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,
Susan Tyler of
George Town in said
District, 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 persons of African descent of the names of
Sarah Boyd, Mary Boyd and
Maria Boyd
for and during the life
lives 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
persons were of the ages
of 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.
to wit; Sarah Boyd was forty years
of age, brown color, and of medium height; Mary Boyd
was eighteen years of age, of brown color, and medium height; and
Maria Boyd was sixteen years of age, of bright
yellow color, and of low stature.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said 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.
to wit; by devise under the will of Dr. I. W.
L. W. Bowie, which is recorded at
Rockville in Montgomery
Maryland, who died in or about the year 1853
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 twenty nine 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.
or thereabouts, according to the prices which has been
paid in cash for similar negroes by those dealing in them, as she is
informed and believes. They are all perfectly healthy, honest, well-behaved,
orderly, good servants; their morals are good, and they have no mental or
bodily infirmity or defect, and she believes none to exist; she knows of
none. They are valuable servants; Sarah, being a good
cook, washer, ironer and good dairy maid; Mary a house
maid; washer and ironer; and Maria a good house maid
and nurse to children.
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 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 her 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
value of her 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.
(Signed by)
Susan Tyler