Title: Petition of William J. Stone, Sr., 20 May 1862

Date: May 20, 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.00314

TEI/XML: cww.00314.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 Petitioner, William J Stone Senr of the City of Washington 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 eight persons of African descent of the name of James PleasantsFanny BrownCornelius DiggesPolly PleasantsSusan PleasantsAnne PleasantsAilcey Pleasants and Tom Pleasants for and during the life of said eight Slaves and that by said act of Congress said eight 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 slaves were was of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1)

  • 1. John Pleasants—aged about 45 years—of a dark colour​—a good Ostler—Carriage driver & gardener—purchased of J C Jones of Montgomery County Maryland
  • 2 Fanny Brown—aged about 43 years—a good Cook & family servant—purchased of Robert Sewall of Prince Georges County Maryland
  • 3 Cornelius Digges—Mulatto—aged about 23 years a good house servant—Waiter & driver—purchased of Robert Sewall of Prince Georges County Maryland
  • 4 Polly Pleasants aged about 15 years
  • 5 Susan Pleasants aged about 14 years
  • 6 Anne Pleasants aged about 14 years
  • 7 Ailcey Pleasants aged about 13 years
    all Black—Chambermaids & house servants were born & raised at my place called Mount Pleasant near the City of Washington
  • 8 Tom Pleasants aged about 13 years—Mulatto—born & raised at Mount Pleasant & useful in Various ways about House & farm—

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said eight Slaves in manner following:(2)

  • James Pleasants—purchased from J C Jones of Montgomery County Maryland for the sum of (See Note No 1 below)
  • Fanny Brown—purchased from Robert Sewall of Prince Georges County Maryland for the sum of See Note No 2 below
  • Cornelius Digges purchased from same for the sum of
  • children of Mintry— & Henrietta born at my place called Mount Pleasant near the City of Washington D. C. who were purchased of the aforesaid Robert Sewall
    • Polly Pleasants
    • Susan Pleasants
    • Anne Pleasants
    • Ailcey Pleasants
    • Tom Pleasants

See Bill of Sale herewith

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said eight Slaves was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of twelve hundred dollars in money.(3)for James Pleasants—One thousand dollars for Fanny Brown—Fifteen hundred dollars for Cornelius Digges—and One thousand dollars each for Polly PleasantsSusan PleasantsAnnie Pleasants Ailcey Pleasants and Tom Pleasants Your Petitioner also States that the above named Slaves have, to his knowledge, no infirmity or defect calculated to lessen or impair their value or that any claim exists to said Slave other than that set forth by himself

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 Slaves into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Slaves were 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 Slaves 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 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.

(Signed by)
William J Stone Senr
Note 1. The price for James & Saml Pleasants was $1000 in Consideration of taking their father & mother who were too old & infirm to be of any value, but had to be supported during life—otherwise the price for them would have much greater,
Note 2. Fanny Brown & Cornelius Digges were valuable Servants (the bill of Sale is for 7 servants)—but the others were not so much so & some of them an actual expense for many years before their services were of any value $2200 was the price for all—
 

Richd. Burges, who prepared and delivered to the Commission the statement of the Slaves owned by me and who were liberated by the recent act of Congress, informed me that the Commission required the names of two persons to refer to for identification.—

I respectfully name my sons Dr. Robert King Stone and William James Stone Jr.—As it is possible that some of the younger servants may have so changed (they not having seen them for some time) as not to be recognized by them, it may be satisfactory to give the names of the individuals with whom they now reside and in whose charge they have been for some time.

  • Polly Pleasants aged 15 years with Mr. F. Mattingly
  • Susan Pleasants " 14 " " Ms. Eliza Watts (Widow)
  • Annie Pleasants 14 and
  • Ailcey Pleasants 13 with Mr. Thomas Berry Wash. City
  • Thomas Pleasants 13 " Mr. Charles Abert in Montgomery County Olney P.O. Md. with whom he wishes to remain and to be bound apprentice until of age.

As respects the valuation of the servants, I have given the price which I would be willing to pay for them on their own request to be purchased by me.—All the slaves that I owned were purchased at their own request or were born in the family.—


William J Stone Senr
 
George
Polly
Jim
Sam.
 

Received of W. J. Stone, one thousand dollars, being in full for the purchase of four slaves, named George Pleasants aged about sixty five years of age & his wife Polly aged about sixty and James Pleasants aged twenty five & Samuel Pleasants aged twenty three years; the right & title of said slaves I warrant & defend against the claims of all persons whatsoever & likewise warrant them sound & healthy & slaves for life, excepting Polly who is said to have received an injury from a cow some years since—As witness my hand seal


John C. Jones seal
In presence of
Alfred Tippell

The two first named Servants were old & almost useless; & rather an encumbrance than otherwise to the owner, hence the apparent low price paid for all of them. The other Samuel Pleasants has since died


William J Stone Senr
 
Bill of Sale Robt. D. Sewall
 

Received of William J. Stone Twenty two hundred dollars being in full for the purchase of Seven negro slaves named as follows: Fanny Brown, aged twenty two years; Henrietta Clarke aged twenty three years and her son two years old named Nealy; Henrietta Brown aged fifteen years; Minty Carrol aged twenty one years; John Johnson aged thirteen years and Basil Lee aged eight years—The right and title of said 7 slaves I warrant and defend against the claims of all persons whatsoever and likewise warrant them sound and healthy and slaves for life.

Witness my hand and seal

In presence of
Benj Williamson
Robt D. Sewall Seal
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, William J Stone Senr 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.

(Signed by)
William J. Stone Senr

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 17th day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Rd. Burgess J. P.
314
William J. Stone Sr
Filed May 20, 1862
Rd Burgess
Agent
May 20th, 1862


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Janel Cayer, Nima Najafi Kianfar, and Kenneth M. Price.