Affidavit-1865, January 2-A

To all whom. It may concern

   William Holmes of the City of Kansas, State of Missouri, formally of Shawnee Johnson County, Kansas, after being duly sworn, Says, that on the 4th day of July, A.D. 1861, a number of persons, composed of Citizens of Wyandotte county South of Kaw River &, of North Eastern part of Johnson County, & some Cit1zens of Missouri met near the junction of the Wyandotte, Kansas City & Shawnee Roads near Mr. Saviers to celebrate the anniversary of our National Independence. Mr. Cobb then Mayor of the City of Wyandotte, delivered the oration. During the exercises Rev. Thomas Johnson, formerly Superintendent of the Methodist mission, delivered a short address, in that address he very distinctly alluded to the Rebellion then having been inaugurated & the Secession of the Southern States, and distinctly disavowed sympathy or approval of their acts, condemned the movement as unjustifiable, and the insurgent movement as Rebellion without cause or justifiable provocation. Affiant recollects Mr. Johnson stating in unequivocal terms, that he should adhere to the flag of his country, & in that statement alluded to the reasons Why He would not & could not abandon his country & its flag, that he had indirectly been for long years, in official relations with it, had enjoyed its protection & fostering care in a Territory unorganized, & solely under the laws of the United States. Stating, that he owed to the Govt. fealty, love & support, for to it he was indebted for protection of person property & estate. And stating, for these reasons (& others, not as distinctly recollected) that he never could, nor would abandon hie country or its flag. Affiant recollects distinctly Mr. Cobb arising as Mr. Johnson took his seat & expressing his high gratification of the unequivocal stand Mr Johnson had taken for his country & its flag in its hour of peril, & of the noble sentiment of loyalty & patriotism to which he gave utterance. For a confirmation of’ the truth of the foregoing statements affiant would refer to Mr. Cobb now an officer of the U. S. A. stationed as the affiant is informed at “Fort Morgan” in Mobile Bay, & further deponent saith not

William Holmes.

Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 2nd day of January, 1865
Witness my hand and notarial seal

Franklin Putnam, Notary Public, Jackson Co., Mo.

[From Photostat copy in K.S.H.S.]