Description
William McKee enlisted at Leavenworth, Kansas, on July 25, 1863, and was mustered as a Private into the 83rd USCT Infantry, Company A. On November 17, 1866, Melvin McKee of Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #129 for enlisted slave William McKee and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public James J. Hitt.
McKee claimed he had acquired title by “…the mother of said William McKee was owned by claimant and the said William McKee was born the property of claimant."
Benjamin Yocum and James Ellison of Platte County swore under oath that McKee had owned William McKee for “several years." Smith Calvert and James Ellison of Platte County also swore oath that McKee was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County notary public James J. Hitt Platte County certified that McKee, Yocum, Calvert and Ellison had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. McKee gave power of attorney to the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co. of Washington, DC, to prosecute his claim for compensation.Date(s) of Creation
11/17/1866
