Title: Petition of Francis Dodge, Robert P. Dodge, Emily Dodge, and Mary Thomson, 16 May 1862
Date: May 16, 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.00255
TEI/XML: cww.00255.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 Petitioners, Francis Dodge & Robert P
Dodge Executors & Trustees, Emily
Dodge & Mary Thomson of Georgetown D.C 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 five persons of African descent of the name of
Ann Magruder, Maria Warren
Emeline Magruder, John Magruder
& Nelly Warren for and during the
lifeves of said five persons and that by said act of Congress said
five persons were discharged and freed of and
from all claim of your petitioners to such service
or labor; that at the time of said discharge said five
persons were of the ages
of and of the personal descriptions
following:(1)
| ages | |||
| Ann Magruder, | 52, | female, | Tall, thin, cast in her eyes & dark Colour 5.6 |
| Maria Warren | 40, | do. | Light Mulatto 5.4 |
| Emaline Magruder | 24 | do | Stout dark Colour 5.5 |
| John Magruder | 22 | Male | Tall, dark Small head 6ft |
| Nelly Warren | 42 | female | Light Mulatto 5.3 |
That your petitioner acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said five persons in manner following:(2) They were purchased by Francis Dodge, deceased, of Georgetown DC & by his will (admitted to probate on the 11 of October 1851) came into the possession of F. Dodge & R P Dodge his sons, as Executors of Said will, and Trustees of Miss Emily Dodge a daughter of the Testator, & Miss May Thomson his Sister in law, each of whom enjoy a life estate in the Said servants, after which they revert to said estate
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said five persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of 3,300 dollars in money.(3) viz
| Ann Magruder | cook & dairy maid | 600.– |
| Maria Warren | Pastry cook & house servant (at times rheumatic but very capable & useful) | 300.– |
| Emeline Magruder | Chambermaid | 800.– |
| John Magruder, | Waiter & Gardener | 1000.– |
| Nelly Warren | Cook & house Servant | 600.– |
| 3300 |
The above are entirely trustworthy & reliable, having been family Servants for the last twenty years They have no infirmity or defect, other than the one above stated.
Your petitioners hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance
to the Government of the United States, and that they hasve 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 they hasve not brought said
five persons into the District of
Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at
the time of the passage thereof, said five persons
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 their said claim to the service or labor of said five 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 their said claim to the service or labor of said five 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.
Francis Dodge
Robert Dodge
Executors and Trustees
Emily Dodge
Mary Thomson
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I
We, Francis Dodge,
Robert P. Dodge, Emily
Dodge & Mary Thomson,
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 their 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
they believe to be true in substance and in
fact.
Francis Dodge
Robert Dodge
Executors and Trustees
Emily Dodge
Mary Thomson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 13th day of May A. D. 1862.
Henry Reaver JPeace
B. P. Boone
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.
