Vincent Demby (b. circa 1842 -
d. 1917)
MSA SC 3520-4712
USCT Soldier, Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Biography:
Vincent Demby was born into slavery around 1842 in Queen Anne's County, Maryland.1 He states in an affidavit that he was "born in Queen Anns Co. Md. near Queenstown. I was slave born. I lived there to the time I went into the army."2 According to a 1915 questionnaire, he states he was born near Centreville, Maryland.3 Demby's slaveowner was Richard A. Tilghman, a property owner in Queen Anne's County.4 According to his death record, his father, Charles Demby, was born in Maryland and his mother's name is listed as unknown.5 His manumission states that his owner, Richard A. Tilghman of Queen Anne's County, set him free because he was joining the seventh regiment of colored troops.6
After being manumitted, he officially joined the United States Colored Troops in 1863. He enlisted on September 23, 1863 and served as a corporal in Company C of the 7th regiment.7 According to his service record in the company descriptive book and the muster rolls, Demby was 20 years old when he was enlisted in the 7th regiment by Col. William Birney.8 He stated in an affidavit that he "served till after the fall of richmond."9 After fighting in numerous battles and skirmishes he was wounded at the "battle of Ft. Gilmer front of Richmond and lost the thumb on the right hand and was shot through the arm above the elbow and because of this I was discharged before the regiment was."10 During his service time, he served under Captain Wise and Lieutenant Chaney.11 According to a casualty sheet within his service record, Demby was wounded at Chapin's Farm, Virginia between September 29-30, 1864.12 He was officially discharged from the army on January 19, 186613 at McKim's Hospital in Baltimore City14, after spending time at Fort Harrison in Virginia and Hicks General Hospital15 recuperating from his wounds. He was admitted to Hicks General Hospital on October 28, 1865 for "wounds in right hands, thumb off."16 His length of pensionable service time amounted to two years, three months, and twenty seven days.17
After the war, he remained in Baltimore to begin a family. According to an 1898 pension form, he married Emily Bayman in 1873.18 They were married in Baltimore, Maryland by Reverend Mr. Rideout and there was a court record of the marriage.19 According to the 1890 Veterans Schedule, Demby was living in Enumeration District 174.20 Under the Act of June 27, 1890, Demby began receiving a pension "dating from April 27, 1891 at the rate of $12 per month."21 This act enabled veterans who received an honorable discharge and served for a minimum service of ninety days the ability to receive a pension from a disability that did not originate in the service.
The 1910 census shows Demby was living in the 17th Ward of Baltimore City in Enumeration District 283.22 Demby was the head of the household at the age of 65 and living with two of his children.23 His son Vincent was 8 years old and his daughter Louise was not yet a year old.24 His occupation at the time was a laborer and he performed "odd jobs."25 He was illiterate, but his son Vincent was literate and was attending school.26 Throughout his time in Baltimore, he and his family lived at several residences in Baltimore including 33 Walnut Alley,27 100 Chestnut Alley,28 56 Pierce Street,29 615 Pierce Street,30 633 Sarah Ann Street,31 42 North Calvert Street,32 and 427 North Fremont Avenue33.
According to Vincent Demby's death record, his residence at the time of death was 615 Pierce Street.34 The wound that he received at the Battle of Fort Gilmer on September 29, 1864 had "greatly disabled him."35 He also suffered from impaired vision of both eyes, and rheumatism in arms and shoulders.36 The war had taken its toll on Vincent Demby as he was forced to deal with those ailments for the remainder of his life. On January 17, 1917, Vincent Demby passed away from chronic heart disease.37 He was buried at the National Cemetery on January 21, 1917.38
For a visual representation of Vincent Demby's journey from slavery to freedom, please click here. Users must have access to Google Earth in order to utilize this file, which includes landmarks (pins) in Demby's life from 1842 to 1917. You may take the tour and investigate individual sites under the "Places" tab on the left of the screen, or you may navigate using the slider and cursor on the map itself.
Endnotes:
2. Ibid., 19.
3. Ibid., 58.
7. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Vincent Demby, Page 24.
8. Ancestry.com.
U.S., Colored
Troops Military Service Records, 1861-1865, Company C, 7th Regiment, Vincent Demby, Image Number 582.
ADJUANT GENERAL, (Muster Rolls), 1863-1866, U.S. Colored Troops, [MSA S936-47]. Vincent Demby, Company C., 7th Regiment, Page 134, Line 15.
9. Ibid., 19.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
13. Ibid., 24.
14. Ibid., 32.
15. Ibid., 51.
17. Ibid., 29.
18. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Vincent Demby, Page 59.
19. Ibid.
21. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Vincent Demby, Page 20.
23. Ibid.28. Ibid., 11.
29. Ibid., 13.
30. Ibid., 15.
31. Ibid., 17.
32. Ibid., 39.
33. Ibid., 16.
34. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record). Vincent Demby.
35. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Vincent Demby, Page 32.
36. Ibid., 40.
37. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record). Vincent Demby.
38. Ibid.
Researched and Written by Tanner Sparks, 2013.
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![BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record). Vincent Demby. 09/1916-01/1917. [MSA SM 1132-127].](../vincent_demby_death_record.jpg){kind=link}
![QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Land Records) Liber SED 1, Folio 575 [MSA CE58-6]. Martha E. Purnell to George Cooper, July 25, 1865.](../vincent_demby_manumission.jpg){kind=link}