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, 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 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.