Civil War Washington

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, Mrs. Harriet Stanley, for herself and three children, of Washington City, 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 one female person of African descent of the name of Jennie Chase, for and during the life of said Jennie Chase, and that by said act of Congress said Jennie Chase 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 Jennie Chase, was of the age of fourteen years, and of the personal description following:(1) Dark copper color, four feet ten inches high, large mouth and yes, ordinary size for her age, good looking and healthy, pleasant and kind disposition, and a faithful, honest, and valuable house servant.

That your petitioner and her children acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Jennie Chase, in manner following:(2) She was purchased by Thomas Stanley, from the Estate of Samuel Hamilton of Prince Georges County, Maryland, on the 18th of June 1859, for the sum of five hundred dollars, and on or about the 14th of October 1861, she was conveyed by Deed from said Thomas Stanley to Harriet Stanley and her three children Charles A. Stanley, Henry C. Stanley,and Amelia Stanley. The receipts for the purchase money, and also the receipt for the Deed to your Petitioners (for record in our Clerks Office) are hereunto appended.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Jennie Chase was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of eight hundred dollars in money.(3) During the three years the said Jennie has belonged to your Petitioners she has improved in knowledge and usefulness, and her value has been thereby much enhanced. Your Petitioners do not know of any moral, mental, or bodily infirmities to impair her value, and they believe that none such exist.

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 not brought said Jennie Chase into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Jennie Chase 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 Jennie Chase 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 value of their said claim to the service or labor of said Jennie Chase, 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.