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,
Catherine Golden
of
Washington, District of
Columbia
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 one person of
African descent of the name of
Matilda Price
for and during the life of said
Matilda Price
and that by said act of Congress said
Matilda Price 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
Matilda Price was of the age of nineteen years or thereabouts 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.
Matilda is of a black color, about Five Feet, six
inches in height—hair bushy, good looking & lively
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Matilda Price
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.
That she received the said Matilda
as her proportion of the Negroes belonging to the Estate of her deceased
Father, William P Golden, late of Charles
County, Maryland, at the distribution of said Estate, as
will appear by reference to the annexed Exhibit from the Register of Wills
of said marked A.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Matilda Price
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand 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.
She is a first rate House
Servant—Cook—Washer—Waiter & Ironer &—is
perfectly healthy & robust—is honest timely, & faithful She
was hired out at the time of the passage of the Act, at $4 per month but at
that low rate, only to
accomodate
accommodate
a friend, she might have easily brought $8 per month. Your
Petitioner knows of no infirmities or defects of said person which impair
the value of Petitioner's claim to such service or labor. That she believes
none other to exist.
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
Matilda Price
into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress;
and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Matilda Price
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
Matilda Price
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
Matilda Price
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)
Catherine Golden
Schedule A
State of Maryland
Charles County Sct. 3
I hereby certify to all whom it doth or may concern that in an examination of the
Records of the Orphans Court for Charles County, it
appears that in the Distribution of the Negroes belonging to the Estate of
William P. Golden, late of Charles
County deceased, Catherine Golden, the
widow of said deceased, received as her proportion of the Negroes, Negro Girl
Matilda. valued at $400.00, all of which will more
fully appear by reference to the aforesaid Distribution filed and recorded in
the Office of the Register of Wills, for Charles County
on the twentieth day of March, in the year Eighteen
Hundred and Fifty five.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of
the Orphans Court for Charles County this twentieth day of May, in the year Eighteen Hundred and
Sixty-two.
James D Carpinter Register of Wills for
Charles County
cost of copy 68