Title: Petition of Mary Key Wallace, 2 June 1862

Date: June 2, 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.00590

TEI/XML: cww.00590.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, Mary Key Wallace of Washington 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 Catharine A. Herbert and Charles Henry Herbert person of African descent of the name of Catharine A. Herbert and Charles Henry Herbert for and during the life of said Catharine A. Herbert and Charles Henry Herbert and that by said act of Congress said Catharine A. Herbert and Charles Henry Herbert 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 Catharine A. Herbert was of the age of 34 years— and Charles Henry Herbert of the age of 11 years and of the personal description following:(1) Copper color, the said Catharine A. Herbert, Five feet one inch, in height. The said Charles A. Herbert Four feet, seven inches in height.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) That is to say—Robert Wallace the husband of your petitioner purchased Milly Herbert and her infant the said Catharine A. Herbert, (a few months of age;) at Rockville Montgomery County Maryland; who were sold to satisfy the liabilities of the the​ estate of Charles Young deceased. The said Charles Henry Herbert is the son of the said Catharine A. Herbert, born since the death of the said Robert Wallace. That the said Robert Wallace immediately upon the purchase of said negroes, took them into his possession; and brought them to Washington City D.C. in the year 1838, when he came to said city to reside;—& where he held them until his death in December 1846. That said Catharine A. Herbert was allotted to your petitioner as part of