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, George W. Talburtt of [no handwritten text supplied here] 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 sixteen persons of African descent of the name of John Matthews, Teresa Matthews, Susan Jones, Charles Lee, William Datcher, Henrietta Brown, Rose Diggs, Samuel Brown, Robert Watkins, Milly Matthews, Teresa Brown, Patsa Brown, Augusta Brown, Alfred Matthews, Joseph Brown and James Jackson for and during the life of said sixteen persons and that by said act of Congress said sixteen persons were was discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said sixteen persons were was of the age of 50, 40, 20, 18, 32, 25, 23, 13, 30, 15, 11, 10, 8, 40, 3 and 2 years respectively and of the personal description following:(1)

John Matthews	complexion	Dark Copper,	height	five feet six inches
Teresa Matthews,	ditto	light mulatto,	ditto	five feet six inches
Susan Jones,	ditto	Bright Mulatto	ditto	four feet four inches
Charles Lee,	ditto	Black,	ditto	five feet
William Datcher,	ditto	Black,	ditto	five feet four inches
Henrietta Brown,	ditto		ditto	five feet four inches
Rose Diggs	ditto	Dark Mulatto,	ditto	five feet four inches
Samuel Brown	ditto	Black	ditto	four feet six inches
Robert Watkins	ditto	Black	ditto	five feet five inches
Milly Matthews	ditto	Black	ditto	five feet six inches
Teresa Brown	ditto	Black	ditto	four feet three inches
Patsa Brown,	ditto	Black,	ditto	four feet
Augustus Brown,	ditto	Black,	ditto	three feet two inches
Alfred Matthews,	ditto	Black,	ditto	five feet eight inches
Joseph Brown,	ditto	Light Copper,	ditto	three feet one inch
James Jackson,	ditto	Light Mulatto,	ditto	two feet four inches

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said sixteen persons in manner following:(2) To Wit: John Matthews and Teresa Matthews by purchase in the year Eighteen hundred and sixty of Theo H. Lancaster for the sum of ten hundred twenty dollars

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said sixteen persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of ten thousand three hundred and seventy dollars in money.(3) To Wit: John Matthews is a first rate farm hand, teamster coachman worth seven hundred dollars—Teresa Matthews is a first rate seamstress washer and ironer worth six hundred and twenty dollars—Susan Jones is a superior house servant and fair cook worth one thousand dollars William Datcher gardener and attended market as salesman has been ruptured but is worth seven hundred dollars—Charles Lee first rate farm hand and driver worth one thousand dollars—Henrietta Brown a superior cook washer, ironer & house servant and plain cook worth one thousand dollars Rose Diggs, a first rate wash ironer & house servant and plain cook worth one thousand dollars—Samuel Brown a stable hand and ploughman worth eight hundred dollars—Robert Watkins a house servant, marketman​ and farm hand worth one thousand dollars—Milly Matthews House servant and field hand tall and fine looking worth twelve hundred dollars—Teresa Brown child nurse worth three hundred fifty dollars Patsa Brown childs​ nurse worth three hundred dollars—Augustus Brown young and sprightly boy worth two hundred dollars Alfred Matthews a ploughman and field hand with a defect in one arm from it having been broken worth three hundred dollars—Joseph Brown a lively boy but slightly ruptured worth one hundred dollars—James Jackson a likely boy worth one hundred dollars—Excepting the defects mentioned I know of nothing calculated to impair the value of the above mentioned individuals

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 sixteen persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said sixteen persons 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 sixteen 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said sixteen 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.