Voices of Emancipation: Deposition of Kitt Mitchell

Winter 2005, Vol. 37, No. 4

Document 3
Deposition of Kitt Mitchell to a Special Examiner
June 9, 1903, Cottageville, Colleton County, South Carolina

Source: Civil War Pension File of Kitt Mitchell, Co. K, 128th U.S. Colored Infantry, Record Group 15, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

My age about 62 — Farmer P.O. Jacksonboro, S.C.

I served in Co. K, 128th U.S.C.T. I am a pensioner & get $12 per month, have drawn a pension for 8 or 9 years. My wife is Janie Mitchell, we were married during slavery & have always lived together. We had 13 head of children. James Mitchell who died in the army, in one of the Islands, in 1901, was our son, he was born in May 1867, and left home before he was grown—

He was living in Savannah, Ga, where he had been for 3 or 4 years or longer, when he enlisted—I don't think he was ever married—I never heard of it if he was. He left one child—a boy—we have him here now. I think he is about 7 years old—

James came here before he enlisted & told his mother to go to Drayton Station, S.C. to get his boy—Which my wife did and we have had him here ever since—

His mother was Maggie Parker—I worked at Pinckney Mills near Drayton and saw her—but that was before James went there—When my wife went for him—Maggie let her have him—

I don't know that my son was ever married to Maggie & don't know how long he lived with her—I never heard my son was married to Maggie or anyone else—

Yes Sir—James left other children—he has another son in Savannah Ga—I have never seen him but my wife went there & saw him—his name is Kirby—I don't know the mother and don't know whether James was married to her or not—

My son left another child also a girl about 16 by the name of Elizabeth Dawson—her mother was Josephine Dawson—Josephine has married and left here—Elizabeth was born here—but James was not married to Josephine & I don't know how long he lived with her—The 3 children I have mentioned are all that I know of, that James left—

I own 50 acres of land—all paid for—worth, with the house, about $250⁰⁰—I plant 15 acres and if I had the help I could plant 22 acres that much is cleared up

My wife & daughters & I work the place & we make one to two bales of cotton—for which I get from $30 to 50—I make from 50 to 100 bus. of corn & from 30 to 60 bus. of potatoes—and we have a garden—We have two horses—My son-in-law lives with me & works another place—he has no horse—so I arranged with him to do my ploughing for the use of the horses on his land and I feed the horses—& he does the work as promised—I had the same arrangement with another man last year—We do very well when we have a good season, and what we make together with my pension, keeps us going very well. No sir—My wife never did do any of the ploughing, she just does a little chopping now & then, and very little of that—She looks after the garden—but she has had small-pox for two weeks & has not looked after it—My daughter helps since with the chopping & with the cotton picking—

I work about two or three days in a week, but I cannot work all the time—

I get a pension for disease of the skin on face—and eyes—& can hardly see out of one eye

This is correct & fully understood—

Deponent can write his name but as he is nursing his wife, who has small pox, I thought it best not to have him touch the paper—E.H.J.

Return to Voices of Emancipation