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, Pierce Shoemaker of Washington County D.C. by this [no handwritten text supplied here] 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 the following 20 slaves of African descent of the name of [no handwritten text supplied here] for and during the lives of said slaves and that by said act of Congress said slaves was discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said slaves were of the was of the age of set opposite their names and of the personal description following:(1)

1	George Dover	Mulatto	age 45	worth $1200
2	Benjamin Lyles	Black	44	" $2500	a Mechanic
3	Joseph Simms	Mulatto	27	$1800
4	Rachael Lyles	Dark Mulatto	43	$800
5	Elizabeth Lyles	Dark	26	$1000
6	Matilda Lyles	Dark	24	$1000
7	Albert Lyles	Dark	2	$400
8	Catharine Lyles	dark	22	$1100
9	Leander Lyles	dark	18	$1600
10	Rebecca Lyles	mulatto	12	$800
11	Osceola Lyles	dark	9	$800
12	Mary Ann Foster	dark	36	$1000
13	Margaret Foster	Mulatto	18	$1100
14	Tobias Foster	Mulatto	15	$1000
15	Benjamin Foster	Mulatto	12	$1000
16	Annie Foster	dark	8	$800
17	Cornelius Foster	dark	6	$700
18	Catharine Foster	dark	4	$600
19	Eugene Foster	Mulatto	3	$400
20	Emma Lyles	Mulatto	3	$400

 

That your petitioner acquired [no handwritten text supplied here] claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said slavesin manner following:(2) by will of Abner Pierce and they were conveyed to me by Thos Canbury his executor Thomas Morrison

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said slaves for life was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of [no handwritten text supplied here] dollars in money.(3) [no handwritten text supplied here]

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 slaves into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said slaves 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 slavesdoes 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 slaves 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. These negroes are all in good heath and free from mental moral or bodily infirmities. They are worth a year ago—$20,000—