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, John L. Kidwell of of George Town in the said District 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 three negroes or persons of African descent of the names of James Somerville, Mary Somerville and Sarah Brooks for and during the life lives of said persons or negroes and that by said act of Congress said persons were discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said persons were of the ages of [illegible] and of the personal description following:;(1) viz: said James Somerville was of the age of twenty four years—a mulatto—five feet seven and three quarter inches high; the said Mary Somerville was three and a half years of age—also a mulatto, and a child 2 ½ feet high; and said Sarah Brooks was twenty years of age—a dark mulatto, five feet and five inches high.

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said negroes or persons in manner following:;(2) namely—he purchased said James Somerville between ten and twelve years ago, (who was then a mere boy,) from Edward N. Roach, the late Register of Wills of this District, for five hundred dollars, and the day after was offered one thousand dollars for him by a trader; but petitioner did not buy him for any such purpose; and Mr. Roach sold him to petitioner at such a low price because he also was opposed to selling well-behaved negroes from their homes: your petitioner bought him for his domestic use, and has since kept him in his family. Mary Somerville petitioner purchased about 3 yrs & 4 mo​ years since, then a baby the supposed child of James, from William Yerby of said George Town for twenty five dollars; and Sarah Brooks he also purchased for Eight hundred and fifty dollars about eighteen months ago from Isaac Barrett of said Town, who had previously purchased the said woman from Wm. Busey of said place, in whose family she had been raised in Montgomery County, Maryland.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons or negroes was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of two thousand and five hundred & fifty dollars in money.;(3) namely—for said James Somerville, fifteen hundred dollars; for whom two years ago he could readily obtained two thousand dollars: he is a healthy, steady, useful man; obliging, diligent and honest; is a good gardener and florist—also a good cook; but his chief business is the charge of petitioner's garden and green-house, which are extensive: Mary Brooks is worth what petitioner gave for her—viz—eight hundred and fifty dollars; she is a good house-servant, and has been kept at home, and occupied in the duties of the family: the child, Mary Somerville he considers worth one hundred and fifty dollars. He knows of no moral, mental, or bodily infirmity or defect in said persons, and believes none to exist

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 persons or negroes into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said 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 petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of his said claim to the service or labor of said 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.