1866-1867 U.S. Colored Troops Slave Compensation Claims
Archive Items Details
Description
Willis Franklin enlisted at Carrollton, Missouri, with the 83rd USCT Infantry, Company F, on December 14, 1863. He was 18 years old, 5 foot 7 inches tall and enlisted as a farmer. On December 1, 1866, John W. Bywaters, agent for Erastus E. Bywaters "who is in the mountains" signed claim for compensation #302 and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County Court Clerk Daniel P. Lewis.
John W. Bywaters claimed Erastus Bywaters had acquired title to Willis Franklin when "...that the said Willis Franklin was given to him by his father John C. Bywaters in February 1854."
John C. Bywaters and James M. Anderson testified under oath that Erastus E. Bywaters had owned Willis Franklin for "8 years" and swore that Erastus E. Bywaters was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County Court Clerk Daniel P. Lewis certified that John W. Bywaters, John C. Bywaters and James Anderson all appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. John W. Bywaters gave power of attorney to the law firm of James Craig of St. Joseph, Missouri.
Date(s) of Creation
12/1/1866
Other Names and Numbers
Other Names
Name Type
Enslaved
Other Name
Franklin, Willis
Name Type
Free Blacks
Other Name
Franklin, Willis
Name Type
Enslaver
Other Name
Bywaters, E. E. (by agent John W. Bywaters)
Other Numbers
Number Type
Source Citation
Other Number
Military Service Records of United States Colored Troops: 56th-138th USCT Infantry, 1864-1866: (Franklin, Willis, SCC Claim #0302)
