James Sammons
Private, Company C,
1st District of Columbia Infantry,
also known as 1st U.S. Colored Infantry
Photo taken Aug 2001
ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM THE PENSION RECORDS:
Enlisted: 25 Sep 1864 Honorably discharged: 29 Sep 1865, Roanoke Island, VA
(Occasionally noted in the pension records as having been in Company K of the Regiment, but most records indicate Company C. Also, John Hughes, who was one of the affiants in James' records, and who was actually in Company K, stated in a sworn statement that James was in the same Regiment as he, "but not in same Company.")
(Many of the later pension documents are based on claims of James' youngest daughter, Priscilla, who was a minor at the time of his death).
James Sammons:
Date of birth: ca. 09 Dec 1835 Place of birth: (blank)
Date of death: 30 Apr 1881 Place of death: Cheswold, Kent County, DE
Buried at: Immanuel Union / Manship Cemetery, Kent County, DE Married to: Mary Elizabeth "Elizabeth" / "Lizzie" Morgan Marriage Date: 07 Feb 1860, or on 18 Feb 1860 (most records gave this date), or on 03 Sep 1860 Marriage Place: Smyrna, Kent County, DE Wife's DOB: ca. 1844 (per her death certificate, included in pension documents) Wife's POB: not given Wife's DOD: 09 Sep 1908 Wife's POD: Bridgeton, Cumberland Co, NJ Their children::
Name Birth Date Remarks Robert 13 Feb 1861 living in Indianapolis, IN as of 1917 Mary Elizabeth "Lezzly" 17 Feb 1863 (1862?) d. ca. Aug 1863 (poss. 1862) James "Jemmins" T. 21 Sep 1865 (1864?) ca 1903-4 Sallie J. 22 Jan 1867 m. John Carney, [son of James (Martin?) Carney & Sally Songo William 20 Jul 1869 John Henry "Harry" 27 Nov 1871 Benjamin 19 May 1873 d. between 1894-5 Enoch 03 Aug 1875 d. between 1898-9 Anna 17 Aug 1877 ca. Dec 1877 Priscilla E. 20 Aug 1879 according to several records--including a certified transcript of James Sammons' family Bible--but her age on her marriage certificate, dated 08 May 1901, was given as 24, which would make her born ca. 1876) (This age is stated by Priscilla to have been false information given by her husband at the time--see below
After James' death, his widow remarried to: Joseph Dean on 05 Sep 1881 at Dover, Kent Co, DE
His date of birth: (blank) at (blank)
His date of death: 09 Feb 1911 at Millville, Cumberland Co, NJ
Their children:
Louis Dean, b. 1884
James and Lizzie lived in Cheswold (then called Moorton) as of 1880.
Joseph and Lizzie lived in Cheswold (now known as Cheswold) as of 1890.
Joseph and Lizzie moved to _________ NJ and _______ NJ 1900.
Priscilla E. Sammons married Zeiba Berry on 08 May 1901 in Gouldtown, Cumberland Co, NJ.
He was b. ca. 1849 according to an affidavit by Priscilla (even though Zeiba's age is given as 30 on the marriage certificate--indicating birth ca. 1871--Priscilla gives indication this was a deceptive statement, and that his age was "about 52" at the time). He was the son of Elisha Berry and Eliza Taylor.
He was married twice prior to Priscilla, first to a Mary Beeby, and second to an Annie Gould, and was not divorced from either one at the time he married Priscilla, and kept this secret from Priscilla. When Priscilla found out the truth (from Annie), she left him (on 23 Dec 1904) and subsequently went to a lawyer who "got me a separation." In an affidavit in the file, Priscilla is also quoted as saying, "he [the lawyer] told me to resume my maiden name, and told me that I could get married again if I cared to. But I will never marry again for I was thoroughly disgusted with marriage after I learned about my former husband. Priscilla and Zeiba had one son, Ralford Berry, who was stillborn on 17 Jul 1902 in Bridgeton, Cumberland Co, NJ.
