Title: Petition of Michael R. Combs, 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.00196
TEI/XML: cww.00196.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, Michael R. Combs of Washington D.C. 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 named person of African descent of the name of James Henry Cole for and during the life of said James Henry Cole and that by said act of Congress said James Henry Cole 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 James Henry Cole was of the age of twenty two years and of the personal description following:(1) That is to say; He is of a Chestnut color about five foot eight inches high with no mark of any description whatever on his person
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said James Cole in manner following:(2) I received him by a deed of gift from my grandfather Michael Sardo, now deceased the original deed is hereunto appended.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said James Cole was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of fourteen hundred dollars in money.(3) He was a waiter and employed in my restaurant on Pennsylvania avenue in this city which I formerly kept & subsequently he has been employed in the same business for which I received one dollar per day. He was a smart active healthy and intelligent and trust worthy & on whose moral character I have the greatest confidence. Your petitioner further declares that he knows of no moral mental or bodily defect or infirmities on said James Cole.
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 James Cole into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said James Cole 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 James Cole 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 value of his said claim to the service or labor of said James Cole 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.
Michael R. Combs
to
Michael R Combs
Know all men by these presents, that I Michael Sardo, of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which I have and bear to Michael R. Coombs (my grandson) of the said City and of the sum of one dollar to me in hand paid at or before the sealing and delivery hereof, do hereby bargain sell and to convey unto the said Michael R. Coombs my negro boy James otherwise called James Henry Cole. To Have and To Hold the said negro boy, unto the said Michael R. Coombs, his executors administrators and assigns as a slave for life. And I do hereby covenant to warrant and defend the said negro boy unto the said Michael R. Coombs his executors, Administrators and assigns forever
Given under my hand and seal this day of August A. D. 1844
Michael Sardo seal
Signed, Sealed & Delivered in presence of
R. R. Bauer
B. K. Morsell
County of Washington Sct.
Be it remembered that on this fifteenth day of August 1844—Personally appears Michael Sardo, the party grantor within named before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for said County, and acknowledges the within deed or instrument of writing to be his act and deed according to the purpose, true intent & meaning thereof
Acknowledged before me
B. K. Morsell J.P.
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Michael R. Combs 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.
Michael R. Combs
Sworn to and subscribed before me this ninth day of May A. D. 1862.
N Callan J Peace
Michael R. Combs
Jas Haliday
Thom Fisher
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.
