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, Sarah A.
Stone of Maryland 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 four persons of African descent of the
names of Thomas Payne, Eliza Stewart,
Alice Payne and Harriet
Jenny for and during the liveslife of said persons
and that by said act of Congress said persons 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
Thomas Payne was of the age of thirty eight 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.
copper colored man about five feet eight inches in height
Eliza Stewart black woman twenty two years of age about
five feet in height—
Alice Payne light mulatto girl fifteen years of age
about five feet in height—
Harriet Tenny dark colored girl thirteen or fourteen
years old
That your petitioner acquired her 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.
All four were left petitioner by her late husband
John M. Brown, whose will is registered in
Marlboro Maryland—see certified
copy—
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 four thousand 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.
- Thomas Payne a good field hand and wagon driver
sound and healthy—valued at one thousand dollars—
- Eliza Stewart a good house servant cook, ironer
& washer sound and healthy—valued at twelve hundred
dollars—
- Alice Payne a good house servant sound &
healthy valued at one thousand dollars
- Harriet Tenny house servant strong & healthy
valued at eight hundred dollars
These persons are free from any infirmity either bodily,
mental or moral
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 persons 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
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 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 her 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) Sarah A
Stone
In the name of God Amen, I John M. Brown of
Prince George's County of the State of
Maryland, being sick, but of sound and disposing mind and
memory, do hereby make and constitute this to be my last will and testament that
is to say Imprimis,
- I hereby give to my well beloved wife Sarah Ann
Brown all the negroes I got by her in marriage, together
with their increase, with the exception of Jane's
youngest child Rosa, which I give to
Sarah Ann Waring together with one small bay
horse, I further give to Sarah Ann Brown my wife my
dwelling house where I now reside with forty acres of land around said
house, so long as she may live together with my two carriage horses and
carriage and all my household and kitchen furniture also fifty barrels
of corn and the hams from as many hogs as may be killed at my farm in
Anne
arundel
Arundel
County the ensuing winter also one cart, one
harrow one plough and two cows,
- Item—I give and bequeath to my nephew John P.
Marshall all my real estate where I now live with the
exception of about sixty acres that I bought of Washington
Berry to him and to his heirs forever also a negro man by
the name of Denis who shall serve him for a period
of eight years and that the said John P. Marshall
may manumit him at the expiration of this time, if the same can be done
according to the provisions of the laws of this State,
- Item, I give and bequeath to my nephew James L.
Brown that piece of land that was purchased of
Washington Berry (containing about sixty acres
where Mr. King now lives) to him and his heirs
forever,
- Item, I give to my
neice
niece
Caroline Brown my negro man
Ned,
- Item, I give to my
neice
niece
Alice Brown my negro boy
George—
- Item I give to my
neice
niece
Mary E. Marshall my negro woman
Rosella and her child,
- Item—I give to my
neice
niece
A. B. Marshall my negro woman
Jane—
- Item, I give to my nephew George R. W. Marshall
my negro boy William Henry
- Item—I give to my
neice
niece
Susan A. Waugh my negro boy
Charles;
- Item I give to my
neice
niece
Eveline Waugh, my negro girl
Mary,
- Item I give to my
neice
niece
Aurelia Lodge my negro boy
Lewis,
- Item I give to my nephew James Lodge my negro boy
Washington
It is my wish that all my stock and farming utensil now on the farm should remain
on the same for the use of John P. Marshall It is furthermore my will and wishes
that my Executors herein after named, shall sell my real estate in
Anne Arundel County formerly owned by
Solomon Groves, together with two small negroes named
Charles and Betty, which I
purchased at the sale of Nicholas Nicholson, with my crops
on hand and those now growing on both farms, and also the stock and farming
utensils on the farm in Anne Arundel County and that the
money arising from said sales be applied to pay my just debts—and should
there be more than is sufficient for this purpose that the surplus be equally
divided between my wife Sarah Ann Brown,
Charlotte Marshall and Martha
Lodge
I hereby nominate, ordain and appoint My wife Sarah Ann
Brown and Robert Marshall to be my sole
executors to this my last will and testament, placing implicit confidence in my
Executors it is my wish that the Orphans Court will not exact of them a bond
exceeding six thousand dollars
In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix my seal on this
seventeenth day of July in the year of our Lord one
Thousand eight hundred and fifty nine
John M. Brown seal
Witness by
Joseph Trimble
William Trimble
Hillary S. Williams