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,
Thomas A Newman
of
George Town
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
William Mill and Harriet Davis
person of African descent of the name of
William Mills and Harriet Davis
for and during the life of said
William Mills and Harriet Davis
and that by said act of Congress said
Wm Mills & Harriet Davis
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
William Mills & Harriet Davis
were of the age of twenty four years for
Mills: forty years for Davis
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.
William Mills is Black Weighs one hundred & seventy
five pounds healthy and without
Phisical
physical
or mental defect, about five feet eleven inches high. worth
fifteen hundred dollars ($1500) have been offered that sum for him eighteen
months ago.
Harriet Davis is black forty years of age. Moderately stout
weighs one hundred forty pounds. first class Kitchen servant worth one thousand
dollars ($1000). Without any
phisical
physical
or mental defect.
The first named is a superior farm hand the later is first
class cook washer & ironer I refer to Mr. Jesse Kitchen
in this city
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Wm Mills & Harriet Davis
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.
William Mills fell to Mrs Newmann
by the death of her brother, Thos Van Rensink, in 1858. Harriet Davis was
purchased by me of Dr. Hardy of Prince
George's County Maryland in 1855
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Wm Mills and Harriet Davis was, at the time of
said discharge therefrom, of the value of twenty four
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.
Your petitioner feels satisfied that in personality and of
habits of good servants they are free from infirmity they are free from any
defect that would impair value in a Southern market. They are obedient and
pleasant spoken. Mills is a first class farm hand
Davis first class kitchen servant.
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 Servants into
the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of
Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Servants 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 Mills & Davis 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 the said claim to the service or labor
of said Mills & Davis 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)
Thomas A Newman