Description
Jefferson Willis enlisted at Leavenworth, Kansas, on July 6, 1863, and was mustered as a Private into the 83rd USCT Infantry, Company A. On December 1, 1866, Robert P. S. Elley of Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #297 for enlisted slave Jefferson Willis and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public John Wilson.
Elley claimed he had acquired title by “…being the owner of the mother of said slave Jeff Willis at the time of his birth.”
Austin Louis (Lewis) and Willis Granville (USCT soldiers and former slaves of Robert P. S. Elley) of Platte County swore under oath that Elley had owned Jefferson Willis 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
