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, Wm F
Dickinson of District of
Columbia 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 one woman and one boy
persons of African descent of the names of Harriet
Winston and her son Robert Winston
for and during the life of said Harriet
Winston and Robert Winston and
that by said act of Congress said Harriet
Winston and Robert Winston are
discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or
labor; that at the time of said discharge said Harriet Winston and Robert
Winston were was of the ages of fifty and fifteen respectively 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.
Harriet Winston is Dark
coloured
colored
five feet 5¼ inches high straight and somewhat spare in
person pleasing and
inteligent
intelligent
in expression of face and polite and respectful when
addressed.
Robert Winston is Dark
coloured
colored
four feet 10 inches high and very likely has regular features
inteligent
intelligent
expression of face, and is respectful and polite when addressed
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said Woman and boy
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.
to wit By a decree of the court of Caroline
County in the State of Virginia for
the division of the estate of F. Dickinson in the year
1849 as will appear by the records of said
court
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Woman and boy was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of Eight 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.for the said Robert
Winston and of the value of four hundred dollars for the said
Harriet Winston in money—The said
Harriet an excellent house servant, honest and
responsible—has no physical defect except corns upon her feet and no
mental infirmity, but is quite intelligent—The said
Robert has no physical or mental defect, and has a
good moral character.
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 woman and boy
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 his 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 his 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) Wm F. Dickinson