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 Petitioners, Robert Jones & E. C. Jones his wife of Washington D.C. 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 Amos alias Amos Dean & Rachael persons of African descent of the name of Amos alias Amos Dean & Rachael for and during the life of said Amos & Rachael 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 Amos & Rachael were was of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1) viz Amos aged about 28 years quite black, quite stout, about five feet six inches high healthy & strong in body.
Rachael is about fifty five years old very black, about five feet five inches high smart and healthy

 

That your petitioner acquired their claim to the the aforesaid service or labor of said Amos & Rachael in manner following:(2) the said Ellen C Jones acquired title to Amos as heir of her Father George Noble deceased formerly Loudoun County Virginia & was held & claimed at the time of the passage & approval of the above named act [illegible] [presents?] under & by virtue of [illegible] Record of Washington County D.C. The said [Robert Jones?] purchased the Woman—Rachael about five years since of one John T. Ross of [Fauquier?] County Virginia—for $150.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Amos & Rachael was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Fourteen Hundred dollars in money.(3) The said Amos was at the time of the approval of the act aforesaid worth Twelve Hundred Dollars & the woman Rachael was worth at least Two Hundred Dollars

Your petitioner hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that they hasve 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 they hasve not brought said Amos & Rachael into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Amos & Rachael wasere 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 Two 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 value of their said claim to the service or labor of said Amos & Rachael 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.