Description
The bodies of the two men who were drowned Saturday afternoon near the bridge have not yet been recovered, although many efforts have been made to that end.
The men (both colored) are named, respectively, John Brown and Joseph Merrill. The former resided on Ottawa street, between Third and Fourth, and the home of the latter was on Dacotah between Third and Fourth streets.
They both leave large families, who looked to them for support. Green Oldham is the name of the man who escaped.
(Researcher's note: John Brown had enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas, on August 8, 1862, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company D.
On January 7, 1867, James Ellison of Buchanan County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #113 for enlisted slave John Brown and swore an oath of allegiance before and swore an oath of allegiance before Buchanan County Notary Public J. C. Robidoux. Ellison claimed he had acquired title to John by being "...born and raised in the family from a slave woman named Mary.")Date(s) of Creation
4/4/1867