(Fortunately, Priscilla seems to have changed her views on marriage, as she was known as "Mrs. Priscilla Alexander" in Apr 1934).
Priscilla resided in the Gouldtown / Bridgeton area, Cumberland Co, NJ as of ca. 1902-04
Priscilla resided at 3642 Moravian St. in Philadelphia from ca. 1911 - Feb 1916.
Priscilla resided at 1632 Bainbridge St. in Philadelphia as of Feb 1916Priscilla resided at 3737 Irving St. in Philadelphia (sharing a home with her half-brother Louis Dean and family) as of about one year prior, and up to, 19 Dec 1917
Priscilla married _______ Alexander prior to Apr 1934.
Priscilla resided at Merchantville, Burlington Co, NJ as of Apr 1934.
As for James & Lizzie's family Bible, Priscilla states in an affidavit dated 27 Nov 1917: "The record in that Bible shows that I was born on August 20, 1879, and that is what my mother always told me. The Bible is now in possession of Mrs. ____ Hackett, on Ludlow St., between 37th and 38th Sts. [Philadelphia] Her husband's mother was a distant relative of my mother. After the death of my mother, Mrs. Hackett took the Bible for it also contains the record of births of some members of her family."
Another affidavit, dated 17 Dec 1917, states: "...I made a deposition in the case on November 27, 1917. Since which time I have obtained the Bible containing the record of my date of birth. This Bible has been in possession of Sallie Hackett, she is a distant relative of my mother. After the death of my mother, this Bible fell into the hands of Aunt Sallie Hackett, not the Sallie Hackett that has had the Bible but her husband's Aunt."
Among the affiants / witnesses for [James] and [Elizabeth] and Priscilla:
Louis Dean (half-brother of Priscilla Sammons)
John Hughes
Nehemiah Durham
William H. Morgan [father? of Elizabeth Morgan Sammons Dean]
Thomas Jackson
Joseph C. Boggs
Frederick H. Seeney
Hester Seeney
Luvinia / Lavenia Miller
Elmira Munze / Munce / Muntz [Elmira Carter Muntz]
John Morgan (brother of Lizzie Morgan Sammons Dean)
James K. Morgan (brother of Lizzie Morgan Sammons Dean)
Alice Morgan Brown (sister of Lizzie Morgan Sammons Dean)
William Brown (husband of Alice Morgan Brown)
William Sammons [son of James & Lizzie Morgan Sammons]
John H. Sammons [son of James & Lizzie Morgan Sammons]
William E. Carter [son of Sarah Morgan Carter, sister of Lizzie Morgan Sammons Dean]
Vital Statistic records contained within the file:
1. Death certificate of Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Morgan Sammons Dean
2. Marriage certificate of Zeiba Berry and Priscilla E. Sammons
OTHER ITEMS PERTAINING TO JAMES SAMMONS, NOT FROM THE PENSION RECORDS:
Mary Elizabeth "Elizabeth" / "Lizzie" Morgan Sammons Dean was the daughter of:William H. Morgan & Mary Anna "Annie" Saunders.
On the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington DC, James' name is displayed on Plaque A-3.
James is buried in Immanuel Union / Manship Cemetery, Cheswold, Kent Co, DE
QUERY ITEMS:
1. Does anyone know the death date of Priscilla Sammons Berry Alexander? According to the file, she was last shown to be living as of Apr 1934.
2. Does anyone know of any descendants of Robert Sammons, the son of James Sammons who moved to Indianapolis, IN?
3. Does anyone know who the parents of James were?
4. Does anyone know who the parents of Lizzie's 2nd husband Joseph Dean were?
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Please let me know if anyone has any questions: John C. Carter
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From: Lorraine Johnson-Gregg (LFREIDA15@aol.com) 13 Aug 2002
I have been going over James Sammons Records and have some thoughts about who some of them could be.
Children
#4 I didn't know who Sallie J Sammons parents were!
