Soldier Information
Name: Nelson Gaines
Alias:
Place of Birth: Green County KY Year of Birth: 1811
Occupation: Laborer
Eyes: Black Hair: Black Complexion: Black
Height in Feet: 5 Inches: 4.5
Enlistment Information
Enlistment Date: April 22, 1865
Enlistment Place: Lebanon
Enlistment State: KY
Compiled Military Service Record
Document: View
Congressional District: 4th
Company: E Regiment(s): 123rd Regt USCI
Mustered Where: Lebanon, KY
Mustered Out Date: October 16, 1865
Rank at Muster Out: Private
Notes:
The Compiled Military Service Records for Nelson Gaines state he enlisted on April 22, 1865, at Lebanon, Kentucky, and he mustered in on the same day. Nelson was 54 years old, height of 5′ 4.5″, with black eyes, black hair, and black complexion. Nelson was born in Green County, Kentucky, and he was a laborer by occupation.
Nelson served in the 123rd USCI, Company E. From July to September 1865, he was in hospital at Taylor Barracks, with a diagnosis of piles. The hospital records state his wife was America Gaines, and they lived in Greensburg, Ky. Nelson mustered out on October 16, 1865, at Louisville, Ky.
Nelson Gaines’ enslaver is named as John Gaines from Green County, Kentucky. There is an Oath of Allegiance document stating Judith T. Gaines was his owner and due compensation. She stated she purchased Nelson in 1840 from William Buckner and she had owned him ever since.
Soldier Death Information
Died in war? No
Military Death Date:
Military Death Location:
Military Cause of Death:
Death Date: December 15, 1865
Cause of Death: Chronic diarrhea
Soldier Pension Information
No pension card found
Widow Pension Information
Widow Pension Card: Pension Card
Widow Application Date: April 16, 1868
Application No.: 159936 Certificate No.: 115721
No other family pension card found
Pension File Information
Pension File: Pension File
Pensioners: America White
Pensioner County: Pensioner State:
Number of Pages:20
Pension Notes:
A 20-page Claim for Widow’s Pension, With Minor Children has been retrieved.
Nelson’s widow’s name was America (nee White) Gaines, and she gave their date of marriage as Jan. 8, 1852. Eyewitnesses of the marriage state they cohabitated as man and wife for 13 years. Nelson and America had a son named Reuben Gaines, who was born on Jan. 8, 1856. There is an affidavit on page 12 from Micca Carter, who states she was a neighbor of Nelson and America Gaines and that she was present at the time of Reuben’s birth.
Nelson’s attending physician, Dr. Taylor, testified that Nelson came home in October 1865 suffering from chronic diarrhea, evidently long-standing and already incurable. Dr. Taylor treated him from the time of his arrival home to his death of said disease on Dec. 15, 1865. Dr. Taylor had been the family physician of Nelson’s former enslaver and had been acquainted with Nelson for 20 years, stating he had been in uniform good health prior to enlistment.
Freedman’s Bank/Freedmen’s Bureau Information
No Freedman’s Bank information found
No Freedmen’s Bureau Documents found
Family Information
Mother First Name: Mother Maiden Name:
Father First Name: Father Last Name:
Siblings:
Wife #1 First Name: America Maiden Name: White
Wife #2 First Name: Maiden Name:
Wife #3 First Name: Maiden Name:
Children: Reuben Gaines Jan. 8, 1856
Family Notes:
The widow’s pension file documented the date of death for Nelson Gaines. No official death record was retrieved.
Per the application for widow’s pension, Nelson’s widow’s name was America White Gaines, and she gave their date of marriage as Jan. 8, 1852. Eyewitnesses of the marriage state they cohabitated as man and wife for 13 years. Nelson and America had a son named Reuben Gaines, who was born on Jan. 8, 1856.
A Last Will and Testament was retrieved for Nelson’s widow, America Gaines, in which she devises all of her estate, including a house and lot, to her son Reuben Gaines. The will was proved in 1877. Link to will:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16YK40UTRPS8_AwQFEmRRSEqBZ6-R-RMK/view?usp=drive_link
Family Tree:
View Family Tree on Ancestry.com Please note: this requires a paid Ancestry.com account to view
1870 Census
1870 Census information not found
1880 Census
1880 Census information not found
1890 Census
1890 Census information not found
1900 Census
1900 Census information not found
1910 Census
1910 Census information not found
1920 Census
1920 Census information not found
Enslaver Information
Name: Judith T. Gaines Location: Green County, Ky.
Previous Enslaver: William Buckner (1840)
Enslaver Notes:
In a Last Will and Testament of John P. Gaines of Green County, Kentucky, dated 1854, he left to his wife Judy T. Gains “all my estate during her life.” In addition, he gave to step-son Daniel P. White “America and all of her increase if there should be any at the death of my wife.”
Since John mentions he has a step-son with the surname White, this would be evidence that Judith Gaines had been married previously to a man with a surname White. And since John mentioned giving “America and all of her increase,” this is very likely the same America White who marries soldier Nelson Gaines. It is likely that America White and Nelson Gaines were both previously owned by John P. Gaines’ wife, Judith T. (nee White) Gaines.
This is supporting evidence to the pension file in which Judith Gaines stated she had purchased Nelson Gaines in 1840 and “had owned him ever since.”
Link to the will of John P. Gaines: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b1riR6hJnUY3hTKb_oucXO1iwNlnD_GG/view?usp=drive_link
1850 Enslaver Census
1850 Census information not found
1860 Enslaver Census
1860 Census Link: View
1860 Real Estate Value: 0 1860 Personal Estate Value: $2,400
1860 Slave Schedule Link: View
1860 Number of Enslaved: 3
1870 Enslaver Census
1870 Census Link: View
1870 Real Estate Value: 0 1870 Personal Estate Value: 0
1880 Enslaver Census
1880 Census information not found
Compensation Information
Compensation Application not found