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,
Elizabeth Windsor
of
Washington City D.C.
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 Three coloured
persons of African descent of the names of
Jane Carr
John Dodson and Mary Carr
for and during the life of said
Jane
John and Mary
and that by said act of Congress said
Jane
John and Mary 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 was of the age of seventeen 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.
Black stout and well made and healthy.
John aged twenty five years. Black and healthy, and
Mary also Black aged about 12 years healthy.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
John, Jane and
Mary
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 inheritance from her father's Estate
(Richard Windsor) in Fairfax County
State of Virginia about 12 or 13 years since.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Jane, John and
Mary
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of thirty two 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.
as follows viz Jane twelve hundred
dollars John thirteen hundred dollars and
Mary seven hundred dollars they all being hale and
hearty and able to Labor being valuable servants and to the best of my
knowledge and belief having no moral defect.
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 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 the said claim to the service or labor of said
Jane, John and
Mary
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
Jane, John and
Mary
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)
Elizabeth Windsor