William Taylor Dennis affidavit for Williams Camp's ownership of Shepherd.
William T Dennis, Affidavit, July 10, 1856, "Utah, State Archives Records, 1848-2001," Salt Lake > Court records 1856 > image 699of 1228; State Archives, Salt Lake City
Terytory of Utah
County of Great Salt Lake
Personally appeared before me W. I. Appleby Clerk of the first Juditial district Courth of the United States for the Terytory of Utah Wm. T Dennis after being duly qualified & deposeth and saith that his personal acquaintance commenced with Williams Camp at St Louis, Misarie some time in the Spring of 1854 and that he had with him at that time a certain negro boy named shepherd claimed him as the said negro boy shepherd as his property as a slave for life the boy shepherd Recognising the said Camp as his master deponent further states he was in company with Camp and said boy Shep some two or three weeks at St Louis at the time above refered to. then traviled the great portion of the way (and over Land Rout) from St Louis to St Joseph Mo since my arival in the vally of the Great Salt Lake on the 22nd day of August 1855 our acquaintance with the said Camp and boy Shep has bin Renewed and I never heard Camps title to the boy Shepherd Questioned at any time
Wm T Dennis
Subscribed and sworn to before me this third day of July AD 1856
W I Appleby Clerk
p Curtis E Bolton
Deputy