Greene County, NC Civil War Pension Files
Military Information
- Regiment:14th HA UST Co D
- Rank: Pvt
- Enlistment: August 1, 1864
- Discharge: Honorable Discharge Dec 11,1865
- Physical Description: 5ft 4in Black complexion, eye, hair ;Disease of the chest/ lungs, Rectum
Pension File Information
- Pension Status: Approved under the June 29, 1890 act for Invalid pension
- Residence after war: Indianapolis – left NC 1879
- Widow pension: approved June 1, 1920 under the May 11, 1912 Act
- Depositions By: Caleb Darnell, Walter Blue, Silas Isler, Agnes Evans, Lafayette Kennedy, Edith Johnson, Elias Jackson, Hettie Smith
Personal Information
- Born: Jan 12, 1845/6 Greene County, NC
- Alias- John Henry Bright ( because there were already 2 Henrys on Plantation but real name is Henry)
- Death: April 3, 1920
- Wife Slave 1: Name Not Stated Just Referenced
- Wife 2nd Sally Alderidge (d. Feb 1881 in Falling Creek, NC;Parents Isaac + Pennie Alderidge),
- Wife 3rd Eliza Bess(b. Aug 16, 1863 Winston Salem, NC -d. Nov 15, 1934 Indianapolis)
Family Information
- Parents: Not Stated In Pension File
- Siblings: Not Stated In Pension File
- Children:
- Isaac Bright 1867
- Agnes Bright March 1868
- Patsy Bright May 1869
- Julia Bright 1870
- Eddie Bright 1871
- John Bright Jul 10, 1884
- Annie M Bright Feb13,1886
- LeRoy Bright Jan 12, 1888
- Fredie Feb 7, 1891
- Jasper J Bright Jan 24, 1896
Enslavement Information
- Slave Owner: Simon Bright, John P Parrott ( lives in Greene County opposite Kinston, Lenoir County)
Their Story Information
Henry’s pension file focuses on his 3 marriages to brief slave marriage, Sally Alderige and Eliza Bess (Bass) and proving Eliza as the legitimate wife as well as the death of his first wife, Sally.
Henry did have a brief slave marriage but didn’t get it certified by law once he returned from the Civil War. Henry went on to marry Sally Alderidge the daughter of Isaac and Pennie Alderidge in Fall Creek (Lenior Co), NC. Prior to her death, they had five surviving children. Sadly, Sallie died Feb either 1879 or 1881. Ellis Jackson helped to bury her on the Parrot Plantation in Falling Creek, NC. Shortly after her death, Henry moved to Indianapolis, IN. Upon moving to Indianapolis, he was married to Eliza Bess March 1884. With Eliza, Henry had an additional 5 children.
Within Henry’s pension, Eliza writes about her concern about her 2 sons as WWI soldiers/ veterans. She wrote to the Pension board stating there weren’t any record WWI pension applications for her due her son serving in the war. Eliza also said both were married at that time.
It was also interesting to see that upon Eliza’s death in 1934 she had life insurance. She had two policies: Empire Life and National Life.
Resources
USCT Civil War Records
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1107/images/m1818_265-1019?pId=65498
Invalid Certificate No. 709097, Application No. 1053831, Bright, Henry, Privatel, Company D 14th Heavy Artillery US Color Troop; Case Files of Approved Pension Application of Veteran Who Served in the Army and Navy in the Civil War, 1861-1934; Record Group 15; National Archives Building, Washington, DC Retrieved 13 Oct 2022
1870 Census
1880 Census
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/13288125:6742
Henry Bright Death Certificate
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60716/images/44494_351769-00462?pId=4462297
Dreams Deferred Genealogy 
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