Title: Petition of John Dickson, 5 May 1862
Date: May 5, 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.00023
TEI/XML: cww.00023.xml
Walter S. Cox, being duly sworn, deposes & says: I am well acquainted with the boy Andrew named in the aforegoing petition of John Dickson; his mother has been a servant in my house for a number of years and he was partially brought up there. They were both the property of my grandfather, the late Col. John Cox, and Andrew was given by him to his daughter, the wife of Watkins Addison and was always regarded and treated as her property by the rest of the family. Andrew is a strong healthy boy, very smart, understands cooking, waiting and all that pertains to household management, and I think, would command as high a price as any house servant, of his age, that I know. I do not think $1,500 too high a valuation of him.
I was trustee in the deed given by W. Addison, referred to the petition and was cognizant of the facts relating to it, and from my recollection of them, they are correctly set forth in the petition
Walter S. Cox
Sworn to before me this fifth day of May, 1862
Jean Pierre Thomas J. Peace
John Dickson
To the Commissioners appointed under the Act of Congress, of April 16, 1862, entitled "An Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."
The Petition of John Dickson respectfully shews, that he had a claim to the service or labor of a certain person of African descent, named Andrew Montgomery, who was discharged from said claim by the Act of Congress aforesaid, that said Andrew Montgomery was the slave for life of Watkins Addison, of Georgetown, D.C. and was, by him, conveyed to Walter S. Cox, by Bill of Sale dated August 6, 1860, recorded in Liber J.A.S. No. 203, fol. 70 &, of the Land Records of the County of Washington, D.C. in trust to secure a note of said Addison, in favor of your Petitioner, upon which Richard S. Cox was accommodating endorser, for the sum of six hundred and forty dollars; that there remains of said debt, a balance of three hundred and seventy five 66/100, dollars bearing interest from the 17th day of April, ultimo, which is, therefore the extent of your Petitioner's claim upon said negro.
He further shews that said Andrew
Montgomery is a black, five feet seven or eight inches in
height, nineteen years of age, strong and capable, and of the value of twelve or
fifteen hundred dollars; that said negro was not brought into the
District of Columbia since the passage of the Act of
Congress aforesaid, that your Petitioner's claim existed at the date of the
passage of the act and 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.
Your Petitioner hereby declares that he bears true and faithful allegiance to the government of the United States and that he has not born arms against the United States in the present rebellion nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
He prays you to investigate and determine the validity of his said claim and to report the same pursuant to the Act of Congress &&&c.
John Dickson
I, John Dickson being duly sworn, do depose and say, that all the several matters and things which are set forth and stated in the aforegoing 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.
John Dickson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this fifth day of May A.D. 1862
Jean Pierre Thomas J Peace
