Title: Petition of Thomas Scrivener, 6 May 1862

Date: May 6, 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.00062

TEI/XML: cww.00062.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, Thomas Scrivener of Washington City District of Columbia 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 two persons of African descent of the names of Linda or Linda Harris and Edward Maddox for and during the life of said Linda and Edward and that by said act of Congress said Linda and Edward wasere discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Linda and Edward was ere of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1)

  • 1st Linda or Linda Harris, female, slave for life; aged about thirty (30) years; of an olive brown complexion with full suit of hair, free spoken and intelligent
  • 2nd Edward Maddox, male, slave for life; aged about seventeen (17) years; of very dark complexion, long and narrow head and face; short knotty hair and slow in speech.

Your petition also represents that said Linda and Edward still voluntarily remain at his house No 16 A street North Capital Hill Washington D.C. where they may be inspected or summoned, and any further facts touching them may be ascertained by the Commissioners.
 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Linda and Edward in manner following:(2)

The title to said Linda or Linda Harris was conveyed to me by instrument of writing bearing the date the 15th day of July A.D. 1840, and duly recorded in Liber W.B. No 80 folios 73 & 74 one of the land records for Washington County in the District of Columbia, and for the valuable consideration of two hundred (200) dollars
Said Edward Maddox was conveyed to me by instrument of writing from Sarah Ann Landreth in consideration of the sum of three hundred dollars, of date the 26 day of July A.D. 1859 and duly recorded in Liber J. A. S. no 189 folio 37 one of the land records of Washington County in the District of Columbia

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Linda was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of about eight hundred dollars in money.(3)

Said Linda has been in my family 21 years; is intelligent, honest and has been carefully taught; is an excellent cook, washerwoman or nurse. During the past year she has had occasional attacks of rheumatism; and is at intervals troubled with weakness of the breast, but has never been compelled to abandon her usual duties. Your petitioner knows of no other moral or mental or physical infirmities, and he believes none then to exist. Said Linda is assessed on the tax books of the Corporation of Washington for the year 1861 at $600. I believe her to be worth about $800.
Said Edward is worth in service and labor to your petitioner about one thousand ($1000) dollars. He has for 3 years past been taught and employed as an assistant in my store and for general domestic purposes, and is intelligent and trustworthy. He is strong and healthy and to the best of my knowledge has no chronic disease; and I know of no moral, mental or physical infirmity in him. He is assessed on the tax books of the Corporation of Washington for the year 1861 at $600.

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 Linda and Edward into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Linda and Edward was ere 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 Linda and Edward 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 Linda and Edward 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)
Thomas Scrivener
[ Capital Hill No 16 ?]
 

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

District of Columbia,
Washington County, ss.

I, Thomas Scrivener 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)
Thomas Scrivener

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 6th day of May A.D. 1862

(Signed by)
B. W. Ferguson J.P
for the County and District aforesaid
61
Petition of
Thomas Scrivener
concerning slaves
Edward & Lunida
Witnesses
Joesph Hedrick
A st. North bet​. Del. av. & 1st
street east
William A. Franklin
Cor​ 1st street E. & B st. North
Jacob Ashe
Del. ave. bet​ B & E sts.​ North

 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: Elizabeth Lorang, Susan C. Lawrence, Brittany Jones, Rhiannon Root, Robert Voss, and Janel Cayer.