Greene County, NC Civil War Pension Files
Military Information
- Regiment: 14th USC HA Comp C
- Enlistment May 28, 1864 New Bern NC
- Discharge December 11, 1865 Ft Macon, NC
- Physical Description: 5ft 5in black complexion black eyes and black hair
Pension File Information
- Pension Status: Invalid Approved Jan 26, 1894
- Minor pension filed by Gaurdin Rejected
- Depositions By: Robert Harper. WH Banks, MatthewSmith, John Cobb, Luke Creech
- Residences Post War: Lenoir County- Lagrange
Personal Information
- Born: possible Dec 10, 1818 “Considered to be 75 years old by Dec 10, 1893
- Death: Sept 28, 1894
Family Information
- Parents: Abel Edwards dead by 1872 + Argent Edwards in Wilson Co NC by 1872
- Siblings: Richard Margaret Harriet Gracie and Justina
- Wife: Evaline Best died Nov 1884
- Children: Orpheus, Harper, August, Alice, Hattie, Jane, Mary dead by 1872, Cherry, Samuel-Lincoln,Hope, Bettie Maria
Enslavement Information
- Slave Owner: Not Mentioned possibly Widow Best and Haywood Best family still on land in 1872
Their Story Information
Aaron Best’s pension story was mostly centered around proving his knee injury while in service to collect his pension. It was noted that he had a knee injury due to being hit by cannon while in service.
Although his parents and slave owner were not mentioned in this file, there were other records that gave a quick insight to his enslaved family unit. Aaron opened an account in the US Freedman’s Bank at the Newbern Branch, March 16, 1872, which named his parents, siblings, wife, children, date and place of birth, residence, employer and miscellaneous remarks. This application painted a picture and closed the gaps of Aaron’s family unit prior to Emancipation. Although Aaron’s pension didn’t give much information on his family, I used in conjunction with the US Freedman’s Banks and confirmation of US Census to put back together his family that was lost to post slavery and courthouse fire. See below.
Aaron Best was born Oct 1817 in Greene County, NC to Abel and Argent Edwards. His siblings were Richard Margaret Harriet Gracie and Justina. He married Exaline about 1846 in a slave marriage, which had to be ratified after the war. Prior to Exaline’s death in 1884, they had the following children Orpheus, Harper, August, Alice, Hattie, Jane, Mary dead by 1872, Cherry, Samuel-Lincoln,Hope.
It is unclear who the enslavers were for Aaron, his parents or his wife. It is also unclear if his last owners were Henry and Mariah Best, but next residency after returning home from the Widow Bess and working for her son Haywood Best
Resources
Invalid Certificate No. 864821 Application No 505593., Bess, Aaron, Company C 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 21 Sept 2022
US Colored Troops Service Records
Freedman Bank
USCT SERVICE RECORDS
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/44155:1107
1870 census
Dreams Deferred Genealogy 
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