Title: Petition of Elizabeth Minor, 20 June 1862

Date: June 20, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 5. 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.00731

TEI/XML: cww.00731.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, Elizabeth Minor of Washington D.C. by this her petition in writing, represents and states, that [no handwritten text supplied here] 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 Mary Ellen Jackson and Fanny Jackson for and during the life of said persons and that by said act of Congress said persons 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 persons were of the ages of 18 and 14 years and of the personal description following:(1) Mary Ellen Jackson, female aged eighteen years, color light brown about five feet no inches high she is very healthy, able bodied and industrious and a good cook valued at $1200. Twelve hundred dollars.
Fanny Jackson female, aged fourteen years, color light brown, about five feet one inch high—she is likely, healthy, useful and serviceable as a house servant—valued at $1000 One thousand dollars

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) by the last will and testament of her Mother Ann M. Minor who bequeathed them together with their Mother Eliza to her as by reference to said will admitted to probate 9th March 1860 in the office of Register of Wills of Washington D.C. will more fully at large 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 Twenty two hundred dollars in money.(3) said persons are fully worth said amount to her $2200 for the reasons before mentioned. They have no infirmities or defects either morally, mentally or bodily to the best of your Petitioner's knowledge and belief.

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she has 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 were 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 her 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 petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of her 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)
Elizabeth Minor
 

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

I, Elizabeth Minor 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)
Elizabeth Minor

Sworn to and subscribed before me this nineteenth day of June A.D. 1862

(Signed by)
Chs P Wannall, J.P.
731
Petition of Elizabeth Minor
Filed June 20th 1862
Witnesses
Wm H West
Jonathan Guest


 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: Elizabeth Lorang, Rhiannon Root, Robert Voss, and Brittany Jones.