Description
Austin Clark enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas, on March 13, 1863, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company H. On December 1, 1866, John D. Pepper of Marshall Township, Platte County, Missouri signed claim for compensation #157 for enlisted slave Austin Clark and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public James J. Hitt in Weston, Missouri.
Pepper claimed he had acquired title to Austin Clark by "...purchase from the Administrator of the Estate of Notley Duvall at Platte City, Missouri, at the November term of Platte City, Missouri, public sale, in the month aforesaid, in the year 1855." (Note: Notley Duvall died in April 1852 and John D. Pepper was the Administrator)
James H. Griffith and James A. Miller testified under oath that Pepper had owned Austin for "5 years." Benjamin Bonifant and J. W. Steele of Platte County swore that Pepper was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County notary public James J. Hitt in Weston, Missouri, certified that Pepper, Griffith, Miller, Bonifant, and Steele had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. Platte County Circuit Court Clerk George W. Belt certified that James J. Hitt was a notary public on December 1, 1866. Pepper gave power of attorney to the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co., Washington, DC, to prosecute his claim.Date(s) of Creation
12/1/1866
