Title: Petition of Susanna Boarman, 13 May 1862
Date: May 13, 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.00176
TEI/XML: cww.00176.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, Susanna Boarman of Charles County Md. 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 a female Slave person of African descent of the name of Trecy Harper for and during the life of said Trecy and that by said act of Congress said Trecy 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 Trecy was of the age of Thirty one years. and of the personal description following:(1) Trecy Harper is a bright yellow woman about thirty one years of age, as near as can be recollected. She is about five feet one, or two, inches in height. Black hair, and black, or dark eyes, not fleshy, but of muscular form, no marks visible, or otherwise.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Trecy in manner following:(2) By will of Elizabeth Reeves of Charles County, Maryland, date March 14th, 1837. A copy whereof is herewith annexed, Marked Exhibit (A).
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Trecy was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of 1,000— dollars in money,(3) Trecy Harper is a fine cook, washer, and ironer, and in every respect, a valuable house servant,. She is likely and her health was good, while in my employment, and believed to be so now, of sound ming and character unimpeachable, and believed to be without infirmities, and has resided with my brother in Washington City D.C. for the last eight or ten years.
Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she has not brought said Trecy into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Trecy 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said Trecy 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 Trecy 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.
Susanna Boarman
In the name of God Amen. I Elizabeth Reeves of Charles County and State of Maryland being of sound disposing mind memory and understanding do make this my last will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say First and principally I commit my soul to Almighty God who gave it me, and my body to the earth to be decently buried by my Executors herein after named, and as to what worldly Goods it has pleased God to bless me with I give and [ divese ?] as follows.
- Item 1st I give and bequeath to Henry L. Mudd a tract of Land by whatever name it may be called, being the same on which I have a quarter called Moses' quarter and joining the Lands of a certain James Moore and the said Henry L Mudd to him and his Heirs forever
- Item 2d I give and bequeath to Edward Dyer of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, and to his Heirs forever intrust and to and for the use intent and purposes herein after named, all and every other part of my real Estate and lying near where Doct George Boarman now resides, in trust nevertheless that he the said Edward Dyer shall keep and preserve the whole of the said property for the use, benefit and enjoyment of my nephew Doct George Boarman during his natural life, and at his death to convey and pay over and deliver the same and every part thereof to the lawfull heirs of him the said Doct George Boarman who are to have and possess the same in fee—
- Item 3d I give and bequeath to my great niece Mary Boarman daughter of Doct Geo. Boarman, my negro Boy Baptist son of Gracy
- Item 4th I give and bequeath to Susanna Boarman daughter of Doctr. Geo. Boarman, my negro Girl [Serece?] daughter of Cecy— </ul>
- Item 5th I give and bequeath to Frances D. Gardiner son of my niece Dorothy Gardiner, my negro Boy Elly son of woman Gracy and negro Boy Davy son of woman Anna—
- Item 6th I give and bequeath to Sophia Paign daughter of my decd nephew Thomas C. Boarman, negro Boy [Gusty?] son of negro woman Anna—
- Item 7th I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Boarman daughter of my nephew Charles Boarman my Boy Francis son of woman Harriet
- Item 8th I give and bequeath to Elizth Gardiner widow of a certain Aloysius Gardiner late of Prince Georges County decd my Boy Alfred son of woman Harriet—
- Item 9th I give and bequeath to Thomas S. Gardiner son of my niece Dorothy Gardiner, my Boy Pius, son of woman Harriet—
- Item 10th I give and bequeath to my friend Sarah Jenkins now living with me, my negro Boy Robert son of woman Cecy, one Bed and furniture, and one hundred and fifty dollars, also my wearing apparel—
- Item 11th I give and bequeath to Rose Ann Gardiner daughter of my niece Dorothy Gardiner, my negro Girl Ally, daughter of woman Cecy.—
- Item 12th I give and bequeath to Maria D. Hughes daughter of Major Jno. Hughes, my negro Boy Ambrose son of woman Delia Ann—
- Item 13th. I give and bequeath to whatever Reverend Gentleman that may be attending this congregation at my death the sum of fifty Dollars—
- Item 14th I give and bequeath to the poor of the upper Zekiah Congregation the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid to such as my Executors herein after mentioned shall think most deserving—
- Item 15th I give and bequeath all the residue of my </item></ul>
<ul><item> Estate to be divided in
equal proportions between James Edelen son of my
nephew Dr.
Richard Edelen, Sophia
Gardiner wife of George H. Gardiner,
Elizabeth Ann Hughes daughter of Majr.
Jno. Hughes and Elizabeth
Boarman daughter of my nephew A J P
Boarman to them and their Heirs forever—
<ul>
And Lastly I constitute and appoint John Hughes and George Gardiner to be Executors of this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all others heretofore by me made—In testimony I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 14th day of March in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and thirty seven
Elizabeth Reeves seal
signed sealed published and declared as and for the last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Reeves in presence of each other and at the request of the above named testatrice we have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto
Wm. A Mudd, Edward Smith, Stanislaus Farrall
On the Back of the aforegoing will it is there written Charles County Sct May 6th 1840 then came John Hughes and George Gardiner Executors of Elizabeth Reeves late of Charles County deceased and severally made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that the within and aforegoing instrument of writing is the true and whole last will and Testament of said deceased that hath come to their hands and possession and that they doth not know of any other.
Charles County Sct May the
6th 1840 then came Stanilaus Farral one of
the subscribing witnesses to the within and aforegoing last will and
Testament of of
Elizabeth Reeves late of Charles
County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangely of
Almighty God that he did see the Testatrice therein named sign and seal 
this will that he heard her
publish pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and Testament and
that at the time of her so doing she was in the best of his apprehen of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that he
together with William A Mudd and Edward
Smith respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to
this will in the presence and at the request of the Testatrice and in the
presence of each other—
I hereby certify that the aforegoing instrument of writing is a true copy taken from one of our Record Books of the Orphans Court of Charles County
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this 28th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and Forty one
will
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
I, Susanna Boarman 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.
Susanna Boarman
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 8th day of May, A. D. 1862.
Wm. L. McDaniel
Justice of the peace
Charles County Sct:
I Gerard W. Crain Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County; do hereby certify that William L. McDaniel Esq. before whom the aforegoing Affidavit appears to have been made was at the date thereof a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in & for Charles County; duly Commissioned and Sworn, and that his Signature thereby is genuine;
In Testimony whereof I hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of the Circuit Court for Charles County; this 9th day of May Anno Domini 1862
Petition of
Susanna Boarman
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.
