Title: Petition of Gabriel Coakley, 20 May 1862
Date: May 20, 1862
Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 3. 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.00332
TEI/XML: cww.00332.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, Gabriel Coakley of Washington 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 the following named persons of African descent of the names of Anne M Coakley, Mary Coakley, Mary Ann Coakley Sophia Coakley, Veronica Coakley, Genova Coakley, Sarah Coakley, & Gertrude Coakley. 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 Ann M was of the age of 39 years. Mary was of the age of 34 years. Mary Ann was 11 years. Sophia was 9 ½ years Veronica was 7 years Genova was 5 ½ years Sarah was 3 years & Gertrude was of the age of 1 ½ years.— and of the personal description following:(1)
- Ann M Coakley. is of a Brown complexion about five feet two inches high.
- Mary is a Bright Mulatto, about five feet four inches high.
- Mary Ann. is of a yellow complexion, is eleven years old.
- Sophia is of a yellow complexion is about nine and a half years old
- Veronica is of a yellow complexion is about seven years of age.
- Genova is of a yellow complexion is about five and a half years old
- Sarah has also a yellow complexion is about three years old
- Gertrude has a yellow complexion is about one & a half years old.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) That is to say, He purchased Mary from W W W Bowie Esq of Maryland before she was married to Coakley, by the name of Mary Calloway, all the children were born since her marriage to Coakley.
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 3.300 dollars in money.(3)
- Ann M. is an excellent nurse and chambermaid and at this time hired by Dr J C Riley of this city at $8 per month in his family. She is a moral, and a well behaved servant, stout & healthy.
- Mary does all my cooking washing and ironing together with all my house-work moral industrious and temperate
- Mary Ann is a good childs nurse and is employed in my family
- All the rest of the above named servants are living in my family and I know of no moral, mental or bodily defect in either of them to depreciate their value
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 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 his 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 his 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.
G Coakley
to
Gabriel Cokely
Know all men by these presents That I John Larcombe of the City and County of Washington, and District of Columbia, for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, to me in hand paid by Gabriel Coakley of said city, the receipt of which I do hereby acknowledge, have given, granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released, and confirmed; and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, and confirm unto the said Gabriel Coakley, a negro girl called Ann. Mahala Coakley, the daughter of Nancy Coakly and Gabriel Stevens, together with all the right, title, interest, claim, property, possession, and demand, whatsoever of me, my executors or administrators, of, in and to the said Ann Mahala Coakley, To have and to hold the said negro girl, and all and singular the premises above mentioned unto him the said Gabriel Coakley, and his assigns forever
In witness whereof the said John Larcombe hath set his hand and affixed his seal the 10th day of June 1857.
John Larcombe, seal
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of
J H Goddard
F. I. Murphey
Washington County to wit.
On this 12th day of June 1857, before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and District aforesaid, personally appeared, John Larcombe, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument of writing to be his act and deed for the purposes therein expressed.
J. H. Goddard J.P. seal
Know all men by these presents that I Walter W. W. Bowie of Prince George's County in the State of Maryland, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty Dollars, current money to me in hand paid and also of promisory notes amounting to three hundred and fifty Dollars, bearing interest from their dates, and payable at different times hereafter, to me delivered, by Southey L. Parker, W. E. Spalding, and Gabriel Cokely all of Washington City in the District of Columbia, at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have granted bargained and sold and by these presents do grant bargain and sell unto the said S. L. Parker, W. E. Spalding, and Gabriel Cokely, their executors, administrators and assigns, servant girl Mary a slave for life, and the said Mary being the same servant girl who belonged heretofore to Mary Weems late of Prince George's County Maryland, to have and to hold the said servant girl Mary as above bargained and sold to them the said purchasers their Executors administrators and assigns forever, and I the said Walter W. W. Bowie for myself my executors, administrators and heirs, title to the said Mary as a slave for life, unto the said Purchasers, their Executors, administrators and assigns against me the said W. W. W. Bowie my executors administrators and against all and every person or persons whatsoever shall and will warrant and defend by these presents.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this first day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty.
Walter W. W. Bowie Seal
December 20th 1861.
For value received we and each of us by these presents transfer and assign set over and deliver unto Gabriel Coakley his executors administrators and assigns All our right title and interest in and to the within named Mary a slave for life
Southey S. Parker seal
Wm E. Spalding seal
Acknowledged before me this 20th day of December 1861
N Callan JP seal
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Gabriel Coakley 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.
G Coakley
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of May A. D. 1862.
N. Callan JPeace
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.
