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,
Margaret Ann Pierce
of
Montgomery County Md
by this her petition in writing, represents
and states, that 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 person of
African descent of the name of
Mary E Dorsey and Rose Dorsey
for and during the life of said persons and
that by said act of Congress said person were
discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or
labor; that at the time of said discharge said
Mary E Dorsey and Rose Dorsey
of the age of 23 and 26 Respectively and of
the personal description following:Here describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if
there be more than one slave, describe each one separately.
Mary E Dorsey aged 23 years Bright Mulatto 5 feet
high.
Rose Dorsey aged 26 years Dark Brown 5
feet high
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said in manner
following: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.
from my Grandmothers Estate I inherited the Mother and I
raised these two Mary & Rose
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 $1800 dollars in
money.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.
Mary is very healthy and has no mental or bodily
defects that would impair her value namely $1000
Rose is very healthy and has no mental
or bodily defects that would impair her value $800. They are both valuable house
servants
Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true
and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she 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 her 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
validity of her 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.
(Signed by)
Margaret A. Pierce