Title: Petition of John Marbury, 13 May 1862
Date: May 13, 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.00184
TEI/XML: cww.00184.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, of John Marbury of Georgetown 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 George Martin, Henny Morris, Kitty Taylor, & her person of African descent of the name of daughter Kitty Taylor Lund, four persons of African descent as his servants or slaves for and during the life of said the said named persons and that by said act of Congress said named persons were was discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor;
- 1 that at the time of said discharge said George Martin— was of the age of about seventy years
and of the personal description following:(1) five feet seven inches tall of dark complexion, in ordinary health & capable of rendering useful services by his work & labour—the deponent states that he acquired his claim to the services of said negro man by purchase for value— - 2 That at the time of said discharge said Henny Morris was of the age of about seventy two or three years, five feet one or two inches tall of dark complexion—in good health and capable of rendering useful service by her work & labour—the deponent states that he acquired his claim to the services of the said negro woman by the last will of his mother Ann O Marbury deceased.
- 3 That at the time of the said discharge of said Kitty Taylor, the Elder, she was of the age of about seventy years, five feet three or four inches high, of dark complexion, in delicate health, but capable & at the date of said act of Congress duly rendering useful service by her work & labour; that he acquired his claim to the service of the woman by marriage with his first wife Elizabeth [Sonewell?]
- 4 That at the time of the discharge of the said Kitty Taylor Lund she was of the age of thirty years, five feet three or four inches high of dark complexion in good health, & capable of rendering useful services by her work & labour; that said Kitty Taylor Lund was born in deponents family of her slave mother & has always been by the time of her liberation by said act of Congress his property
That your petitioner acquired [no handwritten text supplied here] claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said [no handwritten text supplied here] in manner
following:[no handwritten text supplied here]
(2)
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said four named servants was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of nine hundred dollars in money.(3) —that is to say—the said George, Henny, & Kitty the Elder, is each of the value of one hundred dollars & Kitty Lund of the value of six hundred dollars—that the said first named persons are in ordinary health & do daily labour & have no particular visible disease, they are old & have some of the infirmities of age, but are capable of rendering useful services—that Kitty Lund is in good health & able to render as useful services as any other servant woman—
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 negroes or either
of them into the District of Columbia since
the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage
thereof, said named persons 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 named 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said named servants as 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.
Jno Marbury
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, John Marbury 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.
Jno Marbury
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 7th day of May A. D. 1862.
Henry Reaver JPeace
The claimant asks to be allowed $100: each for the services of the first three named servants; the two women Henny and Kitty the Elder, were & are now capable of rendering useful Services & up to the time of passing the act setting them free, acted as domestics in the family; one was his cook, the other house cleaner, dairy woman &; they saved him the expense of hired servants—
When they cease to be able to maintain themselves, they will of necessity become a charge on the hands of the Claimant, for maintenance, nursing, & burial, expenses he cannot refuse to meet.
The last named is a young woman & would recently have been valued at $1000—but the claimant confessed he would not have sold her for any price; he claims not less than $600. for for her & prays the above valuations may be awarded to him.
Jno Marbury
John Marbury's
Claim for Slaves
J. C. Marbury
Attorney
John Marbury Jr
William Marbury
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.
