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 Rhodes of Loundon County, State of Virginia of 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 four persons of African descent of the names of Frank Hutton, Eliza Hutton his wife, Harriet Johnson, & Eliza A. Johnson infant daughter of said Harriet for and during the life of said four slaves and that by said act of Congress said four slaves 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 Frank Hutton was of the age of fifty five years and of the personal description following:(1) he is about five feet four inches in heighth​, of a copper color, & lame in one leg using a crutch.—

• Eliza Hutton wife of said Frank was of the age of fifty years. about five feet in heighth​ black in color, & a very good cook & washer & ironer.
• Harriet Johnson, was about the age of Eighteen years—about five feet, two inches tall, copper color in complexion, & a strong hearty girl—
• Eliza A. Johnson, infant child of said Harriet was about four months old & very light in complexion, & a healthy child—

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Eliza & Frank Hutton in manner following:(2) that is to say—he purchased for a valuable consideration from his son George Rhodes Jr—by a deed which on record in the clerk's office—That the said Harriet Johnson, & her infant child were born of Slave parents, the property of the said George Rhodes, & by the law became his property he having reared them—The said slaves have been in the possession of his son George Rhodes Jr, for a number of years past.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Frank, Eliza, & Harriet was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of two thousand dollars in money.(3)The said Frank though lame was a very reliable servant, & able to do a great deal of light work about the house. The said Eliza was sole cook & washed & ironed, in the family of my son—The said Harriet was a strong hearty girl, a good cleaner & general house servant, besides being dining room servant. The said three servants did all the work in the family of my son who kept a boarding house

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 servants or 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 four servants 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 the said claim to the service or labor of said George Rhodes 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 four African slaves 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.