Description
James Johnson enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas on September 15, 1862, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company D.
On December 27, 1866, O. M. Spencer of Buchanan County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #122 for enlisted slave James Johnson and swore an oath of allegiance before Buchanan County Notary Public J. C. Robidoux.
Spencer claimed he had acquired title to James Johnson by being “…born and raised in the family."
John N. Smith and James H. Combs of Dekalb, Buchanan County, swore under oath that Spencer had owned Franklin for “20 years" and also swore oath that Spencer was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Buchanan County Notary Public J. C. Robidoux certified that Spencer, Smith, and Combs had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim.
Spencer gave power of attorney to the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co. of Washington, DC, to prosecute his claim for compensation. (O. M. Spencer and numerous other Spencers were Platte County enslavers.)Date(s) of Creation
12/27/1866
