Title: Petition of Benjamin K. Morsell, 2 May 1862

Date: May 2, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 2. The original document is held in the Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, 1775–1978, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 217.6.5. Within the National Archives' Archival Description Catalog, see ARC Identifier 4644616 / MLR Number A1 347 (http://arcweb.archives.gov).

Civil War Washington ID: cww.00005

TEI/XML: cww.00005.xml

 

PETITION.

To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."

Your Petitioner, Benjamin K. Morsell of Maryland by this his petition in writing, represents and states, that he is a person loyal to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, held a claim to service or labor against a person discharged therefrom by said act a person of African descent of the name of William Dodson for and during the life of said William Dodson and that by said act of Congress said William Dodson was discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said William Dodson was of the age of thirty two years and of the personal description following:(1) a tall Black man strong and healthy, free from disease so far as [his?] knowledge extends. His height is, probably, from five feet, ten inches, to six feet. He is of spare build and his impression is that he will weigh 150 or 160 lbs or thereabouts.

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said William Dodson in manner following:(2) He was born his slave his mother being his property at the time of his birth. He was born in the city of Washington in the District of Columbia, and has resided in said city continually from that time to the present.

That your petitioner's belies as his claim to the service or labor of said William Dodson was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3) He has always been strictly honest and perfectly trustworthy. He is also a sober and industrious man and, you petitioner believes, a professor of religion. He has been in the employ of different brick layers for some fifteen or sixteen years, and though his usual occupation has been carrying the [lead?] or cart-driving, yet he has informed petitioner that he has sometimes been engaged in paving.—He has done small jobs of [cart driving?] for petitioner. He is a generally useful man. In early life he [illegible] at Hotels as a dining room servant. He knows of no infirmities or defects of said Dodson, moral, mental or bodily which impair the value of his claim to his service or labor

Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he has not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioner further states and alleges, that he has not brought said "slave" into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said "slave" was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioner further states and alleges, that his said claim to the service or labor of said "slave" does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against the Government of the United States.

And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of his said claim to the service or labor of said William Dodson herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they appraise and apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to the provisions of said act of Congress.

(Signed by)
B. K. Morsell
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Benjamin K. Morsell being duly sworn, do depose and say, that all the several matters and things which are set forth and stated in the foregoing petition, as of my own knowledge, are true in substance and in fact; and that all the several other matters and things therein set forth and stated, as from the information of others, I believe to be true in substance and in fact.

(Signed by)
B. K. Morsell

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 1st day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Gilbert L Giberson J.P.
5
Petition of Benj K. Morsell to Commissioners, under Act Apl 16, 1862 for release of certain persons held to service or labor in Distr of Col to apportion his claim to service of William Dodson, in money
Witnesses Wm H. Beall
J. B. Morsell
Filed by R. L. Morsell Esq
May 2d 1862


 Note (1.)-- Here describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than one slave, describe each one separately.

 Note (2.)-- Here state how the claim was acquired, when, from whom, and for what price or consideration; and, if held under any written evidence of title, make exhibit thereof, or refer to the public record where the same may be found.

 Note (3.)-- Here state such facts, if any there be, touching the value of the petitioner's claim to the service or labor of the person, as may enhance the same, and also such facts, if any, touching the moral, mental, and bodily infirmities or defects of said person, as impair the value of the petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and conclude such statement with an averment that the petitioner knows of no other infirmities or defects of said person which impair the value of petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and that he believes none other to exist. If the petitioner specify no such infirmity or defect, then his statement touching the value of his claim should conclude with an averment that he has no knowledge of any such infirmity or defect.

Transcription and encoding: Susan C. Lawrence, Janel Cayer, Adam Minakowski, Robert Voss, and Brittany Jones.