Title: Petition of Joseph Bryan, 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.00323
TEI/XML: cww.00323.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, Joseph Bryan
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 a person of African descent of the name of Hampton Pool or as we have always
Called him Hamilton for and during the life of
said the term of Seven Years and that by said act
of Congress said Hampton Pool
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 Hampton Pool was of the age of
28 years and of the personal description
following:(1)
The said Hampton Pool being of very
dark color nearly Black, 5 feet nine inches high, and well built. being a
male person.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Hampton Pool in manner following:(2) By bill of sale from Anne Barrett of Montgomery County Maryland dated 30th December 1850 when the said Hamilton was 17 years of age, untill he the said Hampton Pool should arrive to the age of Thirty five, which bill of sale is herewith submitted
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Hampton Pool was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Five Hundred dollars in money.(3)Your Petitioner avers that the said Hampton by reason of his intelligence, honesty, industry and physical ability was very valuable as a Coachman and House Servant.
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 Hampton Pool into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Hampton Pool 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 Hampton 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 Hampton Pool 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.
Joseph Bryan
to
Joseph O Brien
Know all men by these presents that I Ann Barrett of Montgomery County in the State of Maryland, in consideration of the Sum of Two hundred and fifty dollars current money, to me paid by Joseph O Brien of the District of Columbia, at and before the execution hereof, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, Have bargained and sold, and by these presents do bargain and sell unto him the said Joseph O Brien his Executors Administrators and Assigns a certain Negro Boy named Hampton of the age of seventeen years on the first day of last September, To have and to hold the said Negro Boy Hampton, as a Slave, unto him the said Joseph O Brien his Executors administrators and Assigns, henceforth until the said Negro Boy Hampton shall attain the age of thirty five years, and no longer, and the said Negro Boy Hampton, as a Slave to the said Joseph O Brien his Executors administrators and Assigns, until he the said Negro Boy Hampton shall attain the said Age of thirty five years, against me the said Ann Barrett and all other persons whomsoever, I warrant and defend by these presents: In Witness whereof I hereto set my hand and seal this thirtieth day of December eighteen hundred and fifty./—
her X mark Anne Barrett Seal
Signed, Sealed in the presence of
Absalom Beall
Be it remembered and it is hereby certified that on this [no handwritten text supplied here] day of December 1850 before me a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland, in and for Montgomery County, personally appeared Ann Barrett, party Bargainer to the above Bill of Sale, and acknowledged the same to be her act and deed:
Absalom Beall
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
May 19th, 1862
I, Joseph Bryan 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.
Joseph Bryan
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of May A. D. 1862.
John S Hollingshead
Notary Public
Charles Edmonston J near 9 & 10
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.
