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, Charles R Belt of of the County of Washington District 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 Lethea Bowie, and her children George, Harriet, Andrew, Hamilton, and Eliza Bowie, and also Henry Augustus (or Julius) persons of African descent of the name of for and during the life of said Lethea, George, Harriet, Andrew, Hamilton, Eliza and Henry respectively and that by said act of Congress said Lethea, George, Harriet, Andrew, Hamilton, Eliza and Henry 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 Lethea was about forty nine years old (49) George about thirty one, Harriet nineteen, Andrew seventeen, Hamilton fifteen, Eliza about thirteen and Henry about forty one (41) years of age and of the personal description following:(1) Lethea is about 5 feet 6 inches high healthy, corpulent, very pleasant and polite when spoken to, a dark copper color; was raised in petitioners service and has been for many years his cook and George is a very valuable servant would have commanded the highest market price as a farm hand; is strong active, healthy, skilful, sincere, about if not quite six feet high, a dark copper color; Harriet about five feet six inches high, copper color; good appearance, good sempstress, and able servant, faithful and honest, Andrew, a valuable servant, about five feet ten, farmhand and cobbler, polite has a hesitation in answering, Hamilton dark copper speaks but seldom, greene​ look, some each in his eyes or rather defect that gives them a peculiar color quite ingenious, handles carpenters tools very well, good farm hand; Eliza, copper color well grown for her age, stoops a little when backing, good face, good natured, pleasant when spoken to, about five feet high; Henry is a dark copper, about five feet seven inches, strong, well made has a doure​ look, and an impediment in his speech which gives him the appearance of want of intelligence: he is however a smart active and good farm hand

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said servants respectfully in manner following:(2) Lethea and Henry are brother and sister the children of Hannah who belonged to the late Jos. Sprigg Belt, residing in said county and they were born his property. Lethea's children were all born at the petitioner's residence after the death of his Father. Mr. Jos Sprigg Belt left his two children, your petitioner and his brother William J. Your petitioner after the death of his said father in 1849 continued to reside at the home place Hannah the mother of Lethea and Henry lived with him as his slave, and he subsequently purchased the interest of his brother in these servants.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said slaves was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of five thousand six hundred dollars in money.(3) All of these servants are healthy, strong, active and faithful, honest and true. The only one having any defect know to the petitioner is Henry and that is more apparent than real, for he has heretofore done with fidelity his full share of the work on the petitioners farm

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 servants neither 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 servants were 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 servants 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 servants respectively 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.