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 Mary Queen, & Elizabeth Queen of Washington Co. D. C. by this their petition in writing, represents
and states, that they are 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 Twenty Four persons
of African descent of the names of Fendall Taylor, Charlotte
Taylor, Frances Taylor, Louis
Taylor, Rachel Taylor, Gabriel
Taylor, Catharine Taylor
Lloyd Taylor, Olivia Taylor,
Mary Abbey Taylor, Andrew
Price, Eveline Gutridge, Henry
Gutridge
Sally Gutridge, Virginia Gutridge
Henrietta Gutridge, Charles
Gutridge, Albert Gutridge,
Francis Gutridge, Basil
Gutridge, for and during the life of said persons Albert Bodely,
Edward Bodely, George Bodely,
Louisa Brooks, who were slaves until they arrive at
the age of Thirty Five years, and that by said act of Congress said
persons were discharged and freed of and from
all claim of your petitioners to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said
- Fendall Taylor, was of the age of Forty seven 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, Five feet Six inches high, hump shoulders, (valued at $800.)
- Charlotte Taylor, his wife was of the age of Forty years, Five feet Two inches high, black woman, corpulent (valued at $500.)
- Frances Taylor, was of the age of Twenty one years, Five feet Three inches high black woman, good personal appearance (valued at $800)
- Louis Taylor, was of the age of Nineteen years, black man Six feet—high. (valued at $1200)
- Rachel Taylor, was of the age of Seventeen years, black girl, Five feet Four inches high, stout, (valued at $800)
- Gabriel Taylor, was of the age of Sixteen years black boy, Five feet Eight inches high, stout, (valued at $1000)
- Catharine Taylor, was of the age of Thirteen years black girl Four feet 11 inches high, (valued at $700)
- Lloyd Taylor, was of the age of Ten years, black boy, Four feet Five (inches high) (valued at $600.)
- Olivia Taylor, was of the age of Seven years, black girl, Four feet—high, (valued at $300)
- Mary Abby Taylor, was of the age of Five years Brown girl, three feet Seven inches high (valued at $300)
- Andrew Price, was of the age of Thirty Three years, black man, Five feet Ten ¼ inches high, fine personal appearance (valued at $1200.)
- Eveline Gutridge, was of the age of Forty Five years, chesnutchestnut color, Four feet Eleven inches high, (valued at $800)
- Henry Gutridge, was of the age of Twenty three years, copper color man, Five feet Six inches high genteel looking (valued at $1200)
- Sally Gutridge, was of the age of Twenty One years, copper color woman, Five feet One incheinch high, stout, (valued at $800)
- Virginia Gutridge was of the age of nineteen years, copper color woman, Five feet high fine appearance (valued at $800
- Henrietta Gutridge was of the age of Seventeen years, copper color woman Four feet Ten inches high, large eyes (valued at $800)
- Charles Gutridge, was of the age of Fifteen years, copper color man, Five feet five inches high, (valued at $1000)
- Albert Gutridge was of the age of Thirteen years, copper color boy, Four feet Ten inches high (valued at $1000)
- Francis Gutridge was of the age of Eleven years, copper color boy, Four feet Seven inches high (valued at $800)
- Basil Gutridge was of the age of Five years, copper color child, Three feet four inches high, (valued at $400)
- The man Albert Bodely, was of the age of Twenty Seven years Five feet seven inches high, Brown man, (term of service valued at $900.)
- Edward Bodely, was of the age of Twenty One years, Five feet Two inches high, copper color, (term of service valued at $900.)
- George Bodely was of the age of nineteen years, Five feet six inches high, copper color (term of service valued at $900)
- Louisa Brooks, was of the age of, Twenty one years Five feet One and one half inch high, (term of service valued at $500.)
That your petitioner acquired their claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said 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.
Fendall Taylor, Charlotte
Taylor, and their Eight children
Frances, Lewis,
Rachel, Gabriel,
Catharine, Lloyd
Olivia and Mary Abbey, also
Andrew Price, Eveline
Gurtridge, and her nine children, Henry
Sally, Virginia
Henrietta, Charles,
Albert, Francis,
(Mary, now dead) and Basil,
also Albert Bodely, (Lavinia
Brooks set free) Edward Bodely
George Bodely & Louisa Brooks,
were conveyed to us by our Father, Nicholas L. Queen,
about Five years ago, as by Bill of sale herewith filed will more fully
appear, (the last four to be slaves until they reach the age of Thirty Five
years as by will of John M. Wight, will
appear. (The last four to be slaves until they reach the age of Thirty Five years as by will of John M. Wight will appear.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of $19,000 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.Charlotte Taylor, has had the scrofula, when young, she
now in very good health, an excellent cook washer & ironer.
The other servants I believe to be sound and healthy, They are all strictly
moral and honest, some of them practical members of the church, generally
intelligent and capable to work and though the value of some may seem to be
over estimated, it has been offered and refused, not wishing to part with
them.
I know of no moral mental or bodily infirmities or defects in any
of them, except Charlotte, who has been sick, but now
seems to have good health,
Your petitioners hereby declares that
they bears true and faithful
allegiance to the Government of the United States, and
that they have not borne arms against the United States in
the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioners further states and
alleges, that they
have 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
wwere held to service or labor therein under and by
virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioners further states and
alleges, that their 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 petitioners prays the said
Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of their 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) Mary Queen
Elizabeth Queen