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, Joseph N. Fearson of Georgetown Dist. 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 [no handwritten text supplied here] persons of African descent of the names of Sarah Duglas, Caroline, Jinnie or "Janna", Lucy, Frank, Benjamin, Phebe, or "Pheba", Nebraska Bill, and Abraham Dixie, the last mentioned Eight having assumed the surname of " Gray ", for and during the life of said Sarah, Caroline, Jinnie or "Janna", Lucy, Frank, Benjamin, Phebe or Pheba, Nebraska Bill, and Abraham Dixie, and that by said act of Congress said persons named as aforesaid 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 named as aforesaid were of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1)

Name	Age about	Height about	Color &c.
Sarah—	Sixty Eight (68) years	Five feet	Bright yellow color—very hale and hearty.
Caroline—	Forty six (46) years	Five feet	Very dark black—very hale and hearty.
Jinnie or "Janna",	Twenty nine (29) years	Five feet and two (5:2) inches	" " " " " " "
Lucy = =	Twenty six years	Five feet two inches	" " " " " " "
Frank =	Fifteen years	Five feet	Bright yellow— " " " "
Benjamin =	Twelve years	Four feet- six inches	" " " " "" "
Phebe or Pheba—	Seven years	Three feet six inches	Very dark— " " " "
Nebraska Bill	Nine years	Four feet	Bright yellow " " " "
Abraham Dixie	Eighteen months	—	" " " " " " "

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said — in manner following:(2) Sarah Duglas by descent and purchase: She was first bought by my father Joseph Fearson in 1812 of Edmund Shaw of Charles County Maryland, and remained in his service until his death (Sept. 7, 1832) and afterwards in the service of my mother until her death: (August 26th 1854.) when she was inherited by my brother Samuel S. Fearson and myself the only heirs. The conveyance of Samuel S. Fearson to myself of all his interest is duly recorded in the law records of this county:

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Sixty five hundred and fifty dollars in money. , (3) as your petitioner avers he has no knowledge of any moral, mental or bodily defect in any or either of said persons, except the natural infirmity of old age, attaching to Sarah Duglas the first mentioned: all of them being now hale and hearty, and have always been so: and that he values them as follows: Sarah $350.00; Caroline $800.00 Jinnie or Janna $1000.00; Lucy $1000.00; Frank $1000.00; Benjamin $800.00; Phebe or Pheba, $500.00; Nebraska Bill $700.00; Abraham Dixie $400.00.

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 or either of them into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons were 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 either of them 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 above mentioned 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.