Title: Petition of Maria Speiser, 23 May 1862
Date: May 23, 1862
Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 4. 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.00402
TEI/XML: cww.00402.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, Maria Speiser of Washington 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 a person of African descent of the name of Eliza Jane Borman for and during the life of said Eliza Jane Borman and that by said act of Congress said Eliza Jane Borman was discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Eliza Jane Borman was of the age of Seventeen years, and of the personal description following:(1) black, very Stout Five feet two and three quarter inches high, teeth good, no marks or scars on her person.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said woman in manner following:(2) Said Eliza Jane Borman was willed to me by my husband Fredrick Speiser in August 1854, as by reference to said will Recorded in the office of the Register of wills, for the District of Columbia.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Eliza Jane Borman
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3)
She is perfectly Sound and healthy, She has been in my
family from infancy, In parting with her, it will involve and expenditure of
seventy five or eighty dollars per year, to say nothing of the anxiety and troble I have Experienced in protecting and raising her.
I know of no
moral, mental or bodily infermities of said woman.
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 woman into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said woman 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 woman 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 woman 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.
Maria Speiser
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Maria Speiser, 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.
Maria Speiser
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st day of May A. D. 1862.
Jas Cull Justice of the Peace
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.
