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,
John Eliason
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, the
following named Persons persons of African descent of the name of
Female, Siriah Washington aged about
36 years and five feet 4 1/2 inches high
Male Daniel
Washington aged about 12 years and four feet 5 1/3 inches high
Female Ida May Washington 9 years old 3 feet 11 inches
high
Female Catherine I. Washington 5 years old 3 feet
6 inches high
for and during the life of said named Persons and that by said act of Congress said named Persons discharged and freed of and from all
claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said named Persons was of the age ofas above written and of the personal descriptions
following:Here describe the
person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than one slave,
describe each one separately.
Siriah Washington Bright Color
Daniel Washington Dark Color
Ida M Washington Dark Color
Catherine Washington Bright Color
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said named 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 by marriage with Mary Catherine
Churm now Mrs. Eliason and the said
servants were recorded in the clerks office of the District Court in 1858.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said named persons was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of
as follows 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.
Siriah Washington 1000 Dollars
Daniel Washington 800 dollars
Ida Mary Washington 500 dollars
Catherine J. Washington 300 dollars
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 named persons
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 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 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)
John Eliason