Civil War Washington

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

The Petition of Peter Von Essen, of Georgetown D.C. respectfully shews, that he is a person loyal to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the Act of Congress aforesaid, held a claim to service or labor against certain persons of African descent, for and during their lives, who were discharged from such claim, by said act, that he has caused said persons to be carefully valued by disinterested persons and they are of the names, description and values following, viz:

 

Name	Color	age	height	value
Rosannah Lee,	black,	45 yrs,	4 ft 11 ½ in.	$500.
George Lee	mulatto	23 "	5, 7,	800.
Addie Lee	"	20 "	5, 1,	800.
Cornelia Savage	"	19 "	5 3 ⅛,	800.
Alice Savage	"	13 "	4, 10 ¾	700.
Hester Savage	"	11 "	4, 2 ¼,	500.
Harriet Savage	"	10 "	4, 1 ½,	300.,
Wm Savage	"	6 "	3, 2 ½,	200,
Hamilton Savage	"	5 "	3, 1,	150,
Malinda Hawkins	black	62 "	4, 10,	150,
Martha Hawkins	"	30 "	4, 10,	800,
Lewis Hawkins	"	25 "	5 " ½ "	800.
Isaac Hawkins	"	24 "	5 " 2 ¾	800.
				7,300.
Names	Color	Age	height	value
				amt​ over 7,300—
Chas. Hawkins,	mulatto,	12 yrs	4 ft 2 ¾ in.	$700.
Emily Hawkins	"	10 "	3 " 11 ½"	600.
Henry Hawkins	"	8 "	3 " 10 ¼"	500.
Geo. Hawkins	"	7 "	3 " 8 ½	450—
Ellen Hawkins	"	5 "	3 " 2 ¼	300.
Jas. Hawkins	"	4 "	3 " 1 "	300.
Matthias Hawkins	"	9 mos.	2 " 5 "	50.
				$10,200.

He further shews, that he acquired his title to Rosannah Lee by purchase, when she was ten years old, and his title to Malinda Hawkins, by purchase, many years ago, and that all the rest of the persons above named are the children or grandchildren of those two; that the value of his claim to said persons is as above set forth and he knows of no mental, moral or bodily defect or infirmity in said persons calculated to impair that value.
He further shews that he has also a claim to the labor or service of certain other persons of African descent, as creditor and mortgagee, by virtue of a certain deed of trust from Eleanor R Lang to Walter S. Cox, dated July 19, 1858, and recorded in Liber J. A. S. No. 158 fol. 227, of the Land Records of the County of Washington D.C.   whereby said persons were conveyed in trust to secure a certain debt of said Eleanor R Lang to your Petitioner, being the sum of two thousand six hundred and forty five 92/100 dollars, with interest from July 9, 1858, and the additional sum of two thousand four hundred and sixty six 88/100 dollars, without interest, which amounts constitute the value of your petitioner's claim upon said persons. For names, descriptions and values of said persons, your petitioner refers to the separate petition of Eleanor R Lang, accompanying his own.

Your Petitioner hereby declares that he bears true allegiance to the United States and that he has not born​ arms against the United States in the present rebellion nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

Your Petitioner further shews, that he has not brought said persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said Act of Congress and that his claim aforesaid existed at the time of its passage, and does not originate in any transfer made by any person who has in any way aided or sustained the present rebellion against the Government of the United States—

 

Your Petitioner respectfully prays you to investigate and determine the validity of his claim aforesaid and appraise and report the same, according to law [&ea?]