Description
William Allen enlisted at Fort Scott, Kansas on August 8, 1862, and was mustered as a Private into the 79th USCT Infantry, Company D. On December 29, 1866, James Steele of Platte County, Missouri, signed claim for compensation #268 for enlisted slave William Allen and swore an oath of allegiance before Platte County notary public James J. Hitt.
Steele claimed he had acquired title to William by “…purchase from Alfred Allen in the Fall of 1846 in Platte County, Missouri. Never received Bill of Sale.” Lemuel Hudson and Sidney Risk of Platte County swore under oath that Steele had owned William For “15 years."
David J. Thorp and Joseph Pence of Platte County also swore oath that Steele was loyal to the U.S. Government and had defended it against the Confederate States of America. Platte County notary public James J. Hitt certified that Steele, Hudson, Risk, Thorp, and Pence had personally appeared before him and swore an oath to the truth of the claim. Steele gave power of attorney to the law firm of Chipman, Hosmer & Co. of Washington, DC, to prosecute his claim for compensation.Date(s) of Creation
12/29/1866
