Title: Petition of Charles H. Mann, 2 June 1862

Date: June 2, 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.00578

TEI/XML: cww.00578.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, Charles H. Mann of Baltimore City State of Maryland 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 a female slave person of African descent of the name of Louisa Coates for and during the life of said term of Two years and Six Months from the first day of June A.D. 1862. and that by said act of Congress said Louisa Coates is discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Louisa Coates is of the age of twenty three years. and of the personal description following:(1) a Light Colored negress with wavy black hair—& a mole on her face, about 5 feet. 3 inches in height. rather sunken eyes & tolerably good teeth—

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Louisa Coats in manner following:(2) In the first place by purchase from Asbury McKendree Boyd, on the 14th day of May 1860 for the term of the three years & Sixteen days, for the Sum of $125.00—being then in delicate health—& subsequently on account of her running away, to wit on the 12th day of February A.D. 1862 her time was extended for eighteen months beyond her original term of servitude, by the Orphans Court of Baltimore City—which original bill of sale and subsequent order of Court are herewith filed—

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Louisa Coates was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Fifteen dollars in money.(3)a month, and he states as a reason therefore That he is a proprietor of a Hotel and has employed Said Slave as his Chief Cook, there being none better in the Country. And your petitioner states that he is now employing in her place, two servants at the note of $8.00 per Month for each making $16.00 per month which he now pays for the work formerly performed by said Louisa, which also creates the extra expense of boarding one additional servt​. & that he would greatly prefer her services to both of theirs—And he states he has no knowledge of any infirmity or defect in said Louisa

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 Louisa Coates into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Louisa Coates 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 Louisa Coates 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said Louisa Coates 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)
Chas H Mann
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Charles H. Mann 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.

(Signed by)
Chas H Mann

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27h day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
W. H. Hayward JP
Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland in & for the City of Baltimore

I hereby certify, That William H. Hayward Esquire, before whom the annexed affidavit was made, and who has thereto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in and for the City of Baltimore, duly commissioned and sworn.

In Testimony Whereof, I hereto set my hand and affix the seal of the Superior Court of Baltimore City, this 28th day of May A. D. 1862


Geo. E. Langston
Clerk of the Superior Court of Baltimore City.
 
578
Charles H. Mann
Filed June 2, 1862
 
Bill of Sale from
Asbury McK. Boyd
to
Charles H. Mann
Received from Record 15th May 1860 at 3 ½ O'clock PM—Same day Recorded among the Chattel Records of Balt City in Liber G. E. S. No 24. folio 349 &. and Examined per,

Geo E. Langston Clk​.
3½ 75
 
Mary Sprigg
Isreal Church
[Lader?] Hall
 

Know all Men by these presents, That I, Asbury McKendree Boyd of Baltimore City and State of Maryland for and in consideration of the sum of One hundred and twenty five Dollars lawful money of the United States, to me in hand paid by Charles H. Mann of the City of Baltimore aforesaid at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged have granted bargained and sold, and by these presents do grant bargain and sell unto the said Charles H. Mann his executors administrators and assigns my negro Slave Louisa Coates for the term of three years from the first day of June one thousand eight hundred and sixty, and no longer, being the same purchased from Mrs. A. Lynch by said Boyd for the term of 5 yrs from 1st June 1858

To Have and To Hold the said described Slave woman to the said Charles H. Mann his executors, administrators and assigns for and during the aforesaid term of three years & no longer

And I the said Asbury McKendree Boyd covenant to warrant the said Slave woman unto the said Charles H. Mann his executors administrators and assigns, for and during the term aforesaid against me and against all and every other persons and person whomsoever

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal on the day and year first herein written


A McKendree Boyd seal
Chas H Mann seal
Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of
W H Hayward
Samuel Stein

I hereby Certify that on this fourteenth day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland in and for the City of Baltimore aforesaid personally appeared Asbury   McKendree Boyd and acknowledged the foregoing Bill of Sale or Instrument of Writing to be his act and at the same time personally appeared also Charles H Mann and made oath in due form of Law that the consideration set forth in the foregoing Bill of Sale is true and bona fide as therein set forth.


Wm H Hayward
 
1862
Copy
Order of Court relative to Negress—
Louisa Coates
$1 25
 
At an Orphans' Court held for Baltimore City in the Court House in the City of Baltimore on the Twelfth day of—February in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Sixty two.—
  • Present.
  • J. Spear Smith
  • Joseph H. Andoun
  • Franklin Supplee
  • Judges.
Among other Proceedings were the following, viz In Baltimore City Orphans' Court. In the matter of the Petition of Charles H. Mann.—Against Louisa Coates, his slave for a term of years.

The Court having read said Petition, and being satisfied by sufficient evidence, that the statement therein is true,—that the said Negress has been in the habit of absconding, and thus subjecting said Petitioner to much expense and trouble.

Doth, this Twelfth day of February 1862. Order and Decree, in pursuance of the Authority vested in this Court, by Article 66, Section 38, of the Code or Public General Laws of Maryland, that the time of Service of said negro Slave be extended Eighteen months beyond her original term of servitude,—as per Bill of Sale from A. McKendree Boyd to the Petitioner recorded in the "Superior Court of Baltimore City, in Liber G. E. S. No 24. Folio 349 &c: particularly referred to in said Petition.

(signed)
J. Spear Smith
Jos. H. Andoun
Franklin Supplee

In Testimony that the aforegoing is a true Copy taken from one of the Records of the Proceedings of the Orphans' Court for Baltimore City.—I hereunto   subscribe my name and affix the Seal of the said Court this Twelfth day of February in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Sixty two.—


Test: Isaac P. Cook. Register of Wills for Baltimore City


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Courtney Rebecca Lawton, Janel Cayer, and Kenneth J. Winkle.