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, Charles Homiller of the 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
Twelve persons
of African descent of the names of Mary Etchison, Kingsley
Etchison Dallas Etchison, Adelaide Etchison, Laura Etchison, Banks Etchison,
Mary Ann Hawkins, Virginia Hawkins, George Hawkins,
Abraham Lincoln Hawkins, Fanny
Hawkins Kate Jackson
for and during the life of said persons
respectively and that by said act of Congress said persons respectively 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 respectively in order of
their names above mentioned were of the ages of thirty eight years, 22 years, 20 years,
11 years, 6 years, 2 ½ years 26 years, 10 years, 3 ½ years, 1 ½ years,
45 years, 17 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.
Mary Etchison |
female |
dark brown color, |
about 5 ft 3 in high, |
Dark set face, |
Kingsley Etchison, |
male, |
" " " , |
" 6 ft 1 in " , |
good appearance |
Dallas Etchison, |
" , |
light brown " , |
" 5 ft 6 in " , |
" " |
Adelaide Etchison |
female |
light brown " , |
" 3 ft 11 in " , |
" " |
Laura Etchison |
" , |
" " " , |
" 3 ft 5 in " , |
" " |
Banks Etchison |
male, |
" " " , |
" 2 ft 10 in " , |
" " |
Mary Ann Hawkins, |
female, |
dark brown " , |
" 5 ft— " , |
pleasant face |
Virginia Hawkins |
" , |
light " " , |
" 4 ft. 2 in " , |
" " " |
George Hawkins |
male, |
" " " , |
" 3 ft 1 in " , |
" " " |
Abraham Lincoln Hawkins |
" , |
" " " , |
" 2 ft 2 in " , |
" " " |
Fanny Hawkins |
female, |
dark brown " , |
" 5 ft 4 in " , |
" " " |
Kate Jackson |
" , |
" " , |
" 4 ft 9 in " , |
" " intelligent |
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said persons 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 from W. Veirs Bonic as
trustee, about ten or twelve years ago— Mary
Etchison and her children Kingsley and
Dallas—Adelaide,
Laura and Banks, also her
children were born while Petitioner owned their mother—He purchased
Mary Ann from John Hurley
about 22 or 23 years ago and Virginia,
George & Abe were born
while Petitioner owned their mother—He purchased Fanny from Mr.
Donahue of Georgetown about 5
years ago, and Kate, he purchased from Mr.
Isaac Smoot Georgetown
about 15 years ago.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons respectively was, at
the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Eighty three hundred & fifty
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.All of said persons are healthy &
sound, and free from any mental, moral or bodily infirmity or defects
impairing the value of your Petitioners claim to their services, if there is any
such, your petitioner has no knowledge of it. Said Mary
is a capable cook and house servant. Said Kingsley
& Dallas are skillful, practical butchers Said
Adelaide is a quick & sprightly
servant—said Laura is apt and handy to do & to learn,
Said Mary Ann, is a good, thorough, house servant, said
Virginia promises to be the same. Said
Catherine or Kate is a
superior house Servant, and Fanny is still an useful
& efficient servant—said Laura,
Banks, and George are hearty
healthy children.
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 respectively were 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 respectively 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 respectively 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) Charles Homiller