Title: Petition of George F. Harbin, Julia A. Harbin, Catherine A. Harbin, and Sarah P. Harbin, 29 May 1862
Date: May 29, 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.00552
TEI/XML: cww.00552.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 Petitioners,
George F. Harbin, Julia A. Harbin,
Catharine C. Harbin & Sarah P.
Harbin of
Washington D.C.
by this their petition in writing,
represents and states, that they are
is a persons 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 person of
African descent of the name of
Harriet Miles, for and during the life of said
Harriet Miles, and that by said act of Congress
said
Harriet Miles was discharged and freed of and
from all claim of your petitioners to such service
or labor; that at the time of said discharge said
Harriet Miles, was of the age of Thirty Six years and of the personal description
following:(1)
A dark copper color woman. Five feet Five inches high,
very large eyes.
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said woman in manner following:(2) Said woman Harriet Miles, we inherited from our Father Walter Harbin, about nine years ago.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said woman was, at the time of said discharge therefrom,
of the value of Eight hundred dollars in
money.(3)
she is a good servant, perfectly honest, she has been in
the family Fourteen years, they are all very much attached to her.
I know of no moral, mental, or bodily infirmities or
defects in said Harriet Miles.
Your petitioners hereby declares that
they bears true and faithful
allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that they hasve
not borne arms against the United States in the present rebellion, nor in any
way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioners further states and
alleges, that they
hasve not brought said woman into the District of Columbia since the
passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof,
said woman was held to service or labor therein
under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or
labor.
Your petitioners further states and
alleges, that their said claim to
the service or labor of said woman 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 petitioners prays the said
Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of their said claim to the service or labor of said
woman 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.
Geo F. Harbin
Julia A. Harbin
Catharine A. Harbin
Sarah P. Harbin
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I
We,
George F. Harbin, Julia A.
Harbin, Catharine A. Harbin, &
Sarah P. Harbin, each of us 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
our 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.
Geo F. Harbin
Julia A. Harbin
Catharine A. Harbin
Sarah P. Harbin
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28th day of May A.D. 1862
P McKenna J.P
Wm H. Langly
F. W. Langly
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.
