Levi Mapp
Private Company B 10th U.S. Colored Infantry
DESCRIPTION:
Age 23 Height: 4 feet 11 inches Complexion: Black
Eyes: Black Hair: Black Place of Birth: White Marsh, Gloucester County, VA or Northampton County, VA [different location on several records]
Occupation: Farmer
ENLISTMENT:
When: October 30, 1863
Where: Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA
By Whom: Col. J. A. Nelson Term: 3 Years
Mustered-In: Craney Island, Portsmouth, VA on November 18, 1863
REMARKS: On September 15, 1864, Levi was sent to the City Point, Petersburg, VA hospital and the muster records for Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec have a one word sentence “Slave”. These are the only records out of 33 total service records that mentioned the word slave.
Died in the L'Ouverture (https://www.alexandriava.gov/historic/civilwar/default.aspx?id=73499) Hospital, Alexandria, VA on January 28, 1865. He was admitted to this hospital on October 31, 1864.
The muster roll remarks for Jan/Feb 1865 state “due soldier dif[ference] between pay of wh[ite] & colo’d [colored] soldier Jan & Feb $6’.
Hospital records indicate he died of consumption (also known as Tuberculosis). On his possession were a dress uniform coat, trousers and a pocket knife. His possessions were auctioned off for $135.00. The army stated he had received $300.10 worth of clothing.
Levi’s record of Death and Interment states the following;
- Grave # 144 located in the military cemetery Alexandria, VA (most likely buried in the Alexandria’s Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery https://www.alexandriava.gov/FreedmenMemorial)
- Married to Mary Mapp of Accomac County, VA
- Died Jan 28, 1865 and buried on Jan 30, 1865 at the age of 22.
SERVICE INFORMATION (Summary): Levi did not show up on my original list of names. I was led to him through the widows pension files. These files provide some genealogical information as well as a story about his widow, Mary Mapp.
GENEALOGY: In the Widows Pension File, there are 58 records pertaining to Mary “Mollie” Mapp, the wife of Levi Mapp.
Declaration and Identification In Due Form states the following;
- Proof of Service: States the same information provided above in the remarks section.
- Death: Provides more information about his death and testimonies about his health prior to enlisting. All the witnesses testified that they knew Levi Mapp prior to enlisting and that he was in good health. Witnesses included; Thomas Turner, George Bailey, John Tourard (not sure about spelling), Arthur Shield, Jacob Hornnarsin (not sure about spelling) and Charles Finney. William C. Mapp also testified that he was Levi Mapp’s owner from 1845 to the date of his enlistment.
NOTE: It is not always, we find the names, locations and records of slaves, but in Levi and Mary’s case we have this information from the Miles Files (http://espl-genealogy.org/MilesFiles/site/p340.htm#i33939) which is a wealth of information concerning Accomack County, VA. So let's start with William C. Mapp, the son of George Thomas Mapp and Leah Harrison. George Thomas Mapp was also the slave owner of my great (2X) grandfather Appy (Taby) Mapp. William C. Mapp married Catherine K. Turlington the daughter of Samuel M. Turlington and Elizabeth R “Betsy” Nock. Catherine inherited Levi, Mary and daughter Mary from her father Samuel.
Will of Samuel Turlington
25 May 1861
...To dau. Caty K. Mapp slaves Levi, Henry, Mary sr. and Georgeanne...
If you use the link above to the Miles File’s and look up George Thomas Mapp and Samuel Turlington, I think you will find most of our Mapp ancestors.
The rest of the pension file (found on Fold3.com) is filled with applications and hearings concerning Mary’s denied pension. The meat of this argument between Mary and the US Government is that she was denied her continued pension because she lived with another man, Jim Hopkins. In one of her arguments she stated she and this man never married so that she could keep her pension. In the end, after 58 pages, it looks like she appealed as high as she could go and did not get her pension. It also looks like the only child between Levi and Mary died at some time before the pension dispute.
In conclusion, there is so much more to learn from these records and I hope to do so some day.
