Title: Petition of Thompson Nailor, 27 May 1862
Date: May 27, 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.00465
TEI/XML: cww.00465.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, Thompson Nailor of Washington City DC by this his petition in writing, represents and states, that [no handwritten text supplied here] 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 two Coloured persons of African descent of the name of Albert Hickman, Ann Adams and Maria Johnson for and during the life of said Ann Adams and said Maria Johnson and said Albert Hickman until the 23d day of May 1870 and that by said act of Congress said Albert Hickman Maria Johnson and Ann Adams 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 Albert Hickman was of the age of twenty one years and of the personal description following:(1) Copper Colour 5 feet and Eleven inches in height, said Ann Adams a mulatto Colour, aged fourteen years in height 5 feet one and a half inches, said Maria Johnson Black aged about four years
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Coloured Persons in manner following:(2) Said Albert Hickman for a term of years to expire May 23d 1870 by Purchase from Wm Marshal of Washington City DC on the 29th day of August 1859. he purchasing him from William H. Coyle of the same place on the 23d day of Sept. 1852 Ann Adams by Purchase of G L Giberson Esq of Washington City DC in March 1849. Maria Johnson by Gift of her mother by Notley Moulden of the District of Columbia to his daughter my wife in 1847. The said Maria having been born in my family
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 Seventeen hundred dollars in money.(3)to wit Albert five hundred Dollars Being for a term of Years Ann one thousand Dollars and Maria Johnson Two hundred Dollars the two former Being Young active and Good and faithful Servants and all healthy and the Best of my Knowledge and Belief. Without any moral or other defect—
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 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 his 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 the 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.
Thompson Nailor
To
Thompson Nailor.
Know all men by these presents, that I Gilbert L.
Giberson of the City of Washington for
and in consideration of the sum of one hundred & forty five dollars,
current money to me in hand paid by Thompson Nailor of
the said City, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, have granted
bargained & sold and by these presents; so grant, bargain & sell
unto the said Thompson Nailor his executors,
administrators & assigns, a negro woman named
Caroline, about nineteen years of age & her
child now about a year old. To have and to hold the said
Caroline unto the said Thompson
Nailor his executors, administrators and assigns, until the
twenty third day of November, Eighteen hundred
& fifty five, and her said child as a slave for life,
according to a bill of sale from the mistress & owner of the said
Caroline Ann Camden to Newman B.
Wilkinson bearing date the twenty
third day of November, eighteen hundred and forty seven, and
acknowledged by the said Ann Camden before R.
H. Clements
Esquire then a Justice of
the peace in and for the County of Washington in the
District of Columbia. the said
Caroline having by the said bill of sale, been sold
to the said Wilkinson for the term of eight years from
the date thereof and her children during her said time of servitude made
slaves for life to the said Newman B. Wilkinson, and
his heirs at law forever.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name & seal this [no handwritten text supplied here] day of March, in the year, Eighteen hundred and forty nine.
Gilbert L. Giberson seal
Signed sealed & delivered in presence of
The word fifty being first erased, & the words forty, five, inserted in lieu thereof
Allison Nailor
To Have and To Hold, the said boy Albert unto the said
William Marshall his executors, administrators, and
assigns, to his and their own proper use and benefit for and during the term
of Eighteen years, less four months, from and after this day of sale: at the
expiration of which term of years, he the said Albert
will have then become Thirty years old—and the said
Marshall, or his executors administrators, or
assigns in case of his decease, or inability, shall thereupon at the
expiration of said term, make out or cause to be made his said
Alberts freedom papers, duly signed and certified,
which shall be forthwith to him delivered and he forever after be free. And
further in consideration of said sale and delivery, that the said
Marshall shall always be to said
Albert, a Kind and humane master and teach him to
read the Scriptures—and if said Marshall, his executors, adminis 
trators, or assigns, shall for good
and sufficient reasons, see fit to dispose of or sell said boy, during said
term of years, or any part thereof, he or they shall only do so upon the
same covenants and conditions with the party purchasing, as aforesaid: but
in no case shall the said Albert be sold out of the
city and district aforesaid.
And I the said William H. Coyle my executors, heirs, and administrators, the said boy Albert unto the said William Marshall, his executors, administrators, and assigns, from and against all person and persons whomsoever, shall and will warrant and forever defend by these presents.
In witness whereof the said William H. Coyle and William Marshall have hereunto set their hands and seals, this day of date above written.
William H. Coyle seal
Wm Marshall seal
In presence of
T. C. Donn
County of Washington Viz
On this 24th day of September 1852 before the Subscriber a Justice of the peace in & for said County & District aforesaid appeared William H Coyle and William Marshall and acknowledged the foregoing instrument of writing to be their Acts and Deed for the purposes therein Expressed
Thomas C. Donn
JP
I herewith transfer all my right title and intrest in said slave Albert as mentioned in this agreement from W. H. Coyle, unto Thompson Naylor for the sum of Three Hundred Dollars Current Money the said Naylor acting according to this agreement.
Wm Marshall
Witness
Kingman F. Page
From W. H. Coyle
To
William Marshall
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Thompson Nailor 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.
Thompson Nailor
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of May A. D. 1862.
Thomas C. Donn
Justice of the Peace for Washington County District of Columbia
Thompson Nailor
Thos. McLaughlin
Andrew Joyce
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.
