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, John B.
Semmes 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 Four persons of African descent of the names of Jane
Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell (brother of
Joe King) & Hillary
Davis— for and during the lives of said Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis respectively and that by said
act of Congress said Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis 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
Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis were of the ages
of 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.
Jane Young aged about Twenty-eight years & dark
complexion Joe King about Twenty-eight years old dark copper-color nearly Six feet high & stoutly built. Ned King or Campbell about 19 or 20 years old nearly Six feet high well built & of black complexion,
& Hillary Davis light yellow complexion thick set
medium height and about 32 years of age.
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.
the said Jane Young
Joe King & Ned King or
Campbell were the property of your petitioner's
wife at the time of her marriage having been left to her by the last will
& testament of Miss Mary Ann McPherson of
Prince George's County in the
State of Maryland & the said Hillary
Davis became the property of your petitioner upon the division
under the will of your petitioner's Grandmother Henrietta
Semmes
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 Six Thousand Five 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 Jane
Young is a good house servant cook & washer & ironer—the
said Joe King was at the time of the passage of the
said Act working as a blacksmith in the Washington Navy
Yard & was earning $480 a year—Ned
King or Campbell is a good driver
healthy & capable for general work—Hillary
Davis has been employed as a Porter & Drayman &
has few superiors in those capacities. your petitioner knows of no infirmities or defects bodily
or mental which impair the claim of your petitioner to the labor or service
of said persons or either of them.
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 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 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) John B. Semmes