Title: Petition of Jesse Williams, 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.00032
TEI/XML: cww.00032.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, Jesse Williams of Washington City D. Columbia by this his petition in writing, represents and states, that he 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 one person of African descent of the name of Sophronia Chase for and during the life of said Sophronia Chase and that by said act of Congress said Sophronia 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 Sophronia was of the age of Twenty-eight and of the personal description following:(1) of dark brown color, Sound in body and mind and is excellent house servant, as well as a good laundress and was always an obedient and faithful domestic—She is about 5 feet six inches in heigth and of quite [prepossing?] appearance, with no scars of any kind
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Sophronia Chase in manner following:(2) by letter of guardianship issued to me by the Orphans Court of Charles County State of Maryland, in which I am the lawful custodian and legal representative of the following named persons, who are my own children, The said Sophronia was inherited by my late wife and by will decended to my children, and afterwords to be disposed of, when said children arrived at the age of maturity. I have given the necessary bond and security for the faithful distribution of proceeds of the said Sophronia before the Orphans Court aforesaid
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said person was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Twelve Hundred dollars in money.(3) [no handwritten text supplied here]
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he 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 he has not brought said Sophronia into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Sophronia 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 the said claim to the service or labor of said Sophronia 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 value of his said claim to the service or labor of said Sophronia 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.
Jesse Williams
George S. Langley
Witness
Henry Olive
Witness Jas. Cull
his X mark Joseph Williams
his X mark John M. Williams
Subscribed and sword to by John M Williams this Thirteenth day of Sept 1862 before me
Jas. Cull J. P.
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Jesse Williams 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.
Jesse Williams
George S. Langley
Witness
Henry Olive
Witness
Jas. Cull
X Joseph Williams
his X mark John M. Williams
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5th day of May A.D. 1862. by J. M. Williams
Jno. H Johnson, JP. seal
Subscribed and sworn to by Joseph Williams this 12th day of September A. D. 1862
and by George S. Langley this 16 Septr 1862
Alexr Richards
[rebuilding?] hill
Copy of the re-appraisement of negro woman of the minor children of Jesse Williams
In Henry Rabey & Franklin Rabey [Greeting?]
This is to authorize you jointly to appraise the Goods chattels and personal estate of Jesse Williams minor children so far as they shall come to your sight and knowledge each of you having first taken the oath hereto annexed a certificate whereof you are to return annexed to an Inventory of the said Goods Chattles and Personal estate by you appraised in dollars and cents and in the said Inventory you are to set down in a column or columns opposite to each article the value thereof.
Test: D. Jenifer Regr of Wills
We do swear that we will well and truly without favor or prejudice appraise the Goods Chattles and Personal estate of Jesse Williams minor children so far as they shall come to our sight and knowledge and will in all respects discharge the duties of appraisers to the best of our skill and Judgment so help us God.
Henry Robey
Franklin Robey Appraisers
I hereby certify that the aforegoing oath was taken and subscribed by the said Henry Robey and Franklin A Robey before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for Charles County duly commissioned and qualified according to law this 8 day of Feb 1851
Inventory and reappraisement of all the personal property of Jesse Williams minor children
| Sophronia | $700 00 |
We the undersigned certify that the aforegoing is a true and correct re-appraisement of the personal estate of Jesse Williams minor children so far as the same has come to our sight and knowledge
Given under our hands and seals this [no handwritten text supplied here] day of [no handwritten text supplied here] 1851
Franklin A Robey seal
Henry Robey seal
Charles County to wit:
In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from one of the Record Books of the Orphans Court for Charles County
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this 19th day of May in this year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and Sixty two.
James D. Carpinter
Register of Wills for Charles County
Know all men by these presents that we Jesse Williams Hezekiah Williams Ann. E. Deakins Henly C. Waters & John Smith all of Charles County are held and firmly bound unto the state of Maryland in the full and just sum of two hundred & twenty five dollars current money to be paid to the State aforesaid to which payment will and truly to be made and done we bind ourselves and every of us, our and every of our heirs Executors and Administrators in the whole and for the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 30 day of December In The year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & fifty
The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Jesse Williams as Guardian to Joseph Williams of Washington City DC, shall faithfully account with the Orphans Court for Charles County as directed by law for the management of the property and estate of the minor under his care and shall also deliver up the said property agreeably to the order of the said Court or the directions of law and shall in all respects perform the duty of Guardian to the said minor according to law, then the above obligation shall be void it shall otherwise remain in full force and virtue in law
Jesse Williams seal
Hezekiah Williams seal
Ann E Deakins seal
his X mark Henly C Waters seal
John Smith seal
signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Josiah Adams
Charles County to wit:
In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from one of the Record Books of the Orphans Court for Charles County
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said County this 19th day of May in this year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and Sixty two
James D. Carpinter
Register of Wills for Charles County
Know all men by these presents that we Jesse Williams Hezekiah Williams Ann. E. Deakins Henly C. Waters & John Smith all of Charles County are held and firmly bound unto the state of Maryland in the full and just sum of two hundred & twenty five dollars current money to be paid to the State aforesaid to which payment well and truly to be made and done we bond ourselves and every of us our and every of our heirs executors and Administrators in the whole and for the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 30 day of December In the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & fifty.
The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Jesse Williams as Guardian to Ann Dorinda Williams of Washington City D C shall faithfully account with the Orphans Court of Charles County as directed by law for the management of the property and estate of the minor under his care and shall also deliver up the said property agreeably to the order of the said Court or the directions of care and shall in all respects perform the duty of Guardian to the said minor according to law, then the above obligation shall be void it shall otherwise remain in full force and virtue in law
Jesse Williams seal
Hezekiah Williams seal
Ann E Deakins seal
his X mark Henly C. Waters seal
John Smith seal
signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Josiah Adams
Charles County to wit:
In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from one of the Record Books of the Orphan's Court for Charles County
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court, this 19th day of May in this year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and Sixty two.
James D. Carpinter
Register of Wills for Charles County
Know all men by these presents that we Jesse Williams Hezekiah Williams, Ann. E. Deakins, Henly C. Waters & John Smith all of Charles County are held and firmly bound unto the state of Maryland in the full and just sum of two hundred & twenty five dollars current money to be paid to the State aforesaid by which payment well and truly to be made and done we bind ourselves and every of us, our and every of our heirs Executors and Administrators in the whole and for the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 30 day of December In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & fifty
The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Jesse Williams as Guardian to John Marsellas Williams of Washington City D C shall faithfully account with the Orphans Court of Charles County as directed by law for the management of the property and estate of the minor under his care and shall also deliver up the said property agreeably the order of said Court or the directions of law, and shall in all respects perform the duty of Guardian to the said minor according to law then the above obligation shall be void it shall otherwise remain in full force and virtue in law
Jesse Williams seal
Hezekiah Williams seal
Ann E Deakins seal
his X mark Henly C. Waters seal
John Smith seal
signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Josiah Adams
Charles County to wit:
In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from one of the Record Books of the Orphans' Court for Charles County
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this 19th day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Sixty two
Know all men by these presents that we Jesse Williams Hezekiah Williams Ann. E. Deakins Henly C. Waters & John Smith all of Charles County are held and firmly bound unto the state of Maryland in the full and just sum of two hundred & twenty five dollars current money to be paid to the State aforesaid to which payment well and truly to be made and done we bind our dollars and every of us, our and every of our heirs Executors and administrators in the whole and for the whole jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 30 day of December In the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & fifty.
The condition of the above bounden is such that if the above bounden Jesse Williams as Guardian to William Clias Williams of Washington City D. C. shall faithfully account with the Orphans Court for Charles County as directed by law for the management of the property and estate of the minor under his care and shall also deliver up the said property agreeably to the order of said Court or the directions of law and shall in all respects discharge the duty of Guardian to the said minor according to law, then the above obligation shall be void it shall otherwise remain in full force and virtue in law
Jesse Williams seal
Hezekiah Williams seal
Ann E Deakins seal
his X mark Henly C. Waters seal
John Smith seal
signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Josiah Adams
Charles County to wit:
In testimony that the aforegoing is a true copy taken from one of the Record Books of the Orphans' Court for Charles County
I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this 19th day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Sixty two.
James D. Carpinter
Register of Wills for Charles County
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.
