George W. Jolley (b.
circa 1837 - d. 1890)
MSA SC 3520-3614
USCT Soldier, Dorchester County, Maryland
Biography:
George W. Jolley was born a slave around 1837 in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland.1 The bounty rolls show that he was the slave for John R. Clayton.2 According to the Dorchester County slave statistics, Clayton was not listed among the other slaveowners. However, Clayton was entitled to receive $100 in compensation for Jolley enlisting in the U.S. Colored Troops.3 Clayton, like many slaveowners, may have viewed this as their final opportunity to receive compensation for the loss of their slaves as the institution of slavery was rapidly deteriorating. Not only were slaveowners entitled to compensation, but free blacks and slaves also counted towards the state quota,4 which meant many slaveowners could have protected their family members from having to join the war. Clayton received his compensation of $100 on August 11, 1864.5
On January 3, 1862, during the Civil War, Samuel S. Brown testifies in an affidavit that he was present when George W. Jolley and Nancy A. Cook were united in marriage by Reverend Solomon Jackson at Cambridge, Maryland.6 Shortly after his marriage, it was recognized by Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 that all free and enslaved African Americans could join the United States Army.7 Jolley would soon take advantage of this opportunity on March 31, 1864 with his enlistment into Company H of the 39th United States Colored Troops regiment.8
The 39th regiment was organized at Baltimore, Maryland from March 22 to 31, 1864.9 The regiment was to serve three years and it consisted of colored men from all parts of Maryland, but mainly Baltimore City.10 During the war, the 39th regiment participated in the Wilderness campaign, the Siege of Petersburg, and at Bermuda Hundred where its losses were severe.11 On October 6, 1865, Jolley applied for a furlough for thirty days because his family was in "rather destitute cicrumstances."12 The purpose of this visit was to "alleviate the distress of his family."13 According to Captain Babcock, Jolley "has always shown himself to be a good soldier and is deserving of this favor" as he wrote to headquarters at Fort Fisher, North Carolina.14 When Jolley was officially discharged from the army on December 04, 1865, he had attained the rank of corporal.15 He was mustered out of the army in Wilmington, North Carolina16 after performing garrison duty in the Southern States.17
After the war, Jolley would eventually move to Baltimore, Maryland where
he resided for 25 years until his death.18 He died at the age
of 53
on April 29, 1890 while residing at 307 Chestnut Street, Baltimore,
Maryland.19 His cause of death was listed
as malaria
and cerebral congestion, which he had suffered with for about one week.20 He was subsequently buried at the
National
Cemetery on May 1, 1890.21
According to a widow's pension, Nancy A. Jolly was to receive a pension
rate of $8.00 per month which was to commence on July 9, 1890.22 George
W. Jolley suffered through the perils of slavery, fought to abolish
slavery, and was eventually able to live his life as a free man.
4. Ibid.
5. COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY (Bounty Rolls) MSA S629, George W. Jolly, MSA S629-1.
7. Agnes Kane Callum, Colored Volunteers of Maryland, Civil War: 7th Regiment United States Colored Troops 1863-1866 (Baltimore, MD: Mullac Publishers, 1990), 1.
9. Wilmer, L. Allison , J. H. Jarrett, and Geo. W. F. Vernon. History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-65. Vol. 2 (Baltimore, MD: Guggenheimer, Weil & Co., 1899), 261.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Wilmer, L. Allison. Page 280.
17. Wilmer, L. Allison, Page 261.
18. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record), George W. Jolly, MSA CM1132-39.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid.
22. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) George W. Jolly, Page 7.
Return
to George W. Jolly's Introductory Page
|
Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!
|
