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, Ann M Wood of Washington 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 the following named persons of African descent of the names of Jane Webb, Nancy Reed & Henrietta Evans for and during the life of said 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; that at the time of said discharge said Jane Webb was of the age of fifty eight years. Nancy Reed was thirty eight years old & Henrietta Evans was of the age of eighteen years and of the personal description following:(1)

• Jane Webb is a mulatto five feet high—fifty eight years of age with no particular marks
• Nancy Reed is a dark mulatto thirty eight years of age five feet four inches in height no particular marks.
• Henrieta Evans is a mulatto eighteen years of age five feet two inches high with no marks.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) That is to say, she inherited Jane Webb from her late mother Mrs Margaret Taylor relict of Genl​ Z Taylor. Henrietta Evans under the same circumstances (by inheritance). She came into posession​ of Nancy Reed by a deed of gifts and by inheritance from her late father Genl​. Zachary Taylor.

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 eighteen hundred in money.(3) That is to say Jane Webb is valued at five hundred dollars. Nancy Reed at five hundred dollars & Henrietta Evans at eight hundred. All three are first class family servants. Jane is an excellent cook the other two are family servants, always having been employed in that capacity in the family of your petitioner. All three are good seamstresses all are efficient and there are no moral mental or bodily infirmities or defects in either of the above named persons known to your petitioner.

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 persons 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said 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 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.