In 1892, Greene County, N.C., native Caleb Williams’ children filed an application to receive pension benefits. Williams, who had been enslaved by Isaac Williams, had enlisted in Company H, 14th Regiment, United Colored Heavy Artillery, in 1865.
Two men with Wilson County ties testified in support of the claim. On 3 June 1892, 56 year-old Prince Minshew of Snow Hill, Greene County, swore that he knew Williams was in the United States Army and that he was present at Williams’ death.
On 30 August 1892, Prince Minshew gave a second statement alongside Judie Ham of Shine, Greene County. They attested that they had been witnesses to the marriage of Caleb Williams and Patsey Minshew in 1865, but the couple had lived as man and wife long prior. They also identified three of the couple’s children — Alice Williams, Absalom Williams, and Annie Williams Fields.
Within a few years, Prince Minshew and his family moved to Wilson, shifting their surname slightly along the way. In the 1900 census of Wilson town, Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Prince Mensey, 60; wife Susan, 52; children Ben, 19, Emma, 19, and Oscar, 12; and niece Rosetta Mensey, 7. Prince Mincey’s son Ben, of course, was famed Chief Mincey of the Red Hot Hose Company. Prince, Ben, and Oscar Mincey — and likely other family family members — are buried in a family plot in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
On 25 October 1904, Lewis Mincey, 60, of Wilson also provided an affidavit. He had been born enslaved on the William Edmundson plantation, which was near the Isaac Williams plantation on which Caleb Williams was held. He recalled Caleb Williams’ marriage to a woman named Jane, who died on Haywood Edmundson’s plantation. Williams then married Lewis Mincey’s sister Patsey Mincey. Caleb Williams died of “lung troubles” in 1874; Patsey Mincey Williams died in 1887.
In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Barnes Street, farm worker Louis Minshew, 47, and wife Anna, 30.
In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Moore Street, odd jobs laborer Louis Minsey, 75, and wife Annie, 60. [Mincey reported that both parents were born in Virginia.]
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Moore Street, gardener Lewis Mency, 70, and wife Annie, 72.
Lewis Mincey died 6 March 1923 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 63 [sic] years old; was born in Greene County, N.C., to Jack Mincey and an unnamed mother; was a widower; and had worked as a day laborer. He was buried in Wilson, N.C., and Benjamin Mincey was informant.
I suspect Prince, Lewis, and Patsey Mincey were siblings. Prince Mincey named a son “Jack,” apparently after their father. Prince’s son Benjamin was the informant for his uncle Lewis’ death certificate.
File #545736, Application of Minor Children of Caleb Williams for Pension, National Archives and Records Administration. Thank you, Trisha Blount-Hewitt, for bringing my attention to this file. For more details, see Trisha’s blogpost.