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, Rachel Harrison of Washington City D C by this her 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 the following described persons of African descent of the names of Edward Welsh—Mary Ellen Bowman and Stanislaus Bowman for and during the life of said several named negroes or African people of colour​—who were her chief support and that by said act of Congress said several persons have 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 Edward Welsh is about of the age of forty five and of the personal description following:(1) about five feet eight or ten inches in high, dark colour, not very robust; earned as a waiter of a public restaurant twenty dollars a month, recollects of no particular mark or scar about said Edward Walsh—Mary Ellen Bowman is about five feet six inches high, dark colour, of delicate frame, no defect or infirmity known to your Petitioner, has been accustomed to wait on Petitioner, would earn sixteen dollars a month. Stanislaus Bowman is of dark colour. twenty five years old—about five feet ten or eleven inches high, very stout athlete and healthy, and is worth twenty dollars a month being a first rate waiter faithful and honest. The age of Mary Ellen Bowman is twenty five years. Hired Stanislaus for $16 a month when under age.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said in manner following:(2) that is to say Edward Welsh and Mary Ellen Bowman by descent from her father's estate who was at the time of his death a citizen and resident of Washington D. C. Stanislaus Bowman was born since the death of her father and became her property by birth. Her title to the same was acquired many years ago and she was then, has been since and is now a resident of Washington City D C

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said several named persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Twenty two hundred dollars in money.(3) She estamates​ Edward Welsh as worth Five hundred dollars—Mary Ellen Bowman as of the value of Five hundred dollars and Stanislaus Bowman of the value of Twelve hundred dollars. She has already stated the wages earned by such persons to which she begs to refer. Has no knowledge of any defects or infirmities that will depreciate their value

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 persons or either of them into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Edward Mary were Slanislaus 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said negroes 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said several named 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.