Description
Benjamin Smith enlisted at St. Louis, Missouri on August 20, 1863 and was mustered in as a Private in the 56th USCT Infantry, Company F. On December 26, 1866, Horace Nolen of Buena Vista, Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #3845 for an enlisted slave named Benjamin Smith and swore an oath of allegiance before Buchanan County notary public Robert Boyle.
Nolen claimed title to Benjamin Smith because "... he was born my slave, his mother Rosa also my slave having purchased her AD 1830 from Adam Smith of Holly Springs, Mississippi."
W. L. Chadwick and Samuel D. Talbot of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, testified under oath that Horace Nolen had owned Benjamin for "5 years" and also swore that Nolen was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Buchanan County notary public Robert Boyle certified that Nolen, Chadwick, and Talbot had appeared before him and under oath swore to the facts and truthfulness of the claim. Claim appears to be a form from the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co., Washington, DC. (Horace Nolen was listed as an enslaver on the 1850 Platte County Slave Schedule)Date(s) of Creation
12/26/1866
