Title: Petition of Margarett E. Lowrie, 26 May 1862

Date: May 26, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 520, Reel 4. 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.00437

TEI/XML: cww.00437.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, Margarett E. Lowrie of Washington County D.C. by this her petition in writing, represents and states, that she 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 certain persons of colour​, person of African descent of the name of Mary Simmes, Gabriel Clark, Frank Clark, William Stewart, Edward Stewart, Laura Simmes, & Kate Simmes for and during the life of said Mary Simmes, Gabriel Clark, Frank Clark, William Stewart, Edward Stewart, Laura Simmes, & Kate Simmes and that by said act of Congress said Mary Simmes, Gabriel Clark, Frank Clark, William Stewart, Edward Stewart, Laura Simmes, & Kate Simmes 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 Mary Simmes was of the age of forty years and of the personal description following:(1) bright yellow colour​, 5 ft. 8 in high, stout, & very healthy, a fine field hand & a good washer woman Gabriel Clark, son of Mary Simmes, age 21 years, color, black, 5 ft. 9 in high, well made & in good health, & is a first-class field hand, & teamster—Frank Clark, son of Mary Simmes, age 15 years, colour​, dark yellow, about 5 ft 4 in high, in fine health & a good field hand—William Stewart, son of Mary Simmes, age 13 years, colour​, black, 5 ft. high, well built and in excellent health, & is a first-class field hand—Edward Stewart, son of Mary Simmes, age 11 years, dark brown colour​, 4 ft 6 in high, a good house boy, & also a fine waiter, & is in fine health. Laura Simmes, daughter of Mary Simmes, age 5 years, 3 ft. 2 or 3 in. high, & is in excellent health & very sprightly.—Kate Simmes, daughter of Mary Simmes, age 3 years, 3 ft hight, & is very sprightly & is in most excellent health—

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Coloured​ Persons in manner following:(2) the said Margarett E. Lowrie obtained them by Will of her father, the late Levi Sheriff of Washington County, D.C. about seven years since. The aforesaid Will may be found on record at the City Hall Washington City D.C.—

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Coloured​ Persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of six thousand one hundred dollars in money.(3) The said Mary Simmes eight hundred dollars,—The said Gabriel Clark fifteen hundred dollars,—the said Frank Clark twelve hundred dollars,—the said William Stewart eleven hundred dollars,—the said Edward Stewart, seven hundred dollars,—the said Laura Simmes, five hundred dollars, & the said Kate Simmes, three hundred dollars. They all being as aforesaid invaluable servants & to the best of my knowledge the said persons having no moral, or bodily, defect.

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she has not brought said Coloured​ Persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Coloured​ 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said Coloured​ 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said Coloured​ 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.

(Signed by)
Margarett E. Lowrie
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Margarett E. Lowrie 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.

(Signed by)
Margarett E. Lowrie

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Thomas C. Donn
Justice of the Peace
for Washington County
District
of Columbia
437
Margarett E. Lowrie
Filed May 26, 1862
Witnesses
R. K. Meritt
Thomas R. Brightwell
Libby B Scaggs


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Janel Cayer, Elizabeth Lorang, Rhiannon Root, Brittany Jones, and Robert Voss.