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,
Dorothy
Williams
of
Montgomery
County, M.D.
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
one person of African descent of the name
Lucy J. Butler
for and during
the life of said
Lucy J.
Butler
and that by said act of Congress said
Lucy J. Butler 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
Lucy
J. Butler was of the age of 41
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.
Light Brown colored woman medium height
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Lucy J.
Butler
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.
by purchase from the estate of her late husband
Walter Williams of the county and State afore
Said
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Lucy J. Butler
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.
The
said Lucy J. Butler is an Excellent cook washer and
ironer and house servant. She has been hired out for Eight Dollars a month
and boarded
She is in good health perfectly honest and reliable I know of
no moral mental or bodily infirmities to impair her value
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
Lucy J.
Butler
into the District of Columbia since the passage
of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Lucy J. Butler
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
Lucy J. Butler
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
Lucy J. Butler
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)
Dorothy Williams