Title: Petition of A. Richards, 8 May 1862
Date: May 8, 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.00097
TEI/XML: cww.00097.xml
1 slave for life—1 for 8 years
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, A. Richards of Washington D.C 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 person of African descent of the name of Francis Ignatius Gardner German Ignatius Green (for ten years service) for and during the life of said persons and that by said act of Congress said persons 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 persons was of the ages of [blank] and of the personal description following:(1)
- Francis Ignatius Gardner male aged about 45 years medium size rather stout, healthy and an affection of the right eye a good brickyard hand——
- German Ignatius Green, male aged about 19 years about 5 ft 7 In high a bright mulatto healthy active and good looking
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) Francis Ignatius Gardner was willed by Mrs Elizabeth Montgomery to Petitioners wife.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3) Kno of no moral mental or bodily infirmes or defects other then that stated
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 persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons 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 persons 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 persons 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.
A Richards
Know all men by these presents that I Henry Green of the City of Washington and District of Columbia in consideration of the sum of Six Hundred dollars to me in hand paid by Thomas A. Richards and Alfie Richards of the same City have bargain and sold and do hereby bargain and sell to the said Thomas A Richards and Alfie Richards their executors administrators and assigns this his servant boys one named German Ignatius Green aged about seventeen years, & Henry Francis Green about fifteen years of age the sum respectively each of them the said German & Henry for a term of ten years from the 1st day of April 1860 fully to the complete and ended
And I do hereby manumit, discharge, and set free from all servitude and slavery the said German Ignatius and Henry Francis, from and after the first day of April Eighteen Hundred and Seventy
Witness my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of March Eighteen Hundred and Sixty
his X mark Henry Green seal
Signed, sealed and delivered
F. I. Murphey
Saml. F. Clemens
Be it known that on this 28 day of March 1860, before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid personally appeared Henry Green, and acknowledged the following deed of this act and deed
Given under my hand and seal this 28th day of March 1860
F. I. Murphey J P Seal
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, A. Richards 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.
A. Richards
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 8th day of May A. D. 1862.
Wm. R. Woodward clk of Commissioners
Petition of A. Richards
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.
