Research by Shannon Gorman http://www.msmarion.com
Catherine Willoughby, I. M. Fortenberry, and Malvina Black appeared before Commissioner C. N. Wilson on 14 Nov 1873.

Catherine Willoughby filed a claim for $240 for Horse and Beef taken by General Davidson’s troops in December 1864.
Residence- Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi
Claim filed by Counsel- J. M. H.  Martin
One sorrel mare- 14 ½ hands high and one large cow
Taken by  Major General Davidson of the Gulf Army, U. S. Army (Union), stationed at Baton Rouge, Louisiana,  5th or 6th of December 1863.
Claim filed with Chancery Clerk, John Applewhite
Witnessed by : Warren Willoughby (son); Irvin Fortenberry, Walter Webb, and Malvina Black (daughter, wife of John Black)

On 19 Oct 1874
Depositions were received from ex-commissioner Wilson after the time fixed by the circular of May 25, 1874 for receiving them and are subject to rejection if the Commission so determines

24 June 1875
Fee of $7.50 was due
Testimony of Claimant- pages 1- 6
I. M. Fortenberry pages 7- 8
Malvina Black pages 8-9
Special commission was Curt? Wilson

Testimony of Catherine Willoughby 14 November 1873
Catherine Willoughby being duly sworn doth testify that my married name is Catherine Willoughby. I am 64 years of age, reside in Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi and am by occupation engaged in domestic duties.

I have lived right in this town (Columbia) nearly all my life continuously for a full 40 years at least in my own home and lot. Our place consists of but 3 or 4 acres of land.

She was then asked a long series of questions, to which only the answers are given.

Answer to Question 30: “I had five sons in the Confederate Army. My oldest son Fielding K. was killed in the sortie near Nashville. My other sons all lived to get out. Their names are William, Wesley, Warren and Theodore. The later (Theodore) is now living in Baton Rouge, LA and the rest of them are living right in this county. I furnished them clothing several times while they were in the army, not anything else in the way of money or military equipment. They went in the start and served all thru the war. I was opposed to them going, but it was no use, they were determined to go. My son Warren was only 14 when he enlisted.”

More short answers to unknown questions.

Answer to Question 40: “I was opposed to the war from the beginning to the ending and never believed in it. I never believed it was right and always said the sinners would be whipped and I prayed and begged the people not to vote for succession but when the state and people were out of the union, I wanted them whipped for not listening to me.  I never wanted to see the union broken up- and I said to them, the people, that never ought to have a separate government- that if they felt that they must fight- they ought to have done so under the U. S. flag and then if they were whipped they would not be out of the union. They got whipped and I must say there are numbers of the people I am not sorry for- They helped bring on the war and brought the evil upon the heads of the innocent.”

Answer to Question 41:  “From the beginning to the ending of the war I was constantly in favor the U. S. succeeding and I have never done anything to injure it’s Cause and I as far as I was able I done and tried to do all I could in favor of the government, the only thing I done against it was when I sent my sons clothing. This I could ha------- had I to have sacrificed everything I was worth, when I saw that I could not keep them out of the army- and they had got in, then I tried to help them all that I could- and I never believed they were right fighting against the Union.

Answer to Question 42: “I was married more than 40 years ago. My husband died 26th day of July 1869. He was then 79 years of age. I cannot say whether he was loyal to the U. S. or not, when our sons volunteered he did not try to keep them back. He said as long as all the others were going they could do as they pleased. I never heard him say anything for or against the government. He was strictly neutral. I have already given the names of my fives son, interrogatory 30, all were in the army. The property that I make claim for was my own personal, individual property. I held an individual note upon a mare a gentle named Clark- and I compromised the amount of it- for the mare, she was my riding animal- the cow I raised from a calf. I had also owned the mother. The names of my children interested in this claim.”

