Title: Petition of Nicholas Acker, 22 May 1862
Date: May 22, 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.00370
TEI/XML: cww.00370.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,
Nicholas Acker
of the City of Washington D.
C.
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
Ann Maria Adams a slave for and during
the
her life of said and that by said act
of Congress said Ann Maria
Adams 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
Ann Maria Adams
was of the age of about seventeen years and
of the personal description following:(1)
Five feet and three inches heigh, dark chestnut color & nose slightly depressed
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Ann Maria Adams in manner following:(2) to wit. By purchase from John E. Thompson administrator of William Burford deceased. Said purchase was made in Montgomery County in the State of Maryland on the 15th October A.D. 1858, for the sum of six hundred and fifty dollars as will appear by reference to the receipt herewith filed, marked "Petition exhibit A."
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Anne Maria Adams was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of at least one thousand dollars in money.(3) That she is an excellent house servant and of good and easy disposition perfectly healthy and free from all mental and bodily defects or infirmities. That your petitioner has been offered and has refused eleven hundred dollars for the said Ann Maria Adams
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 Ann Maria Adams into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Ann Maria Adams 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 Ann Maria Adams 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 Ann Maria Adams 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.
Nicholas Acker
Bill of Sale 1858
Montgomery County, Md. October, 15, 1858.
By virtue of an order from the Orphan's Court of this county, to sell sufficient of the personal estate of William Burford to pay the debts of the same I, as one of the Administrators upon said property hereby agree to sell the negro girl Ann Maria Adams, (aged about 13 years, and appraised at Six Hundred Dollars) to Mr. Nicholas Acker upon the following terms, viz—Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars cash, and Two Hundred Dollars payable in eight months, and Two Hundred Dollars payable in ten months from date with interest, making in all the sum of Six Hundred and Fifty Dollars, that sum being fifty dollars more than said negro girl's appraised value.
J. E. Thompson
Administrator of Wm. Buford deceased.
Montgomery County Md. October, 15, 1858.
Received in Montgomery County Maryland, from Nicholas Acker Two Hundred Dollars cash and his two notes for Four Hundred Dollars viz., one note for Two Hundred Dollars payable in eight months and one note for Two Hundred Dollars payable in ten months, both with interest from date. Said cash and notes being in full of the purchase money of negro girl Ann Maria Adams belonging to the personal estate of Wm. Burford deceased and sold by order of the Orphan's County of said County, to pay the debts of said Estate.
J. E. Thompson, Administrator William Burford deceased
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Nicholas Acker 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.
Nicholas Acker
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22 day of May A.D. 1862.
F. I. Murphey
Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Washington in the District of Columbia
Wm. H. Thompson, 7th Street Island—
John E. Thompson corner of 2d street west & E. street North—
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.
