Civil War Washington

To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the April 16, 1862, entitled "an act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia."

Your Petitioner, Mildred E. Ewell of the City of Washington & District of Columbia respectfully shows that at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, she held a claim to the service or labor against the following persons of African descent to wit:

Charity Smith is a woman of dark color, medium size, healthy and smart & possessing every qualification for a desirable servant. She is 29 years of age

Evelina Moore is a woman of dark color, genteel in her manner, an intelligent mind, good disposition and a useful servant; she is 25 years of age. A woman of unusual qualities.

Benjamin Moore is a dark man, large and healthy, good appearence​ & character and has capacity to discharge the most responsible positions as a servant. he is 20 years of age

Sallie Moore is a girl of light color, an unusually bright & healthy child; she is 6 years of age.

Frederick Moore is a boy of light color, dark eyes and strong & healthy; he is 4 years of age.

Helen Smith, a child of dark color, rather small but healthy & smart; she is 3 years of age.

 

That the service or labor of the aforesaid persons, was, at the time of their discharge, by the said act of Congress, of the value of forty eight hundred dollars, to wit:

Charity, one thousand, Evelina, one thousand, Benjamin, sixteen hundred, Helen, three hundred, Frederick, four hundred, and Sallie, five hundred dollars.

That your petitioner has been loyal to the Government of the United States; and that she has not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion nor given aid or comfort to the enemy

That she acquired the title to the service aforesaid persons by descent from her parents Jesse Ewell & Mildred Ewell of Prince William County Va. in 1848.

She removed from Virginia in 1851 with the aforesaid persons to Washington D.C. and had them registered according to law in the Clerks office of the Circuit Court for the District of Columbia.

Your petitioner further showeth that prior and subsequent to the passage of said act the said persons was domiciled in the said District, and held to service and labor therein by virtue of your petitioners claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioner further represents that her 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 United States Government.

And your petitioner, therefore prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of her said claim to the service or labor of said persons herein above mentioned 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.