Testimony of Louisa Walker
June 16, 1893

Louisa Walker shared details about her life and that of her husband Adam Walker with a special examiner in order to obtain a widow's pension.

(3—456.)

Deposition A

Case of Louisa Walker, No. 172517

            On this 16th day of June, 1893, at Quincy, County of Adams State of Ills, before me, J. R. Wolsleri, a Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Louisa Walker (Ill), who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to her during this Special Examination of aforesaid pension claim, deposes and says: She is 71 years old Housekeeper. P. O. Add 620 N. 9th Street- Quincy Ills

I claim that I am the lawful widow of Adam Walker who was a member of Co “F” 29th Reg’t U.S.C Troops.

            I was born in Louisa Co Va. I was [married?] after that Co. I lived in Va until I went to Lincoln Co Mo. I was a young girl about half grown at that time and it was many years before the war. My name at that time was Louisa Daniel I first met Adam Walker in Mo, he was from Albermarle Co Va. and his owners and mine were of kin. His master & mine were cousins His master’s name was Tom Lewis and my master’s name was Dr Merriweather Prairiesville was the P O. and in Mo County of Pike.

My young mistress married his young master, her name was Nancy Merriweather and his name was Wm Lewis I was given to her. My husbands old master Tom Lewis, gave him to his son Robert and when Robert died there Adam Walker (my late husband) went to Wm Lewis and so we were together, & so we were married when we were the slaves of Wm Lewis who lived in Lincoln Co. Mo about five or six miles from Prairiesville.

We had two colored men who were preachers. who were slaves of neighbors of my people. one was named David Beezley and the other John De Corecy One of these performed the ceremony and made me the wife of Adam Walker the solder; I have forgotten which one married us, they were both present. I was married in my own little cabin It was warm weather when I was married, could not tell the year & month to save my life so their is no use in trying to tell.

I was married a long, long time before the soldier enlisted. Good Lord; no one thought about freedom when I was married.

His master (Lewis) moved to Mo about one year before my master did Lewis went ahead to pick out of place and Merriweather followed.

I first saw the soldier in Mo and he was not full grown to manhood.

The soldier married a girl on Merriweathers plantation after I first knew him. They parted and she married again and afterwards died. We were married before she died I think. I am not so sure of that either The soldier enlisted here in Quincy Ills. he ran away one night from Mo to do it. It was this way. One night after we had done quit work and were sitting around the fire in the cabin, he got up and said he was going over to the Whitesides place about two miles from our place to see a man named Henry (done forgot his last name) who was a shoemaker, and who had a wife that belonged to Whitesides. He said that he wanted get Henry to make a pair of shoes for our boy Charlie.

There was a boy (David) in the house at the time and as my husband started David said “be sure now and dont go to the “Feds” and he answered “see here boy what you talking about You think Ise going fooling round dem folks wid all dem shiny things” (There had been many union soldiers in the locality within a few days.) He went out of the door into the dark and I have not seen him since have not laid eyes on him.

The soldier died in Springfield Ills, but I cant tell you when and there is no need of [trying?]. I have been to his grave in Springfield Ills There is no stone at his grave, the grave yard man told me that the grave I looked at was his. Yes, I did make a declaration once in which I stated that the soldir died while in the service and I will [tell?] you how that was the last letter I got from him when he was in the army was from Hampton Hospital Fortress Monroe Va. and he was in there sick. And I was told by some of the boys who were in the service with him that he died there & that is how I came to claim that he died in the service.

George Hawkins Bob [Dolsin?] (dead) [Elligan Ewer?] (dead) & Martin Hammond all told me that the last thing heard of the soldier was that he was in the Hos at Hampton Va. and as they had heard nothing of him since supposed he died there.

            I dont know where Geo Hawkins is Martin Hammond lives here in Quincy.

            How I come to know that the soldier died in Springfield Ills is this. I wrote to Washington D. C. to see if I could find out where the soldier was and the answer came that his last known address was Springfield Ills. I dont remember whether the letter said that he was discharged at Springfield or not. A long time after that I went to Springfield on a german excursion and when there I made inquiry for him. I made inquiry through the people of colored baptist church and a woman who said the she had nursed him during his last illness and that he died and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. I have forgotten the womans name. This woman told me that the soldier told her that he had a wife, child [& mother?] living in Mo and she sent several telegrams there and could get no answer. He thought you see that we were living yet in Mo. 

The soldier left a little property in Springfield and I claimed it and was swindled out of it by the [Dr.?] Administrator Conklin

No Sir, I have never married since my husband left me in Mo. No Sir, I do not know what a meteoric shower is. Is it raining I dont know that I ever heard of such a shower. I was born in Louisa Co Va and the P.O. was Louisa [A?] House.

I came here to live the October before Mr. Lincoln was killed. He was living yet when I came here to live. I cannot tell you the year it was to save my life. I dont know what year this is. No Sir. I dont know what year I was born. I saw the stars fall once from the heavens and it was when I lived in Va and I was about eleven years old. It was just afore day. My Master was going on a fox hunt and they always used to get up early to go. My Master and his party had just got fai[r]ly started when the stars began to fall and the party come back mighty quick though I never saw stars fall before and I was not scared, I thought it was the prettiest sight I ever saw. No, I dont remember what year that was.

I can prove that I was married to the soldier as I have stated by 

Lucy Douglass      of Quincy Ill.
Jackson Gerchum  “      “         “
Lymi Johnson  “      “         “
and
Edmond Peppers    “      “         “

I can prove that the soldier is dead by the records of Oak Ridge Cemetery and the woman who cared for him and I think her name was Clay.

I know of no one who knew the soldier before he enlisted and who have seen him since the war and who could identify him as Adam Walker the soldier and my late husband as one and the same person.

            I have been duly notified of this examination and fully informed of my rights and understand them.

            I have understood Your questions My answers are correctly recorded.

Louisa her x mark Walker

Witness
J. R. Walslow

            Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th day of June 1893, and I certify that the contents were fully made know to deponent before signing.

J. R. Walslow
Special Examiner.

SOURCES

Pension Records for Adam Walker, RG15, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.