Title: Petition of Sarah B. Adams, 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 2. 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.00539
TEI/XML: cww.00539.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, Sarah B. Adams of Georgetown, 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 a female, a person of African descent of the name of Joanna Penn, for and during the life of said Joanna Penn, and that by said act of Congress said Joanna Penn, 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 Joanna Penn was of the age of twenty years and of the personal description following:(1) a female, black, in color, about five feet high (rather above, than under that height,) healthy, and strong, the little finger, on one of her hands, which not now remembered, crooked.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Joanna Penn, in manner following:(2) to wit. by the bill of sale, from Edward J. Sanders, Executor of Benedict J. Sanders of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland bearing date, the ninth day of July A.D. eighteen hundred & forty five & hereunto annexed
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Joanna Penn was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3) that said Joanna was & is strong, healthy and capable of performing all kinds of housework, and has an Excellent disposition & was therefore reputed to be a superior servant, that your Petitioner avers that she knows of no bodily, moral or mental defects in said person & that she believes none to exist.
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 Joanna Penn into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Joanna Penn 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 the said female Joanna Penn 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 Joanna Penn 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.
Sarah B. Adams
(16.—Bill of Sale.) Printed by Lucas &
Deaver.
That I Edward J. Sanders
Executor of Benedict J. Sanders of the City of Baltimore
County and State of Maryland, for and in
consideration of the sum of Eight Hundred &
Seventy five dollars lawful money of the United
States, in hand paid by Sarah B. Adams of Charles
County State aforsaid at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents,
the receipt of whereof is hereby acknowledged: HAVE granted, bargained and
sold, and by these presents DO grant, bargain and sell unto the said Sarah B. Adams her Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, the following discribe Negroes—Negro woman Betty aged
forty seven years, negro Boy Jackson age Eight
years—negro girl Cloe aged thirteen, &
negro girl Joania age six years.
TO HAVE and TO HOLD the said described negro's to the said Sarah B.
Adams her Executors,
Administrators, and Assigns forever; and I the
said Edward J Sanders
Executor for the Heirs,
Executors and Administrators, the said Four negroes
as above described unto the said Sarah B. Adams her Executors, Administrators and Assigns, against Her the said
the Heirs of B. J. Sanders or
their Executors and Administrators, and against all and every
other person or persons whatsoever, shall and will warrant and forever
defend by these presents.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal, this ninth day of July eighteen hundred and forty five
Edw J. Sanders
Executor of B J Sanders
Seal
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
R. Middleton
Be it Remembered, That on this Ninth day of July 1845, before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for said appears E. J. Sanders Executor and acknowledged the above instrument of Writing to be his act and deed, according to the true intent and meaning thereof. Acknowledged before
R. Middleton
I hereby certify that R. Middleton Esquire before whom the within acknowledgement was made and who has thereto subscribed his name is and was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the said State in and for the City of Baltimore, duly commissioned and sworn.
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of Baltimore County Court this 9th day of July, AD 1845
from
E J Sanders Executor
to
Sarah B. Adams
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Sarah B. Adams, of Georgetown, D.C. 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.
Sarah B. Adams
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of May A. D. 1862.
R. R. Crawford J.P. seal
Petition of Sarah B. Adams—
& Lucretia Stobbs
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.
