
By his statement, he was born into slavery to the Franklin Derfoot family in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, but no family by that name was found in the 1850 and 1860 censuses living there. He apparently escaped to Pennsylvania sometime before the end of 1863, although his whereabouts in 1860 remain unknown. A laborer by occupation, he stood 5' 6" tall and had brown hair, black eyes, and a black complexion.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted and mustered into federal service at Carlisle January 20, 1864, as a private with Co. E, 25th U.S. Colored Troops, and honorably discharged with his company December 6, 1865, in Philadelphia.
He married Flora Dossa [?] in Montgomery County, Maryland, and fathered Leroy, Walter, Harry [?], May, John, and Sallie. In 1905, he lived in Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland County, where he died from "angina pectoris" with "la grippe" a contributing factor.
His surname and birth date are mysteries. He is on the roster of the 25th U.S.C.T. as "Wahl," but it is also spelled "Wahle," "Wahl." and even "Whales." He applied for his pension as "Wahles," and his death certificate and tombstone say "Ward," the latter seemingly the least likely possibility or, perhaps, one he simply assumed later in life. In his pension file, he reported birth dates of October 11, 1843, October 1, 1842, and October 1, 1841. October 11, 1842, was selected here because it allegedly came from a family bible that was described as being "in a very dilapidated condition." George also claimed that he had contacted his "white people" for assistance on his birth date, although how helpful they were is unknown.
From Dennis Brandt ID 47232334
By his statement, he was born into slavery to the Franklin Derfoot family in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, but no family by that name was found in the 1850 and 1860 censuses living there. He apparently escaped to Pennsylvania sometime before the end of 1863, although his whereabouts in 1860 remain unknown. A laborer by occupation, he stood 5' 6" tall and had brown hair, black eyes, and a black complexion.
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted and mustered into federal service at Carlisle January 20, 1864, as a private with Co. E, 25th U.S. Colored Troops, and honorably discharged with his company December 6, 1865, in Philadelphia.
He married Flora Dossa [?] in Montgomery County, Maryland, and fathered Leroy, Walter, Harry [?], May, John, and Sallie. In 1905, he lived in Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland County, where he died from "angina pectoris" with "la grippe" a contributing factor.
His surname and birth date are mysteries. He is on the roster of the 25th U.S.C.T. as "Wahl," but it is also spelled "Wahle," "Wahl." and even "Whales." He applied for his pension as "Wahles," and his death certificate and tombstone say "Ward," the latter seemingly the least likely possibility or, perhaps, one he simply assumed later in life. In his pension file, he reported birth dates of October 11, 1843, October 1, 1842, and October 1, 1841. October 11, 1842, was selected here because it allegedly came from a family bible that was described as being "in a very dilapidated condition." George also claimed that he had contacted his "white people" for assistance on his birth date, although how helpful they were is unknown.
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