The Civil War Pension File of Noland Veal

I have written about Noland Veal in several of my blog posts, including those on the 1918 influenza pandemic, Profiles of Five Wilkinson County Black Freedom Fighters, and Noland Veal: 1st Class Boy. What I knew then about Noland came from census records, military service records, and accounts by descendants of his former enslavers. Noland Veal was born around 1845 on Holly Grove Plantation in Centreville, Wilkinson County, Mississippi. He was the fifth child born to William Veal and Mary Brent. On March 2, 1864, at age 16, Noland ran away from Holly Grove Plantation and enlisted as a ‘1st class boy’ on the USS gunboat Kenwood.

In an earlier blog Noland Veal: 1st Class Boy dated October 24, 2024, I noted that I had not found Noland Veal’s pension file. I finally received it April 2025, five years after I first applied for the file. (Note; Noland Veal’s pension file was marked XC which indicated the file was active after 1934 when the Veterans Administration began consolidating and renumbering older pension files and sending them to the National Archives at St. Louis for continued use. The file was active since Noland’s wife Milly Wright Veal continued receiving a widow’s pension of $40 per month until her death on July 1, 1945, in Woodville, Mississippi.)

This pension file is rich in personal detail and historical value. The testimonies of Noland’s family and friends offer insight into the lives of enslaved individuals born in the early 1800s. Their statements were given to confirm when Noland was born—a prerequisite for receiving his pension.

Testimony of Kitty Alexander Given December 14, 1908, Woodville, Mississippi
“My name is Kitty Alexander, widow of Fred Alexander, deceased. I am about 72 years. Daughter of Wm Veal and his wife Mary, both deceased, and a sister of Noland Veal, who is now applying for a pension and I am now residing in Wilkinson County State of Mississippi. Post office address is Laurel Hill, La.

I was born a slave in the possession of James A. Stewart and his wife Juliana Stewart of Wilkinson County, both deceased. When I was a small girl about nine or ten years of age my mother was taken sick in childbed, and my said brother Noland Veal was then born. At just about the same time, my mistress the said Juliana Stewart was taken sick in childbed and her son Henry Stewart, deceased, was then born. My memory is certain regarding these facts as it immediately became my own duty to nurse my said brother Noland. And “aunt” Peggy Butler, deceased, nursed the said Henry Stewart and we nursed both infants together.

The difference in the time of their births was no more than a month or two. I have no money interest in said Noland Veal’s pension. I understand thoroughly that I am liable to punishment if I swear falsely.”

Testimony of Moses Wilson: Given December 14, 1908, Woodville, Mississippi
“That I was born a slave in the possession of John Irvin (the elder) deceased, of Wilkinson County. I am about 78 years of age. Post Office is Laurel Hill, Louisiana.

During my childhood years old, my young master Robert Irvin was boarding during the week at the residence of James Alexander Stewart deceased of Wilkinson County in order to attend school at that residence with the said James Alexander Stewart’s children. It was the custom of the said Robert Irvin to return to his father’s residence each Saturday and go back to Mr. Stewart’s residence each Monday morning and it was my duty to take his saddle horse to him from Mr. Irvin’s residence each Saturday and bring same horse back to Mr. Irvin each Monday.

It sometimes happened that rain or snow storm came prevented my return to Irvin’s residence, from Mr. Stewart’s the same day and on all such occasions I slept in the house and with the children of Wm Veal and his wife Mary both deceased. I therefore knew each of the children well. At the above mentioned time Noland Veal and who is now applying for a pension was then the youngest child of said Wm and Mary Veal and my brother Irvin Wilson and Mr. James Alexander Stewart’s youngest child Henry Stewart were all babies in arms at the same time and were less than a year apart in age. I have no interest in the pension of Noland Veal and understand that I am liable to punishment if I swear falsely.”

Testimony of Lewis McField: Given June 22, 1908, Woodville, Mississippi
“I am about 94 years of age and my P.O. address is Woodville Miss. That I have known the claimant Noland Veal ever since his birth which to the best of my recollection and belief occurred in the year 1845. I know this from my own knowledge, as his parents and myself were slaves and owned by the same owner, and he lived and grew up to manhood on the same plantation as myself. That I have no interest in the claim of said Noland Veal for pension.”

The Small Memories

In the course of my research, I have found only two formal WPA “slave narratives” from individuals who described their experiences of enslavement in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. However, this 117-year-old Civil War Navy pension file contains memories from family and friends who were present on the plantation at the time of Noland Veal’s birth.

Kitty Veal Alexander (born 1838) was only about seven years old in 1845, but as the oldest child in the household, she assisted when her mother became ill and gave birth to Noland. In 1908 she vividly remembered helping care for him, alongside Aunt Peggy Butler, who nursed the white Stewart child at the same time.

Lewis McField (born 1814) recalled being enslaved with the Veal family who arrived in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, with James Stewart’s father Duncan Stewart in 1809. He remembered Noland from childhood into adulthood—up until the time, sixteen years later, when Noland ran away to join the Navy.

Moses Wilson (born 1830), then 15 years old, testified that his younger brother, Irvin Wilson, was a baby at the same time as Noland. The Wilson family was enslaved by John Irvin and later Robert Irvin.

In the absence of oral traditions passed down through generations, these testimonies offer rare and invaluable details into the families and communities during the days of slavery.

Next: The Carpenter’s Apprentice Runs Away