Title: Petition of Mary M. McIntire, John A. McIntire, and Laura E. McIntire, 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.00318

TEI/XML: cww.00318.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, Mary M. McIntire of Washington D.C. by this her petition in writing, represents and states, that she 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 names of Susan West, Mary Rebecca West, and Clement Alexr West for and during the lifelives of said Susan, Mary & Clement and that by said act of Congress said Susan, Mary & Clement 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 Susan West; was of the age of 40 years and of the personal description following:(1) —Black—5 feet 3 inches high without any distinguishing marks—of mild and Kindly disposition, quite fun in conversation and very valuable as a house servant and cooks— Mary Rebecca West, daughter of said Susan is 15 years old—5 feet 1 ½ inches high, dark colored and without any distinguishing marks—is very sprightly and a very valuable servant—Clement Alexr. West, son of said Susan, is 4 years old—3 feet 9 inches in height—dark colored, is exceedingly sprightly and an intelligent and lively disposition—has been raised to his present age more as a child than as a slave and the family are much attached to him—

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Susan, Mary & Clement in manner following:(2) Viz, by inheritance from my father Clement Brooke of Prince George's County Maryland

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Susan, Mary & Clement was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Twenty five hundred dollars in money.(3)These servants are each and every one in perfect health, and as family servants cannot be surpassed—

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she has not brought said Susan, Mary & Clement into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Susan, Mary & Clement 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 the said claim to the service or labor of said Susan, Mary & Clement 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 the said claim to the service or labor of said Susan, Mary & Clement 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) [no handwritten text supplied here]
 

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

I, Mary M. McIntire 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)
Mary M. McIntire

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
R. G. Hedrick
Justice of the Peace
318
Petition
Mary M McIntire for
3 persons of African descent
Susan West, Mary Rebecca West & Clement Alx West
Witness to from ownership
Robert C Brooke Esq​.
Filed May 19, 1862
 

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, Stephen Macdonald of Laporte Indiana Williams A. McIntire John A McIntire Laura E. McIntire of Washington City in the District of Columbia of 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 three persons person of African descent of the name of Susan West, Mary Rebecca West and Clement Alexander West for and during the lifelives of said three persons of African descent and that by said act of Congress said three 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 Susan West was of the age of forty years and of the personal description following:() She is a female, of a black complexion, five feet three inches in height.

Mary Rebeca West was of the age of fifteen years, of a black complexion, five feet one and a half inches in height
Clement Alexander West is a boy seven years of age, of a black complexion, three feet nine inches in height
 

That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said three persons of African descent in manner following:() they were the property of Mary M. Ellis who intermarried with Alexander McIntire deceased, the father of the wife of your Petitioner Macdonald's wife and the father of your Petitioners John A. McIntire and Laura E. McIntire and the grandfather of your Petitioner Williams A. McIntire. Your Petitioner farther shows that the said Mary M. McIntire has already filed with said Commissioners a petition claiming said three persons of African descent as her own property and entirely ignoring the rights of your Petitioners. The said Mary M McIntire, administratrix of the estate of her said deceased husband and your Petitioners aver that her said claim should have been made as administratrix [upon?] said estate

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said three persons of African ascent was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of [no handwritten text supplied here] dollars in money.()thirteen hundred and thirty three dollars in money.

Your petitioners hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that they have has not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.

And your petitioners further states and alleges, that they have has not nor has any of them brought said three persons of African descent into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said three persons of African descent were was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's' claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioners further states and alleges, that their said claim to the service or labor of said three 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 prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of their said claim to the service or labor of said three 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.

(Signed by)
John A. McIntire
Laura E McIntire
 

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

We John A. McIntire & Laura E. McIntire 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 our 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 we believe to be true in substance and in fact.

(Signed by)
John A. McIntire
Laura E McIntire

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2d day of July A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Saml Drury JP

I Stephen Macdonald being duly sword do depose and say that all the several matters 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


S Macdonald

Sworn and subscribed to before me this 8th day of July AD/62


John Millikan JP. Seal

I James Moore Clerk of the Laporte Circuit Court do hereby certify, having official [cognisance?] of the fact that J. Millikan who has signed his name to the foregoing certificate was in fact at the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Laporte [and was?] duly appointed and qualified as he purports to be

In testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my name and affix the seal of said Court, being my seal of office this ninth day of July in the year Eighteen hundred and sixty two


James Moore Clerk l. C. C.
By D A Bridges Depy
318
In Re
Mary M McIntire
Cornelia [Rich?] &c
Filed July 12, 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: Kathryn Kruger, Janel Cayer, and Kenneth J. Winkle.