Civil War Washington

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, Catharine Pearson, residing at Brentwood near Washington in the District of Columbia, by this her petition in writing represents and states that she 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 twenty one persons of African descent of the following names, viz: Edward Lee (Ned,) Nelly Mitchell, Mary Smith, James Dangerfield, Kitty Mitchell, Joseph Burnet, John Mitchell, Anthony Jefferson, Jenny Butler, William Butler, George Dover, Mary Shorter, Elizabeth Shorter, Thomas Shorter, Benjamin Shorter, Lewis Shorter, Henry Shorter, Sarah Shorter, Jacob Shorter, Andrew Shorter, and Frank Shorter, for and during the lives of said twenty one persons and that by said act of Congress said persons were discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner   to such service or labor: and that at the time of such discharge the said twenty one persons were respectively of the ages and personal descriptions following, to wit: Edward Lee was born in Washington in 1807 and is 55 years old, black and 5 ft. 10 in. high. Nelly Mitchell was born in Washington in 1816, is 46 years old, fat, 5 ft. 3 ½ in high and black; Mary Smith was born in Georgetown D. C. in 1838, is 24 years old, 5 ft. ½ in high and dark mulatto; James Dangerfield, infant son of Mary Smith, was born at Brentwood and is 6 months old; Kitty Mitchell, daughter of Nelly Mitchell, was born in Georgetown D. C. in 1841, is 21 years old, 5 ft 1 ½ in. high and light black; Joseph Burnet, infant son of Kitty Mitchell, was born at Brentwood in December 1861 and is four months old; John Mitchell son of Nelly Mitchell was born at Brentwood in 1842, is 20 years old, is quite tall being 5 ft. 11 ½ in. high and black; Anthony Jefferson, brother of Nelly Mitchell was born at Brentwood in 1835, is 27 years old; about 5 ft. 8 ins. slender, black. Jenny Butler was born in Georgetown D. C. in   1798, is 64 years old and very stout, black William Butler, son of Jenny Butler, was born at Brentwood in 1835, is 27 years old, a dark Mulatto, about 5 ft. 8 ins.: George Dover, was born at Brentwood in 1825, is 37 years old, 5 ft. 7 ¾ in. high and black; Mary Shorter was born at Brentwood in 1824, is 38 years old, is a sister of George Dover, 5 ft 2 ½ in. high and black: Elizabeth Shorter, daughter of Mary Shorter, was born in Brentwood in 1843, is 19 years old, dark Mulatto, about 5 ft. 4 ins.: Thomas Shorter, son of Mary Shorter was born at Brentwood in 1845, is 17 years old, 5 ft 5 ¾ in high and black: Benjamin Shorter, son of Mary Shorter, was born at Brentwood in 1849, is 13 years old, well grown & black: Lewis Shorter, son of Mary Shorter, was born at Brentwood in 1851, is 11 years old, strong and tough, but not large for his age brown; Henry Shorter, son of Mary Shorter, was born at Brentwood in 1853, is 9 years brown.; Sarah Shorter, daughter of Mary Shorter, was born at Brentwood in 1855, is 7 years old, brown; Jacob Shorter son of Mary Shorter was born at Brentwood in 1857, is 5 years old, brown: Andrew Shorter   son of Mary Shorter was born at Brentwood in 1859, is 2 ½ years old, brown; and Frank Shorter son of Mary Shorter was born at Brentwood in 1861, is 10 months old, & brown.:

That your petitioner acquired her title to the aforesaid service or labor of said twenty one persons in manner following viz; Mary Shorter and all her family of children as above described were acquired by your petitioner under the last will and testament of her deceased son Wm Gaston Pearson, dated 15 January 1858 and duly probated in the Orphan's Court of Washington County D. C. in 1861 and not yet recorded: the said Wm Gaston Pearson having acquired his title thereto under the will of his father Hon. Joseph Pearson recorded in Will Book No. 1 H. C. N. folio 258, in the said Court:—Jenny Butler was acquired by your petitioner by gift from her late father Dr. Chas. Worthington, when a young girl, without written transfer, and has remained in the possession of your petitioner ever since, and her son William Butler was born the slave of your petitioner: all and singular the other persons herein before mentioned   as manumitted by said act and belonging to your petitioner were acquired by her under the last will and testament of her deceased husband, Joseph Pearson, recorded in Will Book No. 1. H.C.N. folio 258.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said twenty one persons was at the time of said discharge therefrom of the value of sixteen thousand nine hundred dollars in money, made up of the following items, viz:

  

Edward Lee. the family coachman for 30 years, thoroughly honest and reliable, healthy, though occasionally rheumatic.	$1000
Nelly Mitchell. an accomplished cook and washerwoman, has been the family cook for 20 years, fat, healthy, perfectly honest and trustworthy	"1000
Mary Smith, a good house servant and plain seamstress, in perfect health	"1000
James Dangerfield, a fine healthy boy six months old.	"50
Kitty Mitchell, an active, intelligent house servant, waitress & seamstress, in perfect health	"1200
Joseph Burnet, a stout, healthy boy	"50
	"4300
Amount brought over	$4300
John Mitchell, a tall, strong, healthy, & first rate farm hand, 20 years old	$1200
Anthony Jefferson, a first rate thorough bred waiter and butler in perfect health & valued at $2000 in 1860	"1700
Jenny Butler, a splendid family cook, stout, in general good health, somewhat rheumatic in the legs.	"350
William Butler, an accomplished waiter and good coachman, in fine condition and good health.	"1500
George Dover, a strong healthy, intelligent man, a first rate farm hand & for several years the head man on the farms.	"1500
Mary Shorter, a good laundress and general cook woman, strong & healthy	"1000
Elizabeth Shorter, a good chambermaid and waitress, strong & healthy	"1000
Thomas Shorter, 17 years old, strong & healthy well grown & good farm hand	"1100
Benjamin Shorter, 13 years old, healthy & well grown, works on the farm	900
Lewis Shorter, 11 years old, not very large for his age, but by his intelligence suited for
	$14550
Amount brought over	$14550
a housewaiter	750
Henry Shorter, 9 years old, strong & healthy	600
Sarah Shorter, 7 " " " "	350
Jacob Shorter, 5 " " " "	350
Andrew Shorter, 2 ½ " " " "	200
Frank Shorter, 10 months " " "	100
Aggregate value	$16,900

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she has not born​ arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioner further states & alleges that she has not brought any of said twenty one persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said Act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said twenty one persons were held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and that she knows of no mental, moral or physical defects in any of said twenty one persons other than as above set forth.

Your petitioner further states and alleges, that   her said claim to the service or labor of said twenty one 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 Government of the United States.

And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of her said claim to the service or labor of said twenty one persons 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.