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, Woodford
Stone of Washington
City 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 two persons of African descent of the names of Barney
Clark and George Clark for and
during the life
lives of said Barney & George and
that by said act of Congress said Barney & George
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 Barney was of the age thirty one
years and said George of the age of about fourteen 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.
Barney is a light mulatto about
five feet seven or eight inches in height, strong and well built;
George is a copper color and neither have any
particular marks which are now recollected—
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said Barney & George 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.
He purchased Barney about ten years
ago in Virginia and brought him to this
City—George, he inherited from his Father, and
has raised him—
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Barney &
George was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of twenty three 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.Barney is a very
valuable negro, honest and industrious, capable of performing all kinds of
work, especially such as relate to saw mills, & boats,
&c—George is a good house servant and
stable boy, perfectly honest and willing—
Barney & George
are perfectly sound and neither of them has any moral mental or bodily defect or
infirmity which should impair Petitioner's claim
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 or either of
them into the District of Columbia since the
passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof,
said persons werewas 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 Barney &
George 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 Barney &
George 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) Woodford
Stone