Title: Petition of William D. C. Murdock, 15 May 1862

Date: May 15, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 3. 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.00233

TEI/XML: cww.00233.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, William D. C. Murdock of Washington County 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 nine persons (four men & five women) person of African descent of the name of William Hutchison, William H Lee, Francis K. Lee, Theodore Lee, Sophia Hutchison, Mary C. Lee, Martha A. Lee, Margaret A. Lee & Ellen Lee for and during the life of said nine persons and that by said act of Congress said nine 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 nine persons was of the age of were of the ages and of the personal description following:(1)

That the said Wm Hutchison was of the age of fifty six years, black in complexion, five feet six inches high & of pleasant countenance. Wm H. Lee was twenty years of age, a dark chestnut color six feet tall, stout build & bashful countenance—that F. H. Lee was twenty years of age. of copper color, five feet eight inches tall, stout build very intelligent, serious countenance & very likely—that Theodore Lee was sixteen years of age, dark chestnut in color, likely, well made, pleasant, cheerful countenance & five feet five inches tall—that Mary C. Lee was twenty six years of age, copper color in complexion, very likely, intelligent, face & figure good, five feet six inches tall—that Martha A. Lee was twenty four years; copper color in complexion, very likely, five feet, five inches in height, good figure, & pleasant countenance—Margaret A. Lee was of the age of sixteen years, copper colored in complexion, likely, five feet, five inches tall, pleasant countenance, & good figure—that Ellen Lee was fourteen years of age, dark chestnut in color, very likely pleasant countenance, well made & five feet two inches tall—that Sophia Hutchison was of the age of eighty nine years black in color, hair grey, well preserved for her age and about five feet five inches tall.
 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said nine persons in manner following:(2) He is the sole child & heir at law of Addison Murdock, who died in the year 1808. That at the time of his death the said Addison Murdock was the lawful owner of certain slaves and among others of Sophia & Wm Hutchison, before named & Susan Hawkins. That Susan Hawkins married & had a daughter named Eliza Matthews. That Eliza Matthews married John Lee, negro, & had by him the following children who are before named that is to say William H. Lee, Francis H. Lee, Theodore Lee, Mary C. Lee Margaret A. Lee Martha A. Lee & Ellen Lee. The Said seven Lees together with Sophia & William Hutchison comprising the nine servants mentioned in this petition

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said nine persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of nine thousand one hundred dollars in money.(3) Two competent & disinterested citizens of Georgetown, lately appraised & fixed the following valuation upon said negroes—Sophy Hutchison, old & infirm, valueless, though your petitioner feels in duty bound to support her—Wm Hutchison $900—handy honest moral, trusty, good tempered, has been my foreman of out of door work also a well trained house servant, gardener, driver & ostler = Wm H Lee $1100. Young, honest moral good tempered, trusty, good driver, ostler & farm hand, strong & capable of hard work at present, but has been slightly ruptured, not however impairing his strength F. H. Lee $1200, young a well trained driver ostler & gardener, strong healthy, moral honest, trusty, & good tempered—Mary C. Lee $1400. young, a well trained house servant healthy honest moral, trusty, good tempered & strong—Martha A Lee $1400 young a well trained cook & house servant strong, healthy, honest, moral good tempered & trusty, Margaret A Lee $1100 young good tempered trained to house work, honest moral strong & healthy. Theodore Lee $1100—a lad trained to house work driving and gardening, strong, healthy honest moral & good tempered—Ellen Lee $900—a girl trained to house work and nursing children, strong healthy, honesty moral & good tempered. The Names of the appraiser are endorsed on the back of this petition as witnesses if any are required

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 negroes nor any 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 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 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 nine servants 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.

(Signed by)
Wm D. C. Murdock
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, William D. C. Murdock 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.

(Signed by)
William D. C. Murdock

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14 day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Jenkin Thomas
233
Petition of William D. C. Murdock
The clerk will file this petition J. C. Marbury atty
Filed May 15, 1862
Witnesses as to Valuation
Z. A. Lazenby
Watkins Addison
Our title
Miss Virginia Burnett


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Kenneth M. Price, Janel Cayer, Rhiannon Root, Robert Voss, and Courtney Geerhart.