Title: Petition of Henry M. Dellinger, 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.00563
TEI/XML: cww.00563.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, H. M. Dellinger of Washington D.C. by this his petition in writing, represents and states, that he 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 one person of African descent of the name of Benjamin Belt for and during the life of said person and that by said act of Congress said person 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 Benjamin Belt was of the age of twenty three years and of the personal description following:(1) black man rather spare in frame, five feet six inches in height
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said person in manner following:(2) said Benjamin was purchased from the estate of his father Jacob Dellinger of Maryland about the year 1859 by Petitioner's mother Sarah Dellinger at the appraisement and afterwards sold by her to petitioner
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said person was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3)said Benjamin Belt is an honest and industrious servant and has been hired out by me at fifteen dollars per month for some time past—valued at one thousand dollars He is perfectly free from any infirmity either bodily mental or moral
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he 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 he has not brought said person into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said person 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said person 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 his said claim to the service or labor of said person 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.
H M Dellinger
Washington County to wit:
I hereby certify that on this twelfth day of May in the
year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and sixty two before me the
subscriber a justice of the peace of the State of
Maryland, in and for Washington County
personally appeared William Dellinger of
Washington County, and makes oath on the Holy
Evangely of Almighty God, that he is the administrator of Jacob
Dellinger late of Washington County d.c.
and that as such administrator he possessed himself of all and singular the
personal property and Estate which were of the said Jacob
dec. in his lifetime. And sold and disposed of the same under the order of
the 
Orphan's Court for
Washington County, and that under and by virtue of
said order a negro boy Ben, a slave for life and the
property of the said Jacob
dec. was taken, (at the appraisement made of him by the appraisers
appointed by the said court,) by Sarah Dellinger the widow
of the said Jacob
dec. And this affiant further states and makes oath that after the said
negro boy Ben a slave for life as aforesaid had been so
taken by the said widow at the appraisement as aforesaid, she the said
Sarah Dellinger sold and delivered the said negro slave
Ben, to Henry M. Dellinger
Esq. of the City of Washington in the
District of Columbia and that the said negro slave
Ben was taken by the said Henry
into his possession
J. Cook
Justice of the peace
I Hereby Certify, that John Cook, Esqr., before whom the above and annexed affidavit was made, and who hath thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing one of the Justices of the Peace of the State of Maryland, in and for said County, duly elected, commissioned and sworn:
In Testimony Whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, and affix the seal of the Circuit Court for said County, this 12th day of May A. D., 1862
Isaac Nesbitt, clk
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, H. M. Dellinger 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.
H M Dellinger
Sworn to and subscribed before me this [no handwritten text supplied here] day of [no handwritten text supplied here] A. D. 1862.
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.
