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, Mrs Harriet White of Washington County 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 persons of African descent of the names of William Mathews, Ary Herbert John Mathews, Lucinda Mathews, Edmund Herbert, Matilda Rigney, Mary Carrol, Thomas Rigney Hestor Rigney Archibald Rigney William Rigney, David Rigney Louis Rigney Georgeana Rigney Margaret Carrol Matilda Carrol Mary Carrol Jr. Charles Henry Rigney for and during the life of said Albert Rigney & Cornelius Rigney & a baby not yet named, for and during the life of said persons except Albert Rigney who has to serve 2 years from last March and that by said act of Congress said persons 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 William Mathews was 45 years of age Ary Herbert 43 years, John Mathews 23 years Lucinda 23 years Edmund 18 years Matilda Rigney 50 years Mary Carrol 35 years Thomas Rigney 32 years Hestor Rigney 22 Archibald Rigney was was of the age of 20 years. William Rigney 17 years David Rigney 14. years Louisa 20 years Georgeana 18 years Margaret Carrol 14 years. Matilda Carrol 13 years Mary Carrol Jr 9 years Charles Rigney 13 years Albert Rigney 13 years Cornelius Rigney 8 years & the baby 10 months. and of the personal description following:(1) That is to say

• William Mathews, Bright yellow about six feet one & a half inches high.
• Ary Herbert Bright yellow about five feet six inches high.
• John Mathews, Yellow (dark) about five feet six inches high.
• Lucinda Mathews, dark yellow about five feet six inches high,
• the baby is Lucinda's about 10 months old dark yellow.
• Edmund Herbert dark yellow five feet ten inches high.
• Matilda Rigney very Black about five feet one and a half inches high
• Mary Carrol dark complexion about five feet three inches high.
• Thomas Rigney dark color five feet six inches high
• Hestor Rigney dark color about five feet two inches high.
• Archibald Rigney dark complexion about five feet six inches high.
• William Rigney dark complexion about five feet one inch high.
• David Rigney dark complexion about four feet nine inches.
• Louis Rigney Very Black about five feet three inches high.
• Georgeana Rigney dark color about five feet one inch high.
• Margaret Carrol dark color about four feet nine inches.
• Matilda Carrol Black about four feet six inches.
• Mary Carrol Jr. Black color about four feet one inch.
• Charles H. Rigney Mulatto about four feet six inches high.
• Albert Rigney. Mulatto about four feet five inches high.
• Cornelius Rigney Very Black about tree feet eight inches

None of the above named persons have any particular marks except John who has the second finger of his right hand cut off. & Ary who has a scar on one of her arms produced by a burn.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) That is to say. They were the property of my late husband Capt​ Jas White late of Washington County D. C. and Matilda and Mary Rigney and Ary and William Mathews were taken by me at their appraized​ value as the records of the orphans Court will shew​. The rest were all born since that time and in my family.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of, 18,000 dollars in money.(3)That is to say—

William Mathews.	$800
Ary Herbert.	500
John Mathews.	1000
Lucinda Mathews. & baby	1400
Edmund Herbert.	1000.
Matilda Rigney.	300
Mary Carrol.	800
Thomas Rigney.	1000
Hestor Rigney.	1200
Archibald Rigney.	1200
William Rigney.	1200
David Rigney	1000
Louis Rigney	$1200
Georgana Rigney	1200
Margaret Carrol	1000
Matilda Carrol	900
Mary Carrol Jr	600
Charles Rigney	900
Albert Rigney	100.
Cornelius Rigney.	600

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 into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons—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 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said 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.