Civil War Washington

To the Honorable the Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States to carry into effect, the provisions of the Act of Congress, "for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia The Petition of Robert P. Dunlop of Montgomery County, in the State of Maryland, sheweth.

That at the time of the passage of the Act of Congress aforesaid, your petitioner was the owner of three slaves, named Martha Wilson and her son Frank Wilson, residents of the said District of Columbia, & Lucy Wilson also residing in said District, who were held to service or labor within the said District of Columbia by reason of African descents, who were born the slaves of your petitioners, who have all their lives been his slaves, and who have never belonged to any other person. That about twenty years ago, your Petitioner resided in Georgetown in the District of Columbia and where he had resided for many years previously, and about that time removed to the County of Montgomery in the State of Maryland, where he has ever since lived & now lives. That more than twenty years ago, while he resided in the District of Columbia, & before his removal to the State of Maryland, he hired his said servant woman Martha to the late [Mrs Whitall?] of Georgetown, in said District in whose family she lived for many years—That after the expiration of her service in the family of Mrs Whitall, the said Martha Wilson was hired to Mr George W. Beall of Georgetown in said District and has lived with Mr Beall as a domestic in his family for seven or eight years last past. That a few days before the passage of the said Act of Congress, for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia & while said bill was pending in Congress, the said Martha Wilson, without the knowledge or consent of your petitioner & as he believes without the consent  or knowledge of Mr Beall, left the service of Mr Beall and came to the home of your petitioner in the County of Montgomery in the State of Maryland, bringing with her, Frank Wilson her son, aged seven or eight years, alleging that she was unwell and that she was unwell and that the work assigned for her to do, was too much for her to perform. Frank Wilson the son of Martha, has always lived in the District of Columbia, & nearly all his life with Mr. Beall

Martha Wilson is about forty or forty five years of age, is of African descent was born the slave of your petitioner—and has never belonged in whole or in part to any other person—she is about five feet, six inches high, is of black color, is esteemed a good house servant—having been trained to the performance of its duties, is of good character, honest, & has been well thought of by those with whom she has lived—& her long service with Mrs Whitall & Mr. Beall in the judgment of your petitioner proves that—her son Frank Wilson is between seven & eight years of age, is about four feet, five inches high of dark complexion, is smart, intelligent & of good conduct, & healthy

Your petitioner is informed & believes that Martha & her son Frank before the rebellion, would have sold for the sum of one thousand dollars or thereabout—

Lucy Wilson the sister of Martha—was born the slave of your petitioner, and has always been his slave, no other person or persons having any interest in her—About five years ago, Lucy was placed in the family of his neice​ Mrs Lowry wife of Mr. George Lowry of Washington in the District aforesaid, where she has ever since lived, and by whom she has been carefully brought up as a domestic in their family & by whom she is highly esteemed—Lucy is about twenty one years of age, is about five feet six or seven inches high, is of dark complexion of good character, intelligent. well acquainted with the duties of a house servant, and is a first-rate family servant, of great  value, and would as your petitioner believes, before the rebellion, have sold for from eight hundred to one thousand dollars—is sound & healthy—

Your petitioner declares that the said slaves have not been brought into the said District of Columbia after the passage of this Act, nor is the claim for said slaves or either of them, made for or by any person who has borne arms against the government of the United States in the present rebellion, or in any way given aid or comfort thereto, nor does the said claim now made, originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made, or which shall hereafter be made, by any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the rebellion against the government of the United States—but that your petitioner is the sole and exclusive owner of said slave, and that no other person is now or has ever been interested in said slaves

And your petitioner further declares his allegiance to the government of the United States, and that he has not borne arms against the United States during the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto