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,
Thomas Scrivener
of
Washington City 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 two persons of African descent of the names of
Linda or Linda Harris and Edward
Maddox
for and during the life of said
Linda and Edward
and that by said act of Congress said
Linda and Edward
wasere discharged and freed of
and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time
of said discharge said
Linda and Edward
was
ere of the ages of
and of the personal description following: Here describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if
there be more than one slave, describe each one separately.
- 1st Linda or Linda Harris, female, slave for
life; aged about thirty (30) years; of an olive brown complexion with
full suit of hair, free spoken and intelligent
- 2nd Edward Maddox, male, slave for life; aged
about seventeen (17) years; of very dark complexion, long and narrow
head and face; short knotty hair and slow in speech.
Your petition also represents that said
Linda and Edward still voluntarily
remain at his house
No 16
A street
North Capital Hill
Washington D.C.
where they may be inspected or summoned, and any further facts touching them may
be ascertained by the Commissioners.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Linda and Edward
in manner following:
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.
The title to said Linda or Linda Harris
was conveyed to me by instrument of writing bearing the date the
15th day of July A.D. 1840, and duly recorded
in Liber W.B. No 80 folios 73 & 74 one of the land records for
Washington County in the District of Columbia, and for
the valuable consideration of two hundred (200) dollars
Said
Edward Maddox
was conveyed to me by instrument of writing from Sarah Ann
Landreth in consideration of the sum of three hundred dollars, of
date the 26 day of July A.D. 1859 and duly
recorded in Liber J. A. S. no 189 folio 37 one of the land records of
Washington County in the District of Columbia
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Linda
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of about eight hundred dollars in money. 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.
Said Linda has been in my family 21
years; is intelligent, honest and has been carefully taught; is an excellent
cook, washerwoman or nurse. During the past year she has had occasional attacks
of rheumatism; and is at intervals troubled with weakness of the breast, but has
never been compelled to abandon her usual duties. Your petitioner knows of no
other moral or mental or physical infirmities, and he believes none then to
exist. Said Linda is assessed on the tax books of the
Corporation of Washington for the year 1861 at $600. I believe her to be worth about $800.
Said
Edward
is worth in service and labor to your petitioner about one thousand
($1000) dollars. He has for 3 years past been taught and employed as an
assistant in my store and for general domestic purposes, and is intelligent and
trustworthy. He is strong and healthy and to the best of my knowledge has no
chronic disease; and I know of no moral, mental or physical infirmity in him. He
is assessed on the tax books of the Corporation of
Washington for the year 1861
at $600.
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
Linda and Edward
into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress;
and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Linda and Edward
was
ere 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
Linda and Edward
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
Linda and Edward
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)
Thomas Scrivener
Capital Hill
No 16