Civil War Washington

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, Eliza Beston of Washington City D. C. 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 male person of African descent of the name of William Alexander Johnson for and during the life of said William and that by said act of Congress said William 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 William was of the age of 22 years and of the personal description following:(1) He was a dark mulatto, five feet eight inches in height, or thereabouts, stout, with straight hair and of a pleasant countenance

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said William in manner following:(2) He was bequeathed to her by John Samson Brightwell, Esq​. by his last will and testament, recorded in the office of the Register of Wills for Washington County in the District of Columbia, the date of said will she does not remember. She think it was in the latter part of the year 1847.

That your petitioner's cannot state positively what was the value of her claim to the service or labor of said William was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of dollars in money,(3) but this much she can state, that when he was only fifteen years of age or thereabouts, She was offered fifteen hundred dollars for him, in cash; that when the present war commenced she considered him worth, at least two thousand dollars. Said William was a skillful mechanic, very ingenious in every branch of mechanism. In the lifetime of her husband, who died March 4, 1857, he was employed in making models for patents, in making and repairing mathematical instruments &c. He was of an amiable disposition. Sound and healthy in body and mind, and your petitioner knows of no infirmities of defects of such person moral mental or bodily which impair the value of your petitioners claim to such service or labor.

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 William into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said William 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 William 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 William 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.