Soldier Information

Name: John Wesley Burks
Alias: Burk
Place of Birth: Louisville Jefferson KY
Year of Birth: 1837
Occupation: Laborer
Eyes: Dark Hair: Dark Complexion: Mulatto
Height in Feet: 5 Inches: 9
View Ledger

Enlistment Information

Enlistment Date: February 27, 1865
Enlistment Place: Louisville
Enlistment State: KY

Compiled Military Service Record

Document: View
Congressional District: 5th
Company: B
Regiment(s): 125th Regt USCI
Mustered Where: Louisville, KY
Mustered Out Date: December 20, 1867
Rank at Muster Out: Private
Notes:

Soldier Death Information

Died in war? No
Military Death Date:
Military Death Location:
Military Cause of Death:
Death Date: May 31, 1915
Cause of Death: Nephritis
Death Certificate

Soldier Pension Information

Pension Card Link: Pension Card
Pension Application Date: September 4, 1891
Application No.: 1054103 Certificate No.: 999299
Alternate First Name: John Wesley Alternate Last Name:

Widow Pension Information

No widow pension card found

Other Family Pension Information

No other family pension card found

Pension File Information

Pension File:
Pensioners:   

Pensioner County:  Pensioner State: (Choose One)
Number of Pages:
Pension Notes:

Freedman’s Bank/Freedmen’s Bureau Information

Freedman’s Bank Link:
Freedman’s Bank Notes:

Notes from Freedmen’s Bureau Documents:

Family Information

Mother First Name:   Mother Maiden Name: 
Father First Name:   Father Last Name:
Siblings:

Wife #1 First Name: Charity Maiden Name: Purnell
Wife #2 First Name:  Maiden Name:
Wife #3 First Name:  Maiden Name:
Children:

Family Notes:
Family Tree:
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1870 Census

1870 Census information not found

1880 Census

1880 Census Link: View
1880 Profession:  Laborer
1880 Live with/near former enslaver?  No
1880 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write?  Cannot write
1880 Census Notes:

1890 Census

1890 Census information not found

1900 Census

1900 Census Link: View
1900 Profession:
1900 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1900 Own/Rent: Rent 1900 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1900 Farm/House: House
1900 Census Notes:

1910 Census

1910 Census Link: View
1910 Profession:
1910 Ability to Read? Cannot read Ability to Write? Cannot write
1910 Own/Rent: Rent 1910 Home Free/Mortgage: Unknown 1910 Farm/House: House
1910 Census Notes:

1920 Census

1920 Census information not found

Enslaver Information

Name: James Burks
Location: Louisville, KY
Previous Enslaver:
Enslaver Notes:

See research notes for Matilda Burks’ will, which names Wesley Burks and four other enslaved people.

1850 Enslaver Census

1850 Census Link: View
1850 Slave Schedule Link: View
1850 Number of Enslaved: 48

1860 Enslaver Census

1860 Census Link: View
1860 Real Estate Value: 125000
1860 Personal Estate Value: 10000
1860 Slave Schedule Link: View
1860 Number of Enslaved: 9

1870 Enslaver Census

1870 Census information not found

1880 Enslaver Census

1880 Census information not found

Compensation Information

Compensation Applied? No Compensation Received? No

Note: The Lincoln Administration offered compensation of $300 to enslavers in Kentucky and other Union states where slavery was still legal for each of their enslaved men that joined the Union Army. However to be eligible, they had to prove ownership of the soldier and have sworn testimony from others that they were loyal to the Union. Many applied, but were not approved for compensation payments.