Description
Thomas Benton enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas on August 8, 1862, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company D. On November 3, 1866, Thomas Beaumont of Weston, Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #5 for enlisted slave Thomas Benton and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public James J. Hitt.
Beaumont claimed he had acquired title to Thomas by “…by purchase of John Shultz estate for the sum of $1250 in Platte County Missouri in the year 1855 at the sale of said John Shultz, deceased, conducted by his Administrator as will appear by the original Bill of Sale herewith filed marked "A.”
Exhibit A: "By virtue of an order of the Probate Court of Platte County, State of Missouri, I, George W. Bayliss as Administrator of the Estate of John G. Shultz, deceased, on the 13th day of April AD 1855, at the late residence of the deceased in said County of Platte proceeded to sell at public auction to the highest bidder, the slaves belonging to said deceased; and at said sale Thomas Beaumont, for the sum of $1200 (that being the highest bid offered) became the purchaser of the following slave, viz - a man named Tom aged about 30 years old. And the said Thomas Beaumont having secured the said purchase money according to the terms of the said sale, as the Administrator aforesaid, I do hereby bargain, sell and convey unto said Thomas Beaumont all the right, title, and interest of said John G. Schultz, deceased, in and to said above named slave. Witness my hand and seal as Administrator as aforesaid on this 11th day of August AD 1855. G. W. Baylis as Administrator of John G. Shultz."
William S. Bonnell and John S. Davis of Platte County swore under oath that Beaumont had owned Thomas for “8 years" and also swore oath that Beaumont was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County notary public James J. Hitt certified that Beaumont, Bonnell, and Davis had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim.Date(s) of Creation
11/3/1866
