Title: Petition of Oliver H. P. Clark, 28 May 1862
Date: May 28, 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.00503
TEI/XML: cww.00503.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, Oliver H. P. Clark of Montgomery County in the State of Maryland 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 Richard Proctor a person of African descent of the name of Richard Proctor for and during the life of said Richard Proctor and that by said act of Congress said Richard Proctor has been discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Richard Proctor was of the age of thirty seven years and of the personal description following:(1) that is to say, the said Richard Proctor is of a dark copper color, about five feet and eleven inches in height & weighs about one hundred and eighty pounds, wears large whiskers and has a smiling pleasant countenance, had prominent knuckles, otherwise no particular marks, and no scars that are remembered. He is not known to have any physical defects. He is a valuable farm hand and a good gardener, and a skillful driver of a team. His moral character is excellent, he is honest, sober and industrious, quite intelligent and has some education. He is not know to have any mental infirmity or defect.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Richard Proctor in manner following:(2) Your Petitioner acquired said claim by purchase from Agnes Clark and Charles H. Clark in the division of the personal estate of Henson Clark deceased, on the 10th day of May 1855. amongst other property not particularly named in the Bill of Sale from the said Agnes and Charles H. bearing the state last aforesaid, and here exhibited by your petitioner as his [illegible] of title, the consideration for the whole of said property in said division being $1200.—that the said Richard Proctorin said division cost your petitioner about eight hundred dollars.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Richard Proctor was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3) your Petitioner knows of no other facts touching the said Richard Proctor except those above stated, save that at the time of the passage of the said act of emancipation he was getting one hundred and fifty dollars hire per annum for the said Richard Proctor and his boarding & clothing found him. Your Petitioner knows of no defects mental or physical in the said Proctor
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 Richard Proctor into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Richard Proctor 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 Richard Proctor 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said Richard Proctor 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.
Oliver H. P. Clark
To
Oliver H. P. Clark
Bill of Sale—
To be recorded and the same day was recorded in Liber J.G.H. No 4 folios 354 one of the Land Records of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County & examined per
Know all men by these presents, that we, Agnes Clark and Charles H. Clark of Montgomery County in the State of Maryland, for, and in consideration of the sum of twelve hundred dollars, current money, to us equally in hand paid, by Oliver H. P. Clark of said county, at, and before the sealing, and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, and sold, assigned, transfered, and set over, and by these presents, do grant, bargain, and sell, assign, release transfer, and set over unto the said Oliver H. P. Clark, his executors, administrators, and assigns, all of our joint, and several right, title, estate, interest, use, trust, benefit, property, claim and demand whatsoever, both at law, and in equity, of, in and to the personal property, and personal estate of Hanson Clark lat of said County deceased; and of, in, and to the personal property and personal estate of William Lemuel Clark, late of said county, deceased; and we do further agree, and obligate ourselves severally to the said Oliver H. P. Clark, to pay, and indemnity, to him the two thirds part, of all, and every debt, claim, or demand, and costs, and charges, whatsoever, which now may be, or hereafter may arise against the said estates, or either of them; or against the said property on account of any outstanding or unsettled claim, or demand against the said estates, or either of them, in any manner whatsoever.
In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our respective hands, and seals this tenth day of May in the year eighteen hundred, and fifty five
Agnes Clark seal
Charles H Clark seal
Be it remembered, and it is hereby certified that on this tenth day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty five before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace of said State in and for the Fifth Election District of said County personally appeared Agnes Clark and Charles H. Clark, they being known to me to be the persons who are named and described as and professing to be the parties to the forgoing bill of sale, and the said Agnes Clark and Charles H. Clark severally acknowledged the said bill of sale to be their respective act and deed; and the said Oliver H. P. Clark made oath that the consideration mentioned in said bill of sale is true and bona fide as therein set forth. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name on the day and year first above written
Issac P Maers JP
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Oliver H. P. Clark 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.
Oliver H. P. Clark
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28th day of May A. D. 1862.
F. I. Murphey J.P.
Petition for Compensation for Richard Proctor
a person held to service by & [from?] & emancipated by the act of congress of April 16th 1862.
George P. Smith
Jedediah Gittings
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.
