Description
John Clay enlisted at Leavenworth, Kansas on July 14, 1863, and was mustered as a Private into the 83rd USCT Infantry, Company B. On November 19, 1866, Thomas Clay of Clinton County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #376 for enlisted slave John Clay and swore an oath of allegiance before Clinton County Notary Public James M. Riley.
Thomas Clay claimed he had acquired title by “…I bought the said John Clay alias Ellington of (Platte County enslaver) Pleasant W. Ellington in the year 1858 or 1859. The Bill of Sale in this State is not required by law to be recorded and it is mislaid among my papers."
Rice B. Davenport and Lewis L. Bennett of Clinton County swore under oath that Thomas Clay had owned John Clay for “4 years" and also swore oath that Thomas Clay was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Clinton County Notary Public James M. Riley certified that Thomas Clay, Davenport, and Bennett had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim.Date(s) of Creation
11/19/1866
