One Tiny Clue, One Huge Discovery: The Story of Appy Mapp

💡 In genealogy, the smallest detail can open the door to an extraordinary story. That’s exactly what happened when I stumbled across a Civil War pension record for my great (2x) grandfather, Appy Mapp—a soldier in the U.S. Colored Cavalry.

What looked like a simple record turned into a gold mine of history, family, and mystery.

📚 My First National Genealogy Conference

Back in 2015, I attended my very first National Genealogy Conference hosted by the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.

It was an incredible experience—experts from across the country shared wisdom, and I even got to hear from keynote speakers like former Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder and PBS’s Genealogy Roadshow host Kenyatta Berry.

One of the most memorable workshops was U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) Widows Pension Applications led by Bernice Bennett (visit her site here). To my surprise, Bernice later discovered—through DNA testing—that she’s actually related to my wife!

Between sessions, I mentioned a Civil War pension record I had found for my great-grandfather Appy. It only had a service number, nothing more. To me, it seemed like a dead end. Bernice instantly recognized it for what it was and offered to dig deeper when she returned to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

That conversation changed everything.

🧬 A Gold Mine of Records

When Bernice followed up, she didn’t just find a record. She uncovered 234 images of Appy’s pension documents.

Holding those records felt like holding fragments of his life. They revealed:

• Names and locations of previously unknown relatives

• Glimpses into the social structure of Accomack County, Virginia

• Stories that left me both curious and amazed

These weren’t just papers—they were voices across time.

📜 Discovering History Through Family

To be honest, I had never been deeply interested in Civil War history. But learning that I had an ancestor who not only lived during that time but also fought in the war changed everything.

I had lived and worked in Virginia, surrounded by battlefields, without realizing that Appy himself may have fought on those very grounds.

His file also pushed me to study the Eastern Shore of Virginia and its role in the Civil War. I realized genealogy isn’t just about family—it’s about connecting personal stories to larger history.

❓ The Mystery of Appy’s Injury

Here’s where the story takes a turn:

The pension records raised a question that still has no clear answer—
👉 Was Appy wounded in battle or not?

The documents include testimonies from:

• Prominent local whites

• Military officers

• Doctors

• Friends and family

Some swore he was shot during the war. Others claimed he wasn’t. Then, another layer: some witnesses testified that after the war, he may have accidentally shot himself while in the woods (possibly hunting).

The truth may never be known. What I do know is that Appy’s health was poor after the war, and his hardships were real.

🦸🏾‍♂️A Hero in the Family

Whether or not he was shot in battle, Appy Mapp remains a hero in my eyes. He served his country in one of the most turbulent times in our nation’s history, faced unimaginable challenges, and left behind a legacy that reshaped how I see both genealogy and history.

That “tiny clue” in his pension record opened up an entire world of discovery.

🔍 Your Turn: Who Are the Heroes in Your Family?

Genealogy has a way of turning ordinary names into extraordinary stories.

✨ Who are the hidden heroes in your family waiting to be discovered?