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 W. Wells of Washington D.C. 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 a woman, a person of African descent of the name of Harriet Hawkins for and during the life of said Harriet Hawkins and that by said act of Congress said Harriet Hawkins discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Harriet Hawkins was of the age of twenty one, and of the personal description following:(1) her height is about 5 feet three inches, straight and well formed; dark; hair short, curl'd​ & regular features of mild expression.

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Harriet Hawkins in manner following:(2) On the 2nd of February 1854, I purchased her of Peter D Posey Esq'r​ of Tenallytown near Georgetown D.C. for five hundred dollars, taking his receipt with conveyance of title written in the body thereof; said receipt being herewith. Harriet was then 13 years of age. In 1849, at 8 years old she came to live with us as a companion for my children of average age with and very fond of her.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Harriet Hawkins was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of thirteen hundred dollars in money.(3) but to my family invaluable. She is honest, faithful, active intelligent and useful; I have no knowledge that she possesses any mental, moral, or physical infirmity or defect; she is the Cook of, and does the marketing herself for my family, whose estimate of her intrinsic worth is above all praise as that is above all price for which at any amount that might be named however fabulous I never would have sold her.

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 Harriet Hawkins into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Harriet Hawkins 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 Harriet Hawkins 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 Harriet Hawkins 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.