Civil War Washington

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, Eleazer Lindsley, of the 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 four Slaves persons of African descent of the names of respectively

1st. Sophia—	2nd Charles Henry otherwise called Osceola
3rd.Cecilia—	4th Thomas Sidney otherwise called Tecumseh

for and during the life of said four named Slaves and that by said act of Congress said four named Slaves were 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 four named Slaves were was of the ages of [no handwritten text supplied here] and of the personal description following:(1)

• 1st. Sophia a stout built woman—color black—height 5 ft. 3 in hair black—Eyes black—fifty-two years of age
• 2nd. Charles Henry, otherwise called Osceola—a stout built man—Color black—height 5 ft. 8 in—Hair black—Eyes black—twenty-one years of age
• 3rd. Cecilia a very large and stout framed girl—color black height 5 ft. [illegible] in—hair black—Eyes black—eighteen years of age
• 4th. Thomas Sidney—otherwise called Tecumseh—a remarkably intelligent boy—very active and strong—color black height 4 ft. 11 in—hair black—Eyes black.

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said four named slaves in manner following:(2) of Sophia, the first named person in this list whom I purchased of William [illegible] of the city of Washington, about twenty-eight years ago for the sum of three hundred dollars and of Charles Henry, otherwise called Osceola—and of Cecilia and of Thomas Sidney otherwise called Tecumseh, I respectively claim ownership of as children and descendants of the Slave woman Sophia. These three named children were all born in my house—and the mother of them has at no time been of my possession since I purchased her as aforesaid.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said four slaves was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of thirty one hundred dollars in money.(3) viz

   

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 four above described Slaves into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said four slaves were 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 four slaves 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 value of his said claim to the service or labor of said four slaves 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.