Description
John Yokum (Yoakum) enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas on August 2, 1862, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company D. On November 13, 1866, Benjamin R. Morton, Administrator of the Estate of David Hunt, deceased, of Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #164 for enlisted slave John Yokum and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County Circuit Court Clerk George W. Belt.
Benjamin R. Morton claimed the Estate of David Hunt had acquired title to John by “...purchase from W. Y. Yocum on the 12th day of February 1855." Letters of Administration filed by Benjamin R. Morton identify Mr. S. P. Morton, Mrs. Ann Likins, John G. Sutton, Elizabeth Merryman, David Hunt, Jr., Mrs. H. E. Queen, William H. Hunt, Mrs. Mary F. McClure, and Robert F. Hunt as being heirs to David Hunt's estate.
Richard F. Gaines and Franklin Y. Flanary swore under oath on January 4, 1867, before Platte County Circuit Court Clerk George W. Belt that the Hunt heirs were loyal to the U.S. Government. William H. Spratt and Marion Todd of Platte County swore under oath that Hunt had owned John for “8 years." Hugh Swaney and Richard J. Darnall of Platte County also swore oath that Hunt was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County Circuit Court Clerk George W. Belt certified that Morton, Spratt, Todd, Swaney, and Darnall had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. Benjamin Morton gave power of attorney to the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co. of Washington, DC, to prosecute the claim for compensation.Date(s) of Creation
11/13/1866
