Title: Petition of James M. Wright and Mary R. Wright, 27 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.00462
TEI/XML: cww.00462.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 Petitioners, James M Wright and Mary R
Wright of Prince
George County, State of Maryland by this their petition in writing, represents and states,
that they 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 of
person of African descent of the names
of William Brown and
Maria Brown for and during the life of said
William Brown and
Maria Brown and that by said act of Congress
said
William Brown and Maria Brown
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
William Brown was of the
age of twenty Six Years and of the personal
description following:(1)
Dark Brown, Very Healthy Very Valuable Servant and has
been acting in the Capacity as a Head Waiter at Browns Hotel also
Maria is Dark Brown Good healthy and Valuable
Servant and 33 Years of age
That your petitioner acquired their claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said Coloured Persons in manner following:(2)
the Said Mary R. Wright obtained
them by inheritance from her Uncle Richard M. Foggett
of the County of Anne Arundel State of Maryland about
23 Years Since
The Said James M. Wright
intermarrying with said Mary R. Wright the Said woman
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 thirty four hundred dollars in money.(3) The Said William Brown Two Thousand Dollars, and the Said Maria Brown fourteen hundred dollars, they Being as aforesaid Invaluable Servants and to the Best of our Knowledge and Belief the Said Persons having no Moral defect
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
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 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 their 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 their 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.
Mary R. Wright
James M. Wright
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I,
We Mary R. Wright and
James M. Wright 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.
Mary R. Wright
James M. Wright
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 19th day of May A. D. 1862.
Thomas C. Donn
Justice of the Peace for Washington County District of Columbia
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.
