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 E. Reintzell
and Margaret Reintzell of Georgetown D. C. 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 two male Slaves, persons of African descent of the name of Charles Stewart and Walter
Stewart for and during the life of said Slaves and that by said act of Congress said Slaves were
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
was of the age of 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.
- Charles Stewart is a dark mulatto of the age of thirty eight (38) years
- Walter Stewart is a dark mulatto of the age of thirty four years
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of
said Slaves 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.
viz, By descent from Henry
Reintzell, deceased, the husband of said
Mary and the Father of said
Margaret, who is the only child of said
Henry and Mary
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Slaves was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of two thousand 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.the
said Slaves being sound in body and earning wages in an average of at least
twenty dollars each per month,
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 petitioners further states and
alleges, that they have
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 were was 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 Slaves 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
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.
(Signed by) Mary E. Reintzell
Margaret Reintzell