 In relationship to the property the claimant states in the month of December 1864 General Davidson with several thousand men came to Columbia. They arrived on a Sunday about an hour before sundown and left the next day Monday. They came from Baton Rouge and were headed in the direction of Mobile, and upon Monday as they were passing out I had my mare tied to the poling. An officer spied her, and said to a black soldier to go and get that animal. The soldier jumped off a mule he was riding and took a rope and made a halter out of it and put it over her head and lead her out of the barns and into the road and got on her back and galloped after the crowd. My cow was caught up right in the road near the corner of the yard and driven off with a great gang of cattle. I swore no complaint about the mare. I did not have a chance. I did complain to an officer about the cow and he said “Madam it is my orders to take all beef cattle”, and then went on without saying anything more. This taking of the mare was about midday and the cow was taken early in the evening. The mare was common size in good order. I had owned her for six years. She was worth $90 or $100 and was about ten years old. The cow was a large cow as far as she could be, young and fine. I would not have taken $50 for her. She would have made excellent beef. She was not giving milk at the time she was taken. I asked for no receipt for any of the property taken. I am the actual owner of it. I never received one cent of pay for any of it.  No other person is interested in the claim. I am a citizen of the United States and have never been bankrupt. I have never made a claim before any other department of the government for the property and it is the only property taken from me by the U. S. troops. General Davidson’s command was composed of U. S. cavalry, both black and white.

Catherine Willoughby signed by third party at her request for she was extremely nervous.
Sworn and transcribed 14 November 1873 C. N. Wilson

Testimony of Irwin M. Fortenberry

Irwin M. Fortenberry being duly sworn doth depose and say  name is Irwin M. Fortenberry. I am 59 years of age, reside 3 miles from  Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi and am by occupation a farmer.
I became acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby about 15 years since, about that time I moved to my present place and they were residing in Columbia, and during the war we both resided in the same place, a distance apart of about 3 miles. Mrs. Willoughby used to visit my house frequently during the war. I think she regarded me as a union man, but of this I cannot speak definitely.  I do not recollect now of conversing with the claimant about the war and cannot speak with any degree of certainty of her opinions, only my impressions was that she was opposed to it. I do not know how her neighbors regarded her or whether she was threatened or persecuted on account of her union sentiments. I regard her as rather a prudent woman and if she entertained union sentiments, she was careful in relation to expressing herself as their expression could do no particular good but much harm after the war commenced.

Irvin M. Fortenberry signed by himself
Sworn and subscribed before me at Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi November 14, 1873
Curt? Wilson

Testimony of Malvina Black 14 Nov 1873

Malvina Black being duly sworn doth depose and say  name is Malvina Black. I am 34 years of age, reside in Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi and during the war resided in the house next to the one occupied by Mrs. Willoughby. I knew she owned a sorrel mare, a good medium sized animal- and a large, fat cow. I saw them both in her yard the day before the Yankees passed, and when they had passed she came over to my house and told me they had taken off the mare and the cow. I knew that she was in possession of an owned the mare for several years and had been in the habit of ----- both the mare and the cow frequently. I never saw either after- this taking around the winter- before Peace was declared. I think it was Dec 1864. I am satisfied they were both taken by the Yankees and I never saw them afterwards and Mrs. Willoughby described most particularly to me how they were taken and at the time they were missed there was a great deal of livestock taken- the Command was composed of a large body of  U. S. Calvary, several thousand of them, and they stripped the county as far as they went.  I do not know if Mrs. Willoughby received anything or not for the property taken. I am not interested in this claim.
Signed her own name Malvina Black
Sworn and subscribed before me at Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi November 14, 1873  C. N. Wilson

Claim was disallowed, she did not receive compensation for the mare and cow.

Commissioner wrote:
“Claimant is a widow whose husband died in 1869, She thinks he was war neutral.  She swears she was war Loyal. She had five sons in the Confederate Army and furnished them with clothing.
The evidence in support of her loyalty is weak and insufficient and unsatisfactory amounting in part to nothing more than her own assertion. We reject the claim.”

Transcribed by Shannon Gorman, descendant of Catherine Cooper Willoughby.

Malvina Black was her daughter.

Publication Number: M1407
Publication Title: Southern Claims Commission
State: Mississippi
County: Marion
Claimant: Catherine Willoughby
Claim Number: 12389
Claim Date: 16 Mar 1872
Page: 1
Roll Number: 042
Collection Title: Southern Claims Commission