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 Petitioners Charlotte and Isabella Kilgour of Montgomery County in the State of Maryland, by this their petition in writing, represents and states, that they are is a persons 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 two negro men persons of African descent of the name of Hanson Carroll and James Carroll for and during the life of said Hanson and James Carroll and that by said act of Congress said Hanson and James Carroll (as these petitioners are advised) are discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Hanson Carroll and James Carroll, the former, was of the age of twenty years the latter of the age of eighteen years and of the personal description following:(1)

• Hanson Carroll, was about five feet six or eight inches high; dark mulatto color, thick and well set, able bodied and in full health, no particular marks recollected—
• James Carroll, is about 5 ft. 6 or 7 Inches high, rather more slender than Hanson, of a Copper Color, able bodied and in good health.

 

That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Hanson & James Carroll in manner following:(2) Anarchy, a negro woman, slave for life, about the year eighteen hundred and thirty seven or thirty eight, the property of Miss Martha Kilgour of St. Marys County MD, was donated or given by the said Martha Kilgour, to your Petitioners and the late Elizabeth Kilgour a maiden Sister of your Petitioners; and who has since died single and unmarried, your Petitioners surviving, and the said Hanson & James Carroll are the children of said Anarchy, born since she came to the property of your Petitioners and reared by them

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Hanson and James was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of four thousanddollars in money.(3) the said Hanson hired for one hundred and twenty dollars per annum, and James, for one hundred and eight dollars per annum or that rate

Your petitioners hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that they have not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioners further states and alleges, that they have not brought said Hanson and James Carroll into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Hanson and James 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 their said claim to the service or labor of said Hanson & James 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 their said claim to the service or labor of said Hanson and James Carroll 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.