Title: Petition of Anne E. Beall, 2 May 1862

Date: May 2, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 2. The original document is held in the Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, 1775–1978, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 217.6.5. Within the National Archives' Archival Description Catalog, see ARC Identifier 4644616 / MLR Number A1 347 (http://arcweb.archives.gov).

Civil War Washington ID: cww.00006

TEI/XML: cww.00006.xml

 

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, Ann E. Beall 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 certain persons discharged therefrom by said act being persons of African descent of the names of Barbary Robinson and Robert for and during the life of said persons and that by said act of Congress said persons were 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 Barbary was of the age of about fourty​ six years and of the personal description following:(1) of a dark brown color, short of stature stout & strong built; and said Robert was of the age of twenty two years, of a dark brown color, about five feet ten inches high and of a spare build.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) Said Barbary was bequeathed to her by Mrs Rachel W. Turner, of Prince Georges County, in the State of Maryland, by her last will and testament dated [no handwritten text supplied here] and recorded among the public records of said Prince George's County; and said Robert became her property by birth, being the son of said Barbary, which said Barbary was the slave of your petitioner at the time of the birth of said Robert

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom she thinks, of the value of Fifteen Hundred dollars in money.(3) Said Robert is a sprightly, active man, and has been employed as a waiter in hotels and boarding houses in this city at good wages.—Barbary is a healthy able-bodied woman, capable of performing as much labor as most men of her age.—The value of Robert is about one thousand dollars and that of Barbary about Five Hundred Dollars.

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 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)
Ann E. Beall
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Ann E. Beall being duly sworn, do depose and say, that all the several matters and things which are set forth and stated in the foregoing petition, as of my own knowledge, are true in substance and in fact; and that all the several other matters and things therein set forth and stated, as from the information of others, I believe to be true in substance and in fact.

(Signed by)
Ann. E. Beall

Sworn to and subscribed before me this first day of May A.D. 1862

(Signed by)
F. I. Murphey J.P.
6
Petition Ann E. Beall, to Commissioners, under act Apl. 16. 1862, to apportion her claim in money to service or labor of Barbary Robinson & Robert
Witnesses D. B. Clarke
Filed May 2d 1862
R. L. Morsell Esqatty


 Note (1.)-- Here describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than one slave, describe each one separately.

 Note (2.)-- 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.

 Note (3.)-- 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.

Transcription and encoding: Elizabeth Lorang, Kenneth M. Price, Adam Minakowski, Robert Voss, and Janel Cayer.