CIVIL WAR PENSION EXTRACT
Extracted by Paul Johnson 20 Jan 2008
Charles Morgan Pierce
Company G
U.S. Gun Boat Georgia
U.S. Navy
Certificate # 948761
Photo by John C. Carter August 2002: Gouldtown Cemetery, Bridgeton, Cumberland, New Jersey
Enlisted: October 19, 1863, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (another affidavit list enlistment at New York City) Honorably Discharged: August 26, 1864, Norfolk, Virginia Service: U.S.S. State of Georgia (gunboat), U.S.S. Princeton Rank: Landsman Born: March 11, 1844, at Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, NJ (from April 1914 Affidavit) Died: October 18, 1922, Bridgeton, NJ. Buried: Gouldtown Cemetery (note from personal file) Marriage Year: December 4, 1878 (Certificate Attached), Bridgeton, NJ Children: Bertha May Pierce, Born January 27, 1880 - Died July 1880 Ella Frances Pierce, Born January 16, 1882
Marriage certificate, Charles M. Pierce to Prudence Pierce:
Death certificate, Charles M. Pierce:
Per affidavit dated June 1915
Description: 5'7" / Dark Complexion / Eyes Hazel / Brown Hair
Occupation: Farmer Labor
Present Occupation in 1907: Engineer
Places of residence since leaving the service:
Boston, Massachusetts (1868-1871)
Bridgeton, NJ (other times in Bridgeton, NJ)
Letter to the Commissioner of Pensions dated July 21, 1927:"I am writing in the interest of Prudence Pierce widow of Charles M. Pierce, landsman in U.S. Navy holding Pension Certificate 948761 at the rate of $30 per month.
"Mrs. Pierce has been confined for several years at the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Hospital for the Insane. Her fixed charges at the Hospital have been $78 quarterly until July 1 instant when they were raised to $90 quarterly, in additional to which she has the expense of clothing.
"I am informed that in instances of this nature an increase in pension can be granted and if such is the case you will kindly mail me blanks to be used in connection therewith, I will appreciate it."
Hugh Reeves, Attorney at Law
Note: Handwritten note married 1878, not married before.
Response Letter to Huge Reeves dated August 3, 1927:"In the case of Prudence Pierce, Certificate # 948,761, Navy, that this pensioner is now in receipt of the maximum rate of pension, $30 per month to which she is entitled under the existing pension laws.
"As Mrs. Pierce's marriage to the sailor did not occur until subsequent to the period of his service during the Civil War she has no title to the $50 rate of pension provided by Section 2, of the Act of July 5, 1925."
Winfield Scott, Commissioner of Pensions
On June 3 1931, Prudence Pierce's son-in-law Cortland Pierce made an oath that he was the guardian of Prudence Pierce, and that she was now living in the Cumberland County Hospital for the Insane.
Note: Cortland (also spelled Courland) Pierce was married to Charles and Prudence Pierce's daughter Ella F. Pierce.
Affidavits:
Dorothy A. Pierce (February 25, 1924):
"I reside on the Reeves' Road in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey; I am 63 years of age and I am a sister of Prudence Pierce the above named claimant. Prudence Pierce my sister was married to Charles M. Pierce the above named sailor on the Fourth day of December, 1878 and the marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. James V. Pierce who is now deceased, but who at that time was the Pastor of the Gouldtown A.M.E. Church, Gouldtown, Cumberland County, New Jersey. The marriage ceremony was performed at our home where my said sister Prudence Pierce and I were living at that time, my said sister Prudence Pierce had never been previously married and from that date of her marriage to Charles M. Pierce sailor aforesaid, they lived together as husband and wife never separate and apart and were never divorced. The said Charles M. Pierce the sailor I knew from the period prior to when he became of marriageable age and knew that he was never married to any other than my said sister. I have no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of this claim. I was present and witnessed the marriage ceremony aforesaid."
Affidavits:
Marietta Pierce (February 22, 1924):
"I reside on East Commerce Street, Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey; that she is 61 years of age, that she is a sister of Prudence Pierce the above named sailor's widow; that she has known said Prudence Pierce all her life; that she was present at the marriage ceremony of her said sister Prudence Pierce with the said sailor Charles M. Pierce which took place at the home of her mother in Bridgeton aforesaid, on the fourth day of December, 1878; that the marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. James V. Pierce who is now deceased but who at that time was the Pastor and Minister of the Gouldtown A.M.E. Church, of Gouldtown, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Deponent further said that she has known the said Charles M. Pierce and her said sister Prudence Pierce from the time of their marriage; that they have always lived a near neighbor to her, have always lived together, never separate and apart, were never divorced and that neither the said claimant Prudence Pierce nor her husband Charles M. Pierce were never married to any other than each other."
Disability:
Injury to head and stomach from a fall on the main deck of the U.S.S. State of Georgia- - - - - - - - - -
For those who may be new to the list, a few of these Civil War pension extractions have been posted previously, extracted by either John Carter, Paul Johnson or Joseph Romeo. To view some of the others, as well as an explanatory note, please see the following page of the Mitsawokett site: http://nativeamericansofdelawarestate.com/MilitaryService/DelmarvaAreaCivilWarPensions.htm (Once on the page, scroll down below the Index to see the Overview.)
Please e-mail Paul Johnson if anyone has any questions or corrections to this extraction of Charles Morgan Pierce's pension file.
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