Robert Stafford (b.
circa 1836 - d. 1901)
MSA SC 5496-51307
USCT Soldier, Dorchester County, Maryland
Biography:
Robert Stafford was born a slave around 1836 (27 years old at time of enlistment)1 in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland.2 As a slave, Stafford was owned by Mrs. Ann Stewart and then Caleb Shepherd up until the time of his enlistment.3 Before the war, he was a laborer on Shepherd’s farm.4 In 1850, Shepherd owned 12 slaves.5 By 1860, that number increased to 22 slaves.6 The census of 1860 lists Caleb Shepherd as being born in Delaware with his occupation being a "miller."7 Shepherd had a total personal estate value of $15,000 and his real estate value was $7,000.8
According to the Act of 1864, Chapter 15, Section 4, "to the owner of every negro slave who shall agree to the enlistment of his slave as above, the sum of one hundred dollars shall be paid when such owner shall file with the proper authority a good and valid deed of manumission."9 No record of Stafford's manumission has been found, but it's highly likely that he was manumitted by Shepherd. Shepherd, 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,10 which meant many slaveowners could have protected their family members from having to join the war. Robert Stafford was credited to the Dorchester County quota as being owned by Caleb Shepherd.11 Shepherd received a payment of $100.00 on April 12, 1865 as compensation for the loss of his slave.12
Stafford enlisted as a private in Company A of the 7th U.S. Colored Troops regiment in Baltimore, Maryland on September 23, 1863.13 Thomas Young and Samuel Upsher testified in a general affidavit that they were soldiers in the same regiment as Stafford.14 The deposition shows that at the surrender of Lee’s army at Richmond, Stafford was sent to City Point hospital and then to Fort Monroe, from which he was sent to Baltimore.15 They stated that “his eye was so affected that he could not see at all.”16 An incident during the war that occurred near Fort Harrison, Virginia left him with blindness in his eye and vertigo, which were permanent disabilities.17 He was found incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of "an attack of conjunctivitis consequent on exposure in line of duty October 1864 near Fort Harrison, Va."18 The service record shows that Stafford was "sick in Hosp. since Dec. 13, 1864."19 Nearly a year later on October 28, 1865, Stafford was admitted to Hicks General Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland for "obstruction of left nasal duct" from an incident that occurred at Fort Monroe.20 While in the hospital, Stafford had been paid $32.00 for the "months of May and June, 1865, by Major Pulsifer.21 According to the muster rolls, he was discharged in Baltimore at Hicks General Hospital on January 27, 1866.22
After serving in the war for two years and four months, Stafford moved back to Cambridge, Maryland to make his residence.23 He would work as a laborer in a wood yard to earn a living.24 The 1870 census shows that Stafford was 35 years old and his wife Ebby was 44 years old.25 He was a "day laborer" by occupation.26 They lived in the area of Beckwith’s Neck in Dorchester County.27 His wife Ebbie Warfield had died a few years after the war and Robert Stafford remarried soon after.28 On July 2, 1877, Robert Stafford, at the age of 40, was married by Rev. Thomas H. Johnson at Cambridge, Maryland to Martha Jenkins (the first cousin of Ebby) who was 30 years old.29 The 1880 census shows the couple living together in Cambridge with two boarders and two others.30 Robert Stafford was listed as being a "sawyer" by occupation, while Martha was listed as "keeping house."31
Stafford was pensioned from April 14, 1884, at $2.00 per month for "disease of eyes."32 His pension amount increased to $4.00 on March 10, 1891, then to $6.00 per month on March 2, 1895 for the same disease.33 Robert and Martha were both listed on the 1900 census as being married for 24 years.34 Robert was the head of household and they lived with four boarders.35 Robert Stafford was also listed as renting a house in Cambridge.36 On June 11, 1901, Stafford completed a pension document stating that his present occupation was "general labor," which means he was working to provide for his family up until his death.37 Stafford died in Cambridge, Maryland on December 29, 1901 from consumption and exhaustion.38 He had experienced those ailments for one month prior to his death.39 After his death, Martha began receiving a widow's pension of $8.00 per month, which commenced on February 10, 1902.40
Endnotes:
1. Ancestry.com. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Colored Troops Military Service Records, 1861-1865. Record for Robert Stafford. Company Descriptive Book. Company A. 7th United States Colored Troops. Page 730.17. Ibid., 1030A, 1044A.
18. Ibid., 1036A.
24. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Robert Stafford, Page 1033A.
26. Ibid.
28. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Robert Stafford, Page 1014A.
29. Ibid., 1009A.
31. Ibid.
32. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Robert Stafford, Page 1018A.
33. Ibid.
35. Ibid.
36. Ibid.
37. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Robert Stafford, Page 1034A.
39. Ibid.
40. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) Robert Stafford, Page 997A, 1004A.
Written and Researched by Tanner Sparks, 2012.
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