Soldier Information
Name: Peter Cowherd
Alias:
Place of Birth: Taylor KY Year of Birth: 1834
Occupation: Farmer
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Complexion: Copper/yellow
Height in Feet: 5′ Inches: 6″
Enlistment Information
Enlistment Date: June 28, 1864
Enlistment Place: Lebanon
Enlistment State: KY
Compiled Military Service Record
Document: View
Congressional District: 4th
Company: C Regiment(s): 108th Regt USCI
Mustered Where: Louisville, KY
Mustered Out Date:
Rank at Muster Out:
Notes:
Pvt. Cowherd’s CSMR noted that he shot and killed an escaping prisoner of war at Rock Island, IL. This account may be found on page 16 of the soldier’s CMSR file.
Soldier Death Information
Died in war? Yes
Military Death Date: August 17, 1865
Military Death Location: General Hospital #3 Vicksburg, MS
Military Cause of Death: Acute Dysentery
Death Date: August 17, 1865
Cause of Death: Acute dysentery
Death Certificate
Soldier Pension Information
Pension Card Link:
Pension Application Date:
Application No.: Certificate No.:
Alternate First Name: Alternate Last Name:
Widow Pension Information
Widow Pension Card: Pension Card
Widow Application Date: December 7, 1868
Application No.: 168.782 Certificate No.: 124.621
Other Family Pension Information
Pension Card Link:
Application Date:
Application No.: Certificate No.:
Pension File Information
Pension File: Pension File
Pensioners: Harriet Ann
Pensioner County: Green Pensioner State: KY
Number of Pages:30
Pension Notes:
Widow Harriet Ann Cowherd was a resident of Green County, Kentucky. Peter and Harriet Ann had four children who were under the age of sixteen when Harriet applied for benefits: Charles (1855), Elizabeth (1854), Anne (1859), & Stephen Cowherd (1861). Additional two dollars per month, per minor child was granted in pension benefits for the four children, as part of Harriet’s widow’s pension.
Two Veteran’s Administration pension payment cards were retrieved, which referenced monthly benefit payment amounts to Harriet Cowherd. Links to the VA pension payment cards are included in the Peter Cowherd family tree.
An 1879 letter to the commissioner of pensions, documented Harriet’s application for payment for benefits in arrears. In 1916, she applied for an increase in pension benefits, based on the first section of the Act of September 8, 1916. She wrote another letter regarding an increase per the act of 1926, in July 1926. The pension file includes a document showing her pension rate at $50 per month, commencing in August 1926.
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: Harriet A Maiden Name: Barbee?
Wife #2 First Name: Maiden Name:
Wife #3 First Name: Maiden Name:
Children: Charles Cowherd aka Barbee 1855
Elizabeth (Harriet) Cowherd 1857
Anne (Mary) Cowherd 1859
Stephen Cowherd aka Barbee 1861
Family Notes:
Peter and Harriet were parents to four children, listed above. At some point, after 1870, Harriet and her two sons were known by the Barbee surname. This surname may have been a name associated with Harriet’s family members; however, no documentation was retrieved to support the source of the name. Elizabeth Harriet, the second oldest child married Charles M. Durrett by 1880. Charles appears to have been the last surviving child of Peter and Harriet, as Harriet’s 1910 enumeration noted she had one surviving child by that year.
Family Tree:
1870 Census
1870 Census Link: View
1870 Profession: Keeping of House
1870 Live with/near former enslaver? No
1870 Real Estate Value: 1500 1870 Personal Estate Value:
1870 Ability to Read? Unknown Ability to Write? Unknown
1870 Census Notes:
Harriet Cowherd and her children were enumerated in the household of Stephen Barbee in Taylor County, KY. Stephen’s real estate was valued as $1,500. Stephen’s age was 66 and his occupation was farmer. No relationships were documented during the 1870 census enumeration; however, the noted ages of Stephen Barbee and Harriet Cowherd (33) indicate the possibility of a familial relationship.
1880 Census
1880 Census Link: View
1880 Profession: Keeping House
1880 Live with/near former enslaver? No
1880 Ability to Read? Unknown Ability to Write? Unknown
1880 Census Notes:
Harriet Cowherd was enumerated as Harret A Barbee in the 1880 census. Her son, Stephen named as Barbee and daughter Harret and son-in-law, Chas M. Durett resided in the household with Harriet. Harriet’s son, Charles resided in the adjacent household with his presumed wife, Elizabeth. The surname was listed as Barbee.
1890 Census
1890 Census information not found
1900 Census
1900 Census Link: View
1900 Profession: Farmer
1900 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1900 Own/Rent: Own 1900 Home Free/Mortgage: Free 1900 Farm/House: Farm
1900 Census Notes:
Harriet A Barbee aka Cowherd was enumerated as owner of a farm, free of mortgage. Her son, Charley Barbee was enumerated in an adjacent household.
1910 Census
1910 Census Link: View
1910 Profession: Farmer
1910 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1910 Own/Rent: Own 1910 Home Free/Mortgage: Free 1910 Farm/House: Farm
1910 Census Notes:
Harret A Barbee was enumerated as owner of a farm in 1910 Taylor County, KY. Her listing noted she had given birth to five children with one surviving. Charley, her son resided in an adjacent household with his wife, Bettie and son, William.
1920 Census
1920 Census Link: View
1920 Profession: None
1920 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1920 Own/Rent: Own 1920 Home Free/Mortgage: Free 1920 Farm/House: Farm
1920 Census Notes:
Harriet A Barbee aka Cowherd was enumerated in the household of her son, Charley. By 1920, Charley was noted as the owner of the farm. Harriet’s age was listed as 84. A Cook Barbee, age 74 was enumerated in an adjacent household in 1920, and was noted in 1910 and 1900, residing in nearby households. No relationship to Harriet was documented; however, the common surname, Barbee implies a possible familial relationship.
Enslaver Information
Name: Richard Cowherd Location: Green County, KY
Previous Enslaver:
Enslaver Notes:
Richard Cowherd’s slave schedule listings extended over two pages for 1850 with a total of 18 enslaved persons. This number increased to 25 by 1860. He was widowed by 1880, and he died in 1881.
1850 Enslaver Census
1850 Census Link: View
1850 Slave Schedule Link: View
1850 Number of Enslaved: 18
1860 Enslaver Census
1860 Census Link: View
1860 Real Estate Value: 7138 1860 Personal Estate Value: 14150
1860 Slave Schedule Link: View
1860 Number of Enslaved: 25
1870 Enslaver Census
1870 Census Link: View
1870 Real Estate Value: 9948 1870 Personal Estate Value: 4000
1880 Enslaver Census
Compensation Information
Compensation Application not found