Petition
To the Commissioners under the Act of Congress approved the 16th April 1862. Entitled "an Act
for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the
District of Columbia"
Your Petitioners,
Hannah
McCormick
,
Sophia
,
Harriet
P
Mary E
&
Margaret McCormick
, of
Washington, in the District of
Columbia, by this their Petition in writing, represent and state
they are persons 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 Persons of African descent. That is, the said
Hannah McCormick
, separately
& distinct,
against
Rachel Contee
, and the
said
Sophia
&
Harriet McCormick
, against
Susan Contee
, and the said
Hannah, Sophia,
Harriet
Mary E
&
Margaret McCormick
against
Harriet Cox
&—
Abraham Cox
, her son,
jointly—for & during the lives of the said Rachel
Contee, Susan Contee,
Harriet & Abraham Cox, and
that by said Act of Congress said Rachel &
Susan Contee
Harriet & Abraham Cox, were
discharged of & freed of & from all claim of your Petitioners to such
service or labor: that at the time of said discharge said
Rachel Contee
was of the age of Thirty Seven Years or thereabouts, about Feet 4. Inches 1. in height—In color a Mulatto—
Harriet Cox
was of the age of Fifty-Eight Years about Feet 5 in height. Black
Abraham Cox
was of the age of Seventeen Years or thereabouts—Color Black—& about
Feet 5
I
Inches
4 in height—&
Susan
Contee
light mulatto was of the age of
Thirty one or thereabouts, & Feet
5—
I
Inches
6, in height—That your Petitioners acquired their claim
to to
to
the aforesaid Service or labor of said named Persons in manner
following: These Servants belonged to the Estate of the late
Revd
Reverend
A T McCormick, & at his death were divided amongst his
heirs. His Widow Mrs. Hannah McCormick took
Rachel Contee, Sophia &
Harriet McCormick took Susan
Contee, & the Mother of Susan &
Abraham Cox, Harriet Cox, &
her said son Abraham were held as joint property among said
heirs
That your Petitioners' claim to the service or labor of the said four named
Persons was at the time of his said discharge therefrom of the value of $400 for
Rachel
Contee
—She is a valuable Servant, is naturally of
a strong, healthy constitution, but lately has had attacks of
rheumatism—
Harriet
Cox
—your Petitioners consider as worth $200—She was allowed the privilege of purchasing
herself, but she has paid a very small portion in work amounting to no more than
her regular wages.
Susan Contee
your Petitioners value at $500—Her owners, the
Misses Sophia & Harriet McCormick
gave her the same privilege of self purchase as in Harriet
Cox's case, but she, like Harriet Cox, has
not been able to pay more than her regular wages. She is a very valuable
Servant, & earned Seven Dollars wages per month. She has no disease that
your Petitioners are aware of—
Abraham
Cox
your Petitioners value at $500—He always remained with his mother to assist her, &
your Petitioners, his late owners, have never had any Service from
him—Susan Contee is not very robust in
constitution—
And your
Petitioners know of no other infirmities or defects of said Persons which impair
the value of Petitioners' claim to such service or labor, & that they
believe none other to exist.
Your Petitioners hereby declare that they bear true & faithful allegiance to
the Government of the United States, & that they have
not borne arms against the United States in the present
rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your Petitioners further state & allege, that they have not brought said
named Four Persons into the District of Columbia, since
the passage of said Act of Congress; & that at the time of the passage
thereof said named & enumerated Persons were held to service or labor
therein under & by virtue of your Petitioners Claim to such service or
labor—
Your Petitioners further state & allege, that their said claim to the service
of the said Four 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 Petitioners pray the said Commissioners to investigate & determine
the Validity of their said claim to the service or labor of said named Persons,
herein above set forth: & if the same be found to be valid, that they
appraise & apportion the value of said Claim in money, & report the same
to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States in
Conformity to the provisions of said act of Congress.
Hannah P. McCormick
Sophia McCormick
Margaret L. McCormick
Harriet P. McCormick
Mary E. McCormick