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,
Ann M Wood
of
Washington
by this her petition in writing, represents
and states, that she 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 the following
named persons of African descent of the
names of
Jane Webb, Nancy Reed &
Henrietta Evans
for and during the life of said persons and
that by said act of Congress said persons 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
Jane Webb was of the age of fifty eight years.
Nancy Reed was thirty eight years old &
Henrietta Evans was of the age of eighteen years 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.
- Jane Webb is a mulatto five feet high—fifty
eight years of age with no particular marks
- Nancy Reed is a dark mulatto thirty eight years
of age five feet four inches in height no particular marks.
- Henrieta Evans is a mulatto eighteen years of age
five feet two inches high with no marks.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said persons 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.
That is to say, she inherited Jane
Webb from her late mother Mrs Margaret
Taylor relict of
Genl
General
Z Taylor. Henrietta Evans under
the same circumstances (by inheritance). She came into
posession
possession
of Nancy Reed by a deed of gifts and by
inheritance from her late father
Genl
General
. Zachary Taylor.
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 eighteen hundred 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.
That is to say Jane Webb is valued
at five hundred dollars. Nancy Reed at five hundred
dollars & Henrietta Evans at eight hundred. All
three are first class family servants. Jane is an
excellent cook the other two are family servants, always having been
employed in that capacity in the family of your petitioner. All three are
good seamstresses all are efficient and there are no moral mental or bodily
infirmities or defects in either of the above named persons known to your
petitioner.
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 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 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)
A. M. Wood