Description
Austin Lewis enlisted at Leavenworth, Kansas, on July 19, 1863, and was mustered as a Private into the 83rd USCT Infantry, Company C. On December 1, 1866, Robert P. S. Elley of Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #287 for enlisted slave Austin Lewis and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public John Wilson.
Elley claimed he had acquired title to Austin Lewis by “…being the owner of the mother of said slave at the time of his birth and the said Robert P. S. Elley owned said Austin Louis from the time of his birth up to the time of his enlistment into the military service of the United States.”
Austin Louis (Lewis) and Willis Granville (former slaves of Robert P. S. Elley) of Platte County swore under oath that Elley had owned Austin Lewis for “more than 15 years" and also swore oath that Elley was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. B. R. (Benjamin R.) Vineyard attested Louis and Granville's signatures. Platte County notary public John Wilson certified that Elley, Louis, and Willis had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. Elley gave power of attorney to the law firm of James Craig of St. Joseph, Missouri, to prosecute his claim for compensation.Date(s) of Creation
12/1/1866
