Title: Petition of Mary Johnston, 1 July 1862

Date: July 1, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 6. 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.00827

TEI/XML: cww.00827.xml

 

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, Mary Johnston, of Fairfax County, Virginia, by this her petition in writing, represents and states that she 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 a person of African descent of the name of Addison Jones for and during the life of the said Addison Jones, and that by said Act of Congress said Addison Jones is discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Addison Jones was of the age of thirty two years, about five feet seven inches in height, dark mulatto and stout built:

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labour​ of said Addison Jones by the death of her father Dennis Johnston:

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Addison Jones, was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Fourteen hundred dollars in money:

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 & alleges that she has not brought the said Addison Jones into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Addison Jones was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioner further alleges and states that her said claim to the service or labor of the said Addison Jones, 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 Addison Jones, 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 the said act of Congress.


Mary Johnston
 

I, Mary Johnston, 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 & in fact; and that all the several other matters & things therein set forth and stated, as from the information of others I believe to be true in substance and in fact.


Mary Johnston

Sworn to & subscribed before me this 28th day of June AD 1862.

Personally appeared before me on the 28th day of June 1862 Mary Johnston and made oath to the above given under my hand and seal in the County of Fairfax County State of Virginia


Samuel Pulman
J P
 
827
Mary Johnston
Filed July 1, 1862.
Transcription and encoding: Nima Najafi Kianfar, Janel Cayer, and Susan C. Lawrence.