Title: Petition of Joseph Follansbee, 6 May 1862
Date: May 6, 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.00041
TEI/XML: cww.00041.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, Joseph Follansbee of Washington County District of 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 the following described slaves persons of African descent of the names of Harriet Boyd and her Son William Thomas Clinton Boyd for and during the life of said Harriet Boyd and her Son William Thomas Clinton Boyd and that by said act of Congress said persons held to labor or service 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 persons held to labor or service were of the ages of as described below and of the personal description following:(1)
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons held to labor or service in manner following:(2) to wit The Slaves or persons held to labor or service as described in this position were purchased & acquired by me as follows Harriet Boyd the mother of the Boy was purchased from Zachariah Hazle of Washington City D.C. for the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy five dollars on the 24th day of May AD 1834.— which will be more fully explained by the Bill of sale which accompanies this petition—and the said Boy William Thomas Clinton Boyd is the offspring of said Harriet and said purchase
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons held to labor or service as aforesaid was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Fourteen Hundred dollars in money.(3) The service or labor of the said Harriet Boyd is yearly worth to me the sum of Eighty four dollars Your petitioner avers and declares thus he knows of no bodily ailment or defect that would in any way impair the value of said persons held to labor &c,—
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 persons held to labor & service into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons or slaves 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said persons or slavers 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said persons or slaves 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.
Know all men by these presents that I Zachariah Hazle of the
City of Washington in the District of Columbia for
and in consideration of the sum of Fifty dollars to me in hand paid by
Joseph Follansby of the same place at or before the
ensealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof I the said
Zachariah Hazle do hereby acknowledge, have granted
bargained and sold, and by these presents do grant, bargain and sell unto the
said Joseph Follansby or to his executors administrators
and assigns my negro slave Harrietnow in the possession of
the said Joseph Follansby. To have and to hold the said
negro slave to the said Joseph Follansby his executors
administrators and assigns forever. Provided nevertheless that in case I the
said Zachariah Hazle shall pay and satisfy to the said
Joseph Follansby or to his Executors administrators or
assigns the sum of fifty dollars aforesaid with interest for the same within six
months from the date hereof then this bill of sale and every matter and thing
therein expressed shall be void and of none effect it being the true intent and
meaning thereof, that the said negro slave is mortgaged by me the said
Zachariah Hazle to seem to 
the said Joseph Follansby
the payment of the money aforesaid.
In witness whereof I the said Zachariah Hazle have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the twenty fourth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty four.
Zachariah Hazel seal
Washington County, ss
On this 24th day of May 1834 before me one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County personally appears Zachariah Hazle and acknowledges the foregoing writing to be his act and deed, according to the true intent and meaning thereof and the law in such case made and provided. Witness my hand.
Mathew M Cole J Peace
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Joseph Follansby 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.
Joseph Follansbee
Sworn to and subscribed before me this sixth day of May A. D. 1862.
Wm. R. Woodward clk of Commissioners
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.
