Title: Petition of Samuel Shreve, 19 May 1862
Date: May 19, 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.00299
TEI/XML: cww.00299.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,
Samuel Shreve
of
Washington City DC
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 Three
persons of African descent of the name of
William Ceaser, Eveline Clark
and Isabel Brook
for and during the life of said
Three persons and that by said act of Congress
said 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 said William Ceaser
was of the
age of 32 years and of the personal descriptions
following:(1)
of Dark Brown color about 5 feet seven inches high and
well built, being a male person $1200
Edward G. Donaldson
R. H. Williams
of Washington City DC
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said 3. Persons in manner following:(2) I purchased them at the administrators sale of my father (Sam Shreve's Estate) of Montgomery County Maryland in November 1861.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said 3. Persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Twenty four hundred dollars in money.(3) Your petitioners avers that the said persons were by reson of their intelligence, honesty and Physical ability very valuable to him. That the said Williams wages at the time of the passage of the act of Congress was of the value of one dollar a day which I had been for some time receiving for him. I now allow Eveline 8 dolls per Month, and Isabel two dolls per month and victuals and clothes and your petitioner has no knowledge of any moral mental or bodily infirmities or defects that would impair the value of said three persons
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 persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioners further state and allege, that his said claim to the service or labor of said 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 petitioners pray the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of his said claim to the service or labor of said 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.
Samuel Shreve
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Samuel Shreve 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.
Samuel Shreve
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of May A. D. 1862.
John S. Hollingshead
Notary Public
Samuel Shreve
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.
