Title: Petition of Margaret A. Wood, 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.00514
TEI/XML: cww.00514.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, Margaret A.
Wood of the City
of Washington by this my
petition in writing, represents and states, that she 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 5 several slaves
persons of African descent of the names of Henrietta & her daughter
Susan & infant grand daughter & her other
daughter & her infant son for and during the life of said slaves and that by said act of Congress said
slaves 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, Henrietta was aged
about 57 years her daughter Susan aged about 18 years
& her infant aged 20 months
of the age of
& her other daughter Fanny and
her infant about four weeks old. and of the personal
description following:(1)
All of the above are mulattoes in color,
Henrietta and Fanny about 5
feet 4 inches high and Susan about 5 feet 5 inches
high
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said slaves in manner following:(2) by purchase as will be seen by the original bills of sale, herewith filed. The 3 Eldest of those slaves were entered on the County Clerk's Record in the fall of 1858 as will be seen by reference thereto.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said slaves was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of $2,600 dollars in money.(3)the petioner, looses in the case of Henrietta an excellent Cook, washer and Ironer and House Keeper and in the other, two Chamber Maids and Nurses and house servants, whose places she cannot well supply as they have for several years been the attendant of herself & her 4 children & great pains were bestowed on their training
Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she 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 were
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 the said claim to the service or labor of said slaves 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 said 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.
Margt A. Wood
[illegible] 26 April 1862 [darkey?] boy born.
Know all men by these presents, that I Anna Rolles, of the City of St. Augustine, in the State and County aforesaid, For and in consideration of the sum of nine Hundred Dollars, lawful money, to me in hand paid by Margaret Wood, of the same City County and State, before the ensealing and delivery hereof; (the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged) Have granted, bargained, sold and delivered to the said Margaret Wood, a mulatto Girl, named Fanny, of the age of Fifteen years, or thereabouts, & I the said Anna Rolles, hereby bind myself, my heirs Executors, Administrators and assigns, to warrant & forever defend to the said Margaret Wood, her heirs Executors, Administrators and assigns, the title to the said mulatto Girl Fanny as a slave for life.
In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name and affix my seal, at the said City of St. Augustine the 8th day of June A.D. 1857.
Anne Rolles
Signed, sealed & delivered In presence of
O. E. Darubias
C. S. Riderly
to
Mrs. Margaret A. Wood
County of St. Johns,
Circuit Court Clerk's Office:
Received the 18th June, 1851,
Recorded the 18th June, 1851, in Book A. Page 41. of Records Slaves.
Know all men by these presents that I Ann Rogers of the City of St Augustine, in the State of Florida, for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred Dollars to me in hand paid, by Mrs Margaret A. Wood, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted bargained sold, transferred & delivered & by these presents do sell, transfer and convey to the said Margaret A Wood of St Augustine aforesaid, my mullatto slave named "Henrietta" aged about 45 years, and also "Susan" the child of the said Henrietta aged about six years
To have & to hold the said female slaves Henrietta and Susan & their increase unto the said Margaret A. Wood or her heirs & assigns or Legal Representatives forever
And I hereby covenant and agree to & with the said Margaret A
Wood that I am the true & lawful owner of said
slaves—that I have 
full right & authority to sell and convey them, as hereby
intended
That the said slaves are not mortgaged or encumbered—and that I will warrant and defend the title to them,
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal this 18th Day of June in the year 1851.
Ann Rolles S. S.
In presence of
Felipe Gomer
J. H. Bronson
St Johns County ss—
On this 18th Day of June 1851. before me personally appeared the above named Ann Rogers to me known and acknowledged the Execution of the foregoing deed or conveyance
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Margaret A. Wood 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.
Margt A. Wood
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of May A. D. 1862.
John D. Clark J. Peace
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.
