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 Petitioners,
A. R. & A. Ray
of
Georgetown
Dist of Columbia
by this their petition in writing,
represents and states, that they are
is a 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 one person of
African descent of the name of
Aaron Hall
for and during the life of said person and
that by said act of Congress said person was
discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioners to such service or labor; that at the time of
said discharge said
Aaron Hall was of the age of about 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.
mulatto man about six feet in height.
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of
said person 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.
Aaron Hall was purchased from Mr. V. J.
Taylor of Georgetown about seven or
ten years ago by Petitioners
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said person was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of five 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.
Aaron Hall is an honest and industrious servant and
good miller valued at five hundred dollars.
Said Aaron is free from any infirmity
either bodily mental or moral—
Your petitioners hereby declares that
they bears true and faithful allegiance to the
Government of the United States, and that they
have 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 they
have
has not brought said person into the
District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the
time of the passage thereof, said person was held
to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioners claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioners further states and alleges, that
their said claim to the service or labor of
said person 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 prays the said Commissioners
to investigate and determine the value of their
said claim to the service or labor of said person
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)
A Ross Ray
Albert Ray