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,
John A. Smith
of
Washington DC
by this his petition in writing, represents
and states, that he 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 fourteen
persons of African descent of the names of
Isaac Mason, Charlotte
Betty. Henry,
Anthony, Aldezina,
Frank, Mary, Ellen
Clark, Jane,
Leonard, Caroline
Emily & Bill Woodley
for and during the life 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
Isaac Mason was of the age of sixty years 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.
- black man about five feet eight inches in height
- Charlotte, black woman about five feet two inches
in height fifty five years of age.
- Betty is a chestnut colored woman about five feet
three or four inches in height. twenty seven years of age
- Henry is a black man over six feet in height
twenty two years of age
- Anthony black man nearly six feet in height
twenty one years of age
- Aldezina, black girl thirteen years of age
- Frank dark chestnut colored boy six years
old
- Mary black girl three years old
- Ellen Clark black mulatto woman five feet six
inches in height about forty two years of age
- Jane, mulatto woman about five feet one or two
inches in height, eighteen years of age
- Leonard five feet eight inches in height is a
dark mulatto boy seven years of age
- Caroline mulatto girl fourteen years of
age
- Emily mulatto girl nine years of age
- Bill Woodley black man about five feet seven
inches in height, twenty years of age
- Isaac Mason is a valuable farm hand, very steady
and trusty valued at $500—
- Charlotte is a very active and industrious woman
a good cook, ironer, washer and dairy woman valued at $500—
- Betty is a good house servant, nurse and cook
slight in figure, but strong and healthy valued at $800
- Henry is honest and industrious, a very good farm
hand strong and healthy valued at $1000—
- Anthony is honest, strong and healthy a good farm
hand valued at $1000
- Aldezina is a smart active girl valued at
$500—
- Frank is a smart and active boy valued at
$400—
- Mary is a strong and healthy child valued at $200
- Ellen Clark is a stout and strong woman a good
cook, washer, and dairy woman valued at $800—
- Jane is very strong and healthy a good house
servant and nurse valued at $800
- Leonard is stout strong and healthy a good farm
hand and house servant valued at $1000
- Caroline is a strong and healthy house servant
valued at $600
- Emily is very smart and active, strong and
healthy valued at $500
- Bill Woodley is a strong and healthy farm hand
valued at $1000
These persons are free from any infirmity either bodily
mental or moral
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said fourteen
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.
Isaac Mason was bought by Petitioner from Mr.
Thos. Peter of Lexington
about the year 1830—
Charlotte was bought from Mr.
Duvall of Prince George's Co.
Maryland about 24 years ago by Petitioner and
Betty, Henry,
Anthony, and Adezina are her
children and Frank and Mary are the
children of the said Betty
Ellen Clark was a present from
petitioner's sister Mrs Mary Smith to his family 17 years
ago.
Bill Woodley was bought about 6 years
ago from Mrs Duvall of
W
Washington
.
C
County
. D. C.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said fourteen persons were
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of nine thousand six 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.
Ellen and her child Jane named in
this petition were given to me about seventeen years back by my sister
Mary who is now dead & at her request or by a
tacit understanding in the Family Ellen,
Jane & the children of
Ellen since born to wit
Leonard, Caroline &
Emily have been called & considered as
belonging to my following children to wit Rebecca,
Samuel & Mary who now join
in this Petition & take this oath set out & respectfully ask that
the compensation for said value be paid over to their Father the
Petitioner
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 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 his 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 his 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)
Jno A. Smith
Saml P. Smith
R. M. Pheonix
Mary C. Smith