In 1995 I assisted a woman who was researching a family member who served in the USCT and according to family members he had received a Pension. She could not find him listed in the database of Soldiers and Sailors. I encouraged her to send for his Pension Record, because pension records are cross referenced with the Service Records.

When she received his Pension file it was listed with 2 names. The name he was known as after the War was listed first and the name he enlisted under as an alias. The surname he enlisted under was the surname of his "last slave owner", which was not the same "last slave owner" of other family members. The family had been separated and sold to different owners following the death of an owner in the 1850's prior to 1858.

Following the end of the War when he mustered out and returned to his family members they all took one surname, of apparently an earlier owner.

When he enlisted I am not sure whether his choice of surname of slave owner was his own or the choice of the enlistment officer who was ordered to list individuals with a first and last name.

I do know that after the War the family made their own choice, thats what Freedom means.

Selma