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,
Matthew McLeod
of
Georgetown DC
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 one negro woman,
a person of African descent of the name of
Ellen Cole
for and during the life of said
Ellen Cole
and that by said act of Congress said
Ellen Cole is discharged and freed of and from
all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said
Ellen Cole was of the age of fifty one or fifty two years of age 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.
Ellen Cole is of a light brown complexion, of the usual
health of
negros
negroes
of her age.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Ellen Cole
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.
by devise from petitioners mother in law Mrs.
Mary Manning of St. Mary's County
Maryland, in her last will and testament to your petitioners
wife now deceased. Which last will and testament is of record in the
Orphans Court of the District of Columbia
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Ellen Cole
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Six hundred 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.
I have Knowledge of any moral mental or bodily defect in
the said 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
Ellen Cole
into the District of Columbia since the passage of
said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Ellen Cole
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
Ellen Cole
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
Ellen Cole
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)
Matthew McLeod