Soldier Information
Name: Charles Willett
Alias:
Place of Birth: Jefferson KY Year of Birth: 1818
Occupation: Farmer
Eyes: Black Hair: Black Complexion: Black
Height in Feet: 5 Inches: 8
View Ledger
Enlistment Information
Enlistment Date: April 28, 1864
Enlistment Place: Hannibal
Enlistment State: MO
Compiled Military Service Record
Document: View
Congressional District: 1st
Company: C Regiment(s): 18th Regt USCI; 72nd Regt USCI
Mustered Where: Benton Barracks, Missouri
Mustered Out Date: February 21, 1866
Rank at Muster Out: Private
Notes:
Willett was a transfer from 72nd USCT and Retained weapon and accoutrements at discharge. Remarks: Mary Foster inherited Willett from George C. Foster (husband) who purchased him 1/15/1819 of Thomas Hansbrough at Shelbyville KY 700.00 – age given is 25 (1794) (Ralls Co. MO)
Soldier Death Information
Died in war? No
Military Death Date:
Military Death Location:
Military Cause of Death:
Death Date: September 9, 1892
Cause of Death:
Death Certificate
Soldier Pension Information
Pension Card Link: Pension Card
Pension Application Date: June 14, 1880
Application No.: 381170 Certificate No.: 212849
Alternate First Name: Alternate Last Name:
Widow Pension Information
Widow Pension Card: Pension Card
Widow Application Date: September 21, 1892
Application No.: 560662 Certificate No.:
No other family pension card found
Pension File Information
Pension File:
Pensioners:
Pensioner County: Pensioner State:
Number of Pages:
Pension Notes:
Mary Willett filed from the state of Iowa.
Freedman’s Bank/Freedmen’s Bureau Information
No Freedman’s Bank information found
No Freedmen’s Bureau Documents found
Family Information
Mother First Name: Nellie Elsie Mother Maiden Name: Willett
Father First Name: Charles Father Last Name: Willett
Siblings:
Wife #1 First Name: Harriet Jane Maiden Name: Ferguson
Wife #2 First Name: Mary C Maiden Name: Martin Hall
Wife #3 First Name: Maiden Name:
Children: James J. Willett 1845
Nellie Willett 1850
Priscilla Willett 1853
Mary Willett 1855
Sarah J. Willett 1857
John W. 1859 Willett
Laura B. Willett 1861
Edward S. Willett 1868
Family Notes:
Charles Willett’s first wife was listed as Jane Ferguson on the marriage record and was known as Harriet J. Willett in other sources. He married Mary C. Hall in 1891.
The oldest children of Charles and Harriet Jane Willett were born prior to 1864, the year of the legal marriage of the couple.
Family Tree: View
1870 Census
1870 Census Link: View
1870 Profession: Laborer
1870 Live with/near former enslaver? No
1870 Real Estate Value: 1870 Personal Estate Value: 100
1870 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1870 Census Notes:
In the 1870 and 1880 federal census records, and the 1885 Iowa state census- George Willett, his wife, and children resided in Ottumwa, Iowa. Three of George’s children have been located in census records after they moved away from their parent’s home.
1880 Census
1880 Census Link: View
1880 Profession: Laborer
1880 Live with/near former enslaver? No
1880 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1880 Census Notes:
1890 Census
1890 Census information not found
1900 Census
1900 Census Link: View
1900 Profession: Retired
1900 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Can write
1900 Own/Rent: Rent 1900 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1900 Farm/House: House
1900 Census Notes:
1910 Census
1910 Census information not found
1920 Census
1920 Census Link: View
1920 Profession: Minister
1920 Ability to Read? Can read Ability to Write? Can write
1920 Own/Rent: Rent 1920 Home Free/Mortgage: Mortgage 1920 Farm/House: House
1920 Census Notes:
Enslaver Information
Name: Mary Foster Location: Shelby County, Kentucky
Previous Enslaver: George C. Foster
Enslaver Notes:
George C. Foster purchased George Willett from Thomas Hansbrough in Shelbyville, Kentucky, in 1819 for $700. (Source: CMSR, George Willett, pages 24-25.)
In 1850 George C. Foster lived in Shelby County, Kentucky, with his wife Mary. Foster owned 7 slaves in 1850. Ten years later they resided in Ralls County, Missouri, where he owned 8 slaves who lived in 1house.
George C. Foster died in Ralls County, Missouri, in 1861. In 1870 and 1880 his widow Mary resided with their son Nathan and his family in Ralls County.
Here is a link to George C. Foster’s will that mentions by name his slave Charles.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99LM-TXXM?i=316&cc=2399107&cat=94916
Here is a link to an inventory of George C. Foster’s estate which shows the names of at least some of the family of George Willett.
https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/judicialrecords/Detail.aspx?id=473268
1850 Enslaver Census
1850 Census Link: View
1850 Slave Schedule Link: View
1850 Number of Enslaved: 7
1860 Enslaver Census
1860 Census Link: View
1860 Real Estate Value: $4,200 1860 Personal Estate Value: $5,540
1860 Slave Schedule Link: View
1860 Number of Enslaved: 8
1870 Enslaver Census
1870 Census Link: View
1870 Real Estate Value: $8,400 1870 Personal Estate Value: $1,580
1880 Enslaver Census
Compensation Information
Compensation Applied? Yes Compensation Received? No