Gabriel Nelson was born into slavery in Marion County, Missouri. His master was Virginia born John Hollyman. Between the years 1850 – 1860 Hollyman owned a total of 33 slaves. Males and females of various ages. In 1857 John Hollyman gifted Gabriel to his son Harmon Hollyman.

Sometime between 1861 – 1863 Gabriel escaped from Hollyman making his way to Chicago where he found work as a coachman. In 1863 Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew had been given permission by President Lincoln to raise a regiment of infantry made up of free men of color and fugitive slaves.

To fill the ranks and have the finest men possible Governor Andrews turned to his friend George Stearns who produced the idea of opening recruiting stations throughout the northern states. Stearns then turned to John Mercer Langston to aid in the recruiting effort. Langston’s efforts were so successful that enough men were recruited to fill the ranks of two regiments. The first regiment was trained at Camp Meigs in Readsville, Massachusetts and mustered into the federal army as the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. Following on the footsteps of the 54th the remaining men were trained and mustered in as the 55th Massachusetts Infantry.

In the spring of 1863 as Gabriel worked as a coachman in Chicago, he encountered a gentleman who was acting as one of Langston’s recruiters. Gabriel along with ten others signed up and were forwarded to Camp Meigs for training in the 55th Massachusetts.

According to Gabriel Nelsons service record he enlisted at age 29. His eyes were brown, Hair was black. Complexion dark. Gabriel stated that he had been born in Marion County, Missouri and that he was a farmer. Gabriel was mustered on May 31, 1863. From October 1863 through January 1864, he was on detached service with the Pioneers (building roads, fortifications etc.). December 1864 through January 1865 Gabriel was left sick at Folly Island, South Carolina. After returning to his regiment in January of 1865 he was on picket duty at Long Island, South Carolina.

The 55th was involved in the following engagements:

South Carolina

  • Fort Lamar where they are credited with capturing two brass twelve-pound Napoleon cannon.
  • Honey Hill
  • Grimball’s Causeway
  • First Union troops to enter Charleston, South Carolina
  • Involved in the labor of building the platform that would hold the famous Swamp Angel siege cannon that shelled Charleston, South Carolina.

Gabriel was mustered out of the service in Charleston, South Carolina on August 29, 1865.

Within Gabriel’s service record papers there is a notation that states “Free on or before April 19, 1861”. This date and comment may indicate when Gabriel left Harmon Hollyman in Missouri and slavery.

After the war on December 13, 1866, Harmon Hollyman raised his right hand taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. At the same time, he filed a loss of private property for his former slave Gabriel Nelson. During the war slave holders within the border states could pledge their slaves service to the Union in return of a paid bounty. This was not the case with Gabriel and Hollyman. Gabriel had escaped from his master. All documents regarding payment or other compensation are blank indicating that no action was taken.

After the war Gabriel Nelson returned to Marion County, Missouri where he married a former slave by the name of America. America had been born into slavery and was the property of {Captain J. H. Suter ?}. She was born in Tennessee however her death certificate states Alabama on August 14, 1831. They were five children born to the marriage. Jane H., Emma, Samuel, George H. and Lafayette.

By 1880 Gabriel had moved his family across the river to Pike County, Illinois settling in Pittsfield. Local history states that he worked at Lloyd’s Hardware as a laborer. First National Bank as a porter and finally as a hostler for local physician Joseph H. Ledlie who had served as the surgeon for the 99th Illinois Infantry.

Gabriel Nelson died on May 12, 1907. At the time of his death, he was receiving a twelve dollar a month civil war pension. After his death America would move to Chicago to live with her sons. America died on October 14, 1921, in Zion City, Lake, Illinois. Her remains were returned to Pittsfield where she was buried next to her late husband on October 17, 1921 in West Cemetery, Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois.