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,
Pierce Shoemaker
of
Washington County D.C.
by this petition in writing, represents and states,
that 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 the following 20 slaves of African
descent of the name of for and during the lives of said
slaves and that by said act of Congress said
slaves 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 slaves were of the
was of the age of
set opposite their names 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.
1 |
George Dover
|
Mulatto |
age 45 |
worth $1200 |
|
2 |
Benjamin Lyles
|
Black |
44 |
" $2500 |
a Mechanic |
3 |
Joseph Simms
|
Mulatto |
27 |
$1800 |
|
4 |
Rachael Lyles
|
Dark Mulatto |
43 |
$800 |
|
5 |
Elizabeth Lyles
|
Dark |
26 |
$1000 |
|
6 |
Matilda Lyles
|
Dark |
24 |
$1000 |
|
7 |
Albert Lyles
|
Dark |
2 |
$400 |
|
8 |
Catharine Lyles
|
dark |
22 |
$1100 |
|
9 |
Leander Lyles
|
dark |
18 |
$1600 |
|
10 |
Rebecca Lyles
|
mulatto |
12 |
$800 |
|
11 |
Osceola Lyles
|
dark |
9 |
$800 |
|
12 |
Mary Ann Foster
|
dark |
36 |
$1000 |
|
13 |
Margaret Foster
|
Mulatto |
18 |
$1100 |
|
14 |
Tobias Foster
|
Mulatto |
15 |
$1000 |
|
15 |
Benjamin Foster
|
Mulatto |
12 |
$1000 |
|
16 |
Annie Foster
|
dark |
8 |
$800 |
|
17 |
Cornelius Foster
|
dark |
6 |
$700 |
|
18 |
Catharine Foster
|
dark |
4 |
$600 |
|
19 |
Eugene Foster
|
Mulatto |
3 |
$400 |
|
20 |
Emma Lyles
|
Mulatto |
3 |
$400 |
|
That your petitioner acquired claim to the aforesaid service
or labor of said slavesin 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 will of Abner Pierce and they
were conveyed to me by Thos Canbury his executor
Thomas Morrison
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said slaves for life was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of 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.
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true
and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he 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 he has not brought said slaves into the
District of Columbia since the passage of said act of
Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said slaves 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said slavesdoes 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 the said claim to the service or labor
of said slaves 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. These negroes are all in good heath and free from mental
moral or bodily infirmities. They are worth a year
ago—$20,000—
(Signed by)