#5 William Sammons b 20 July 1869 married Clara Carney, then Florence Johnson, some of their children were Mary married Robert Corney, son of Walter H and Eleanor Durham Corney. William (Tippy Bill) Sammons married Francis Coward, they had one Dau Anna Sammons, Elizabeth Martha married Jonathan Pierce. They all lived over here in NJ. In at least one of the NJ census they were listed as Simmons.
#10 Pricilla Sammons, I have her in my notes as sister of William Sammons, no other information in notes. But in Fordville Cemetery ledger there is a Pricilla Alexander no dates or any other information except #3 by her name. Not sure what this means.
Now this is just my thoughts at this point, but I think the Luvinia/Lavenia Miller listed as one of the affiants is Lavinia Cott married to William Dean, son of Jesse and Hester Carney Dean. After the death of William, Lavinia married David Miller. William and Lavinia had five children, Josiah, Annie, Ellen, Mary W, Sarah Dean, three of the children are mentioned in the Jesse Dean Orphans Court records, Josiah, Ellen/Ella, Mary Dean. Ella married Isaac Sockume and Mary married Joseph Carney. I could never locate Josiah after 1870 and didn't know what happened to him. I think the Joseph Dean mentioned in the Sammons records is probably Josiah Dean.
Then concerning #3 James "Jemmins" T Sammons b Sep 17, 1865. I have some handwritten records that were taken out of Sexton Book I and II, Broad Street Presbyterian Church, Bridgeton NJ. The original book was located at the Greenwich Historical Society in Greenwich, NJ.
Sammons, Clara (col) 11 years, November 20th 1907 dau of William
Samons, Jehin 34 col. August 2, 1908
Sammons Junis col June 18 1911
Streets Jacob G Md 74, Sept 19, 1919
Seeney Julia, 25 years, 10 months, 5 days, 5-11-1926, wife of Walton
Seeney Willard, 17, February 15, 1940
Dean Eliza, 66, 1-29-1950
Dean William , 75, 5-12-1946
Saunders Hollie 68, 7-17-1966
Hughes Anna 1895 Jan 18, age 72
Wright Edward 6-16-1897, age 64
Premature child of John N Sammons 4/6/1926
Pritchett Paul L (looks like 11 months ? 1927), son of Clifford
Pridgett, Rhonda Col, age 98, July 31 1900
Carney William 1 yr, 5 months, 10/1/1900
Carney Sadie Bell age 35yrs, 11 months, 2 days, 1/3/1925,
Greenage Peter D (col) June 23 1898, age 58
Mosley Orville, age 75, 2-28-1961
Mosley Orville, age 56, 2/6/1972
Loatman Anna E, age 73, 10/7/1980
" Anne, age 88, 5/1/1958
" E Rebecca , 6/7/1951
" Eli, age 82, 5/5/1949
" Eli age 85, 5/23/1985
" Lettie age 67, 12/29/1954
" Joseph, age 83, 6/22/1954
" Peggy Ann, 12/21/1954
" Robert, 6/21/1973
" Ronald O, age 39, 12/12/1988
" Thomas R, age 64, 10/9/1980
There are a lot of Pierce's, Gould's, Murray's and a few Cuffs listed also.
In the Evergreen Cemetery Book 1905 ( now known as the Gouldtown Cemetery) Sammons listed:
Lot # ? Mary Ander Samons died Jan 6, 1930
Lot # 63 William B Sammons paid 15.00
Hester Sammons, Died Aug 13, 1939, age 27
Charles Mosley d July 22, 1937, age 9, drowned
William Sammons died March 20, 1936, age 69
To view some of the other Civil War pension extractions, as well as an explanatory note, please see the following page of the Mitsawokett site:
http://www.mitsawokett.com/MilitaryService/DelmarvaAreaCivilWarPensions.htm(Once on the page, scroll down below the Index to see the Overview).
Please let me know if anyone has any questions: John C. Carter
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