1890 US Census of Surviving Civil War Veterans of Chincoteague Island, Virginia

 The majority of the 1890 United States Census was destroyed by a fire in 1921 in the National Archives; but a portion of the Census that was not touched by the flames was the Surviving Civil War Veterans Census that was conducted at the same time.  Joseph Taylor Kenney was the post master on Chincoteague from 1871 through 1885, and he was the enumerator for the 1890 Census.  He was a veteran himself, and he listed 34 residents in his documentation; someone in Washington, D. C. added two more names at a later date.  I have verified the identity of one man, but cannot find any record of his military service.  The second name added to the list is someone whom I can't find in the 1880 or 1900 Census, anywhere in Accomack County, nor can I verify his service.

   What started me down this path was seeing an old photo of a grave stone in Mechanic Cemetery, where my grandparents are buried.  It was a Veteran's US Government marker, so I dug around, and found a photo of the man himself, and then I began to wonder about his unit - the "1st Regiment of Loyal Eastern Virginia Infantry Volunteers" - and, finally about other Civil War Veterans on Chincoteague.

Below is a photo of David Henry Birch (1845 - 1914).

I've cleaned up the photo as much as I was able - sorry 

it isn't cleaner or more clear...

  Nineteen of the 34 Civil War Veterans on Chincoteague served in the 1st Regiment of Loyal Eastern Virginia Infantry Volunteers.  The 1st Loyal East Virginia Infantry or the 1st Regiment Loyal Eastern Virginia Volunteers was a Southern Unionist unit raised in the Norfolk area, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and southeastern Virginia. It was the brainchild of Rhode Island-born future Medal of Honor recipient Hazard Stevens, who was relieved from duty as assistant adjutant general on the staff of Major General George W. Getty to serve as its acting colonel in December 1862. Stevens took a break from recruiting to fight at Fredericksburg, and upon his return to Portsmouth received a report from regimental lieutenant Joseph F. Throckmorton, who had "used every effort to obtain recruits...without any success whatever", managing to recruit only three men, despite having offered a $100 bounty for three year enlistment. Stevens was relieved of this duty on 5 March and Lieutenant Oliver G. Thomas took command of the 53 men who had joined by this time. On 12 March 1864 Company A was ordered to report for duty from a recruiting depot or camp of instruction, and were divided into small squads to guard the Eastern Shore coast (including the local telegraph line). The service record mentions that a Major Foster was given the authority to raise the regiment on 18 September 1863. Frederick Martin later became Captain and was eventually promoted to Major.

In July and August the company was stationed at Cobbs Island as coast guards, then at Pungoteague in September and October as coast and provost guards. It moved to Onancock in November and December, Eastville in January (when it numbered 82 men and two commissioned officers) and February 1865, Drummondtown in March and April, the Eastern Shore in May and June, serving as coast guards in these locations. In July and August they were again relocated to Camp Hamilton near Fort Monroe to serve as prison guards. In November the company returned to the Eastern Shore for mustering out, which took place on 24 November. Most men received their last pay on 1 December 1865, and that is, generally, the date the US Government states they mustered out. During July and August 1864 a small detachment used a confiscated sloop, Josephine, to patrol the waters off Sand Shoal Island in Northampton.

There was only one company, designated as Company A. .....

This is a list of the 19 Chincoteague men who served in the 1st Loyal Eastern Virginia Infantry, their rank, and the dates they enlisted and were mustered out. Three of the men are on the list without an enlistment date, which I'll mark with a "?" They are not in alphabetical order, and the first listed is a widow of a Civil War soldier.

Sharpley, John A. (widow is Elizabeth: Private, ? 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Daisey, James: Private, ? - 1 Dec. 1865

Adams, Ezra T.: Private, 17 Jan. 1865 - 1 Dec. 1865

Clarke, Elias: Corporal, 23 Dec. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Birch, David H.: Private, 5 Jan. 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Reed, William: Private, ? - 1 Dec. 1865

Reynolds, Richard P.: Private, 3 Dec. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Young, Theodore J.: Private, 10 Feb. 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Cluff, James: Private, 2 Dec. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Birch, Joshua W.: Sergeant, 6 Jan. 1865 - 1 Dec. 1865

Russell, Elijah: Private, 30 Jan. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Birch, William D.: Private, 1 Jan. 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Watson, George W.: Private, 22 Mar. 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Whealton, William J.: Private, 30 June 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Birch, George C.: Private, 30 June 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Stubbs, Andrew: Private, 8 Jan. 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Carter, Zadoc: Private, 2 Dec. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Turlington, Charles: Private, 31 Dec. 1863 - 1 Dec. 1865

Watson, Thomas W.: Private, 30 June 1864 - 1 Dec. 1865

Four of our natives served in the 10th United States Colored Infantry. The 10th United States Colored Infantry was organized at Camp Craney Island, Virginia beginning 18 November 1863 and all men enlisted for a 3 year service duty, under the command of Colonel Spencer H. Stafford. The regiment was attached to Drummondtown, Virginia, in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, from December 1863 through April 1864. The regiment participated in the siege of Plymouth, April 17 through 20, 1864. The regiment's designation was changed to the 82nd United States Colored Troops on 4 April 1864. All members of the regiment were mustered out on 17 May 1866.

Brinney, Arthur: Private, Company D, 30 Jan. 1864 - 17 May 1866

Blake, Samuel: Private, Company I, 17 June 1864 - 17 May 1866

Ewell, Alfred: Corporal, Company D, 12 Feb. 1864 - 17 May 1866

George, Zachariah: Private, Company D, 12 Feb. 1864 - 17 May 1866

The rest of our Civil War Veterans were men who were born (one in Europe) and served elsewhere, and moved to Chincoteague after the conflict had ended.

Four were from Delaware, and all served in Company D of the 6th Delaware Infantry. The 6th Delaware Infantry "was organized in Delaware at large October 25 to December 18, 1862. Duty in District of Delaware, 8th Army Corps, Middle Dept., as R.R. guard on Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore R. R. at Havre de Grace, Bush River, Gunpowder, Back River and Perrymansville till September, 1863. Mustered out September 5, 1863." Two were correct in recording their 20 day enlistment period. The last two were very wrong; I have listed their correct dates, and below their names, the dates they claim to have served. I have documentation of the correct dates.

Kollick, William J.: Private, Company D, 3 Aug. 1863 - 23 Aug. 1863

Taylor, Joshua J.: Private, Company D, 3 Aug. 1863 - 23 Aug. 1863

*Lynch, Joseph B.: Private, Company D, 19 Nov. 1862 - 20 Aug. 1863

*Collins, Charles: Private, Company D, 27 June 1863 - 20 Aug. 1863

* Both men marked with an asterisk above claimed to have enlisted on 3 August 1863 and mustered out on 23 August 1866.

Jeffries, Elva A.: Private, Company H, 8 Feb. 1863 - 28 July 1865

He served in the 4th New Jersey Infantry. From May 1862 through the end of July 1965, the 4th New Jersey Infantry was a part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, of the 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah. They participated in: Falmouth till April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks Ford May 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Guarding ammunition train July. In camp near Warrenton, Va., till September 15, and at Culpeper Court House till October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-Decembor 2. At Brandy Station to May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spotsylvania May 8-12; Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient, "Bloody Angle," May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-18. Siege of Petersburg till July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Moved to Washington, D. C., June 9-11. Repulse of Early's attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington July 11-12. Pursuit of Early to Snicker's Gap July 14-23. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Strasburg August 14-15. Winchester August 17. Charlestown August 21-22. Battle of Winchester September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley till December. Moved to Washington, D. C., thence to Petersburg, Va. Siege of Petersburg December, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville April 23-27 and duty there till May 18. Moved to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington, D. C., May 18-June 3. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out at Hall's Hill, Va., July 9, 1865.

Hall, Theodore L.: Private, Company A, 12 Dec. 1863 - 25 Sep. 1865

He served in the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery. Starting in December 1863, the 1st was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, DeRussy's Division, 22nd Army Corps. They saw: duty in the defenses of Washington, D. C., till May, 1864, as garrison at Fort Richardson. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Stafford Heights June 12. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Brandy Station November 8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Rejoined regiment in defenses of Washington January, 1864. Regiment ordered to Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 13, 1864. Engaged in fatigue duty and as garrison for batteries and forts on the Bermuda front and lines before Petersburg during siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, May, 1864, to April, 1865. Occupy Fort Converse, Redoubt Dutton, Batteries Spofford, Anderson, Pruyn and Perry on the Bermuda front, and Forts Rice, Morton, Sedgewick and McGilvrey, and Batteries 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, Burpee, Drake and Sawyer, on the Petersburg front, and at Dutch Gap, north of the James River. Assaults on Fort Dutton June 2 and 21, 1864 (Co. "L"). Attacks on the lines May 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 27, 30, 31, June 1, 2, 5, 9, 18, 20 and 23. Mine explosion July 30, August 25, November 17, 18 and 28, 1864. Repulse of rebel fleet at Fort Brady on James River January 23-24, 1865. Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., January 3-15, 1865 (Cos. "B," "G," "L"). Capture of Fort Fisher January 15 (Cos. "B," "G," "L"). Assaults on and fall of Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865. Duty in the Dept. of Va. till July 11. Moved to Washington, D.C. and duty in the defenses of that city till September. Mustered out September 25, 1865.

Williams, Wilmer R. - served under alias Taylor, Charles W. - served twice, in US Army & US Navy - Private, Company E, Oct. 1861 - Dec. 1863, in 90th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers - Carpenter & Quarter-Gunner, 4 May 1864 - Oct. 1866, USS Mendota, US Navy

The 90th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers were organized at Philadelphia October 1, 1861. Moved to Baltimore, Md., March 31, 1862, thence to Washington, D. C., April 21 and to Aquia Creek Landing, Va., and duty there till May 9. Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac, to March, 1864.  Service:  Duty near Fredericksburg, Va., till May 25. Expedition to Front Royal to intercept Jackson May 25-June 16. Duty at Manassas, Warrenton and Culpeper till August. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23.  Thoroughfare Gap August 28. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battles of South Mountain September 14. Antietam September 16-17. Duty near Sharpsburg, Md., till October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth and Belle Plains till April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30. Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock till October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.

  The USS Mendota was a steamer built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War. With her heavy guns, she was planned by the Union Navy for use as a bombardment gunboat, but also as a gunboat stationed off Confederate waterways to prevent their trading with foreign countries.

  A sidewheel gunboat, the Mendota was launched 13 January 1863 by F. Z. Tucker, Brooklyn, New York; acquired by the Navy 1 February 1864; and commissioned 2 May 1864, Comdr. Edward T. Nichols in command. From the day of her commissioning in 1864, Mendota was assigned to the James River Division, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The first ten months she served as a picket ship near Four Mile Creek. Her guns were used to prevent the establishment of Confederate batteries or entrenchments which would threaten river communications or imperil a small Union Army base camp. Action on 28 July was particularly intense. During her last two months of service, she directed ship movements at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and also at the mouth of the Delaware River. After the war, Mendota decommissioned 12 May 1865 and was laid up at League Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until sold 7 December 1867.

USS Mendota on the James River (Virginia) in 1864.

Steffens, Joseph:  Fireman,  17 Sep. 1861 - 28 Sep. 1864, USS Augusta, US Navy

  The USS Augusta , a 1310-ton side-wheel steam cruiser, was built at New York in 1852 as the civilian steamer Augusta . She operated on Atlantic and Gulf coast routes until the outbreak of the Civil War. The Navy purchased her at the beginning of August 1861, converted her to a warship and placed her in commission in late September. Augusta 's first combat operation was the November 1861 expedition to capture Port Royal, South Carolina. During the shelling of Forts Walker and Beauregard that opened the assault, she helped drive off the local Confederate Navy squadron and later joined in the bombardment. After the forts' surrender, Augusta reestablished the blockade of Savannah, Georgia. Sent to duty off Charleston, S.C., in December, she captured the blockade runners Cheshire on the 6th and Island Belle at year's end.

  Augusta remained on the Charleston blockade during the first eight months of 1862, with a few weeks out in June and July to cover Wassau Sound, Georgia. After an overhaul at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she escorted a convoy of Army transports to the Gulf of Mexico and helped to protect shipping between Panama and the U.S. from the threat posed by the Confederate raider Alabama . She returned to the Charleston area in January 1863 and took part in the engagement with the Confederate ironclads Chicora and Palmetto State at the end of that month. In July, Augusta went north, spent a few weeks searching for the enemy cruiser CSS Florida and then decommissioned for extensive repairs at the New York Navy Yard.

  Recommissioned in May 1864, Augusta escorted the monitor Tecumseh to Pensacola, Florida, and operated on commerce protection service between the U.S. and Panama. However, continual engine problems finally left her so disabled that she had to be towed home. She was again decommissioned in January 1865 and was under repair for more than a year.

Kenney, Joseph T.:  Sergeant, Company G,  27 Sep. 1861 - 24 Dec. 1864

  Mr. Kenney served in the 1st Regiment, Maryland Eastern Shore Volunteer Infantry, enlisting in Cambridge.  The regiment was organized at Cambridge, Md., September, 1861. Attached to Dix's Division, Army of the Potomac, to November, 1861. Eastern Shore Maryland and Virginia, Middle Department, to July, 1862. District Eastern Shore, 8th Army Corps, Middle Dept., to January, 1863. 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1863. Lockwood's Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, July, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Maryland Heights, Division West Virginia, to October, 1863. 3rd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to June, 1864. 1st Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps, to September, 1864. Reserve Division, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., to February, 1865. They saw duty at Baltimore, Md., till November, 1861. Expedition to Accomac and Northampton counties November 14-23, 1861. Duty at Baltimore and on the Eastern Shore till June, 1863. Moved with Lockwood to Gettysburg, Pa., June 25-July 2. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty at Maryland Heights, W. Va., July 17 to October 5, 1863. Ordered to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and duty there till February, 1865. Company "A" mustered out by order of the War Department August 16, 1862. Regiment consolidated with 11th Maryland Infantry February 23, 1865.

Powell, Levin H.:  Private,  Smith's Independent Company,  15 Oct. 1862 - 30 June 1865

  Mr. Powell had listed his Cavalry unit as Darrell's Cavalry in the 1890 Census.  By tracing his records, I found it was actually Smith's Independent Company, Maryland Cavalry pretty much based in Snow Hill.  This Cavalry unit was on special duty on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and suffered no casualties in the Civil War. It was stationed variously at Snow Hill, Newton, Point Lookout, Eastville, Drummondtown, Salisbury, Relay House and Barnesville to intercept supplies and recruits on the way to the Confederacy.

Smith, Nathaniel S., M. D.: Assistant Surgeon, 11 Aug. 1864 - 15 June 1865, USS Wilderness, US Navy (enlisted as soon as he finished his studies and practicum to be a physician)

Nattie Smith was born and raised in Eastville, Virginia. His wife and the wife of Joseph T. Kenney were sisters. Once he graduated from Medical School, Nattie enlisted in the US Navy, and was assigned to the USS Wilderness.

The Wilderness was attached to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. On 25 August, Acting Rear Admiral S. P. Lee, commanding the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, reported to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles that "to promote the efficiency of the blockade of the bars" (off the North Carolina coast) he had directed Captain Melancton Smith, the commander of naval forces on the James, "to have the Wilderness prepared at once for service on the blockade of Wilmington." By 1 September, when Admiral Lee reported the composition of his squadron, he listed Wilderness as a "supply steam; ordered to fit out as gunboat and join (the) blockade." By late October, Wilderness had been armed with a battery of four 24-pounders, enabling her to be classed as a gunboat. On 28 October, Rear Admiral David D. Porter, the new commanding officer of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, issued orders to Acting Master Henry Arey, commanding the newly converted sidewheeler, to "proceed and report to the senior officer off Eastern Bar (Cape Fear River) for duty on the blockade as a chaser." Wilderness went into action almost immediately. At 19:05 on the evening of 31 October, while patrolling off New Inlet, North Carolina, she spotted a strange vessel bearing south by west, heading over the bar. Niphon, on station nearby, also saw the ship and came about. Wilderness, steaming at top speed and firing as she came, ultimately overhauled the strange vessel and captured her at 19:45. The prize turned out to be the British blockade-runner Annie and was described by Arey as "... a fine steamer, with two propellers, one smokestack and ... schooner-rigged." Sailors from Wilderness boarded the ship, finding her cargo to consist of 540 bales of cotton, 30 tons of pressed tobacco, and 14 casks of "spirits of turpentine." Niphon took on board the passengers and crew of the runner while Wilderness took charge of the prize. During the transfer of prisoners, Confederate guns at nearby Fort Fisher opened fire on the Union vessels. One shell struck Wilderness, passing through her hurricane deck on the starboard side and going through a water tank at the port gangway, where it exploded, damaging the rim of the gunboat's port wheel. Repaired at Beaufort, North Carolina, when the ship put into that port for coal, Wilderness resumed blockade duties off Wilmington, North Carolina soon thereafter. Shortly before the Union assault on Fort Fisher, the key Confederate stronghold guarding the approaches to the seaport of Wilmington, a daring plan to reduce some of the defenses by using an explosive-laden ship was put into motion. The sidewheel steamer Louisiana was stripped and filled with explosives; manned by a volunteer crew commanded by Commander Alexander C. Rhind; and towed into position, first by USS Sassacus and later by Wilderness, off the fort. The latter took up the tow on 18 December, but heavy weather delayed the start of the entire operation. In the final attempt, made on 23 December, Wilderness—manned by Acting Master Arey, four officers and "enough men to handle the vessel"—took Louisiana in close to the walls of Fort Fisher. Rhind and his men lit the fuses, kindled a fire aft, and then escaped in small boats to Wilderness. The fuses set by Rhind failed to detonate the explosives, but the fire aft did. Louisiana blew up as planned, but other than to send out a heavy shock wave, had little effect. At dawn the next day, Christmas Eve, the first assault on Fort Fisher began. However, as Admiral Porter subsequently wrote, "I was in hopes I should have been able to present to the nation Fort Fisher and surrounding works as a Christmas offering, but I am sorry to say it has not been taken yet." The expedition failed dismally. During the first attempt to reduce and invest the Confederate stronghold, on 24 and 25 December 1864, Wilderness lay in reserve offshore, in the first division. Through much of the action, Wilderness served as tender to the flagship USS Malvern and spotted her fall of shot. On the 25th, the side-wheeler took on board the bodies of the sailors who had been killed on USS Ticonderoga and USS Juniata and also received the wounded from those ships. After transferring these casualties to Fort Jackson, Wilderness returned to Beaufort, where she took two coal schooners in tow and pulled them to Wilmington, getting underway on the 28th as Union forces were preparing to make a second attempt to take Fort Fisher. Delivering her tows soon thereafter, the side-wheel steamer supported the landings against the Confederate stronghold on 13 January 1865, taking on board a draft of troops from the transport Atlantic. She took the troops to within 500 yards of shore and, while anchored there, transferred the men to boats for the final run to shore. The following day, Wilderness delivered mail among the fleet and took on ammunition; later, she delivered cargo to USS New Ironsides. Subsequently, Wilderness took part in the occupation of former Confederate works at Smithville, North Carolina, on 19 January, Acting Master Arey and a boat crew from the ship participating directly in the operation. Wilderness remained in the vicinity of the mouth of the Cape Fear River into February and then returned to her former operating area, the James River. Admiral Porter ordered Wilderness up the Chickahominy River to try to communicate with General Philip Sheridan. Collaterally, the ship was to gain all the information she could learn about the river itself and Southern forces in the area before returning to Aiken's Landing with any dispatches which needed to be delivered. Subsequently, the side-wheeler received orders to proceed without delay to New Berne, North Carolina, to cooperate with Army forces of General Forrest Sherman in the movement up the Chowan River toward Winton, North Carolina. Arriving on 2 April with dispatches from Admiral Porter, Wilderness resumed her operations in the sounds of North Carolina, performing general utility duties for the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron through the end of the Civil War. She was decommissioned on 10 June 1865.

   After Joseph T. Kenney had sent the entire 1890 Census, including the separate 3 pages with the 34 entries for the "Surviving Civil War Veterans," to  Washington, D. C., someone in an office there, at some point in time, added two other names to the list.  The writing is very different from Mr. Kenney's, as is the ink color.  Both men are listed as having served as a Private; other than their names, there is no other information.

  The first is Clark, Sam.  There is no Sam or Samuel Clark in the 1880 Census.  The only Samuel or Sam Clark in the 1900 Census was born in 1871 - so he could not have been a Civil War Veteran.  There is no one with that name (other than the 1871 birth) in Accomack County in those years. That person is a mystery...  Nor is there a death record for this person between1890 and 1900 in Virginia.

  The second name added is written as Vissels, Jacob.  There is a Jacob E. Verrills on Chincoteague in the 1880 Census, but not in the 1900 Census.  There is a record of a Jacob Vessels serving in the Confederacy in Tennessee, and near Loudoun County, Virginia.  But I cannot find a record of anyone with a similar name serving along the eastern seaboard with that name...  Again, a mystery.

  

  I hope you enjoyed this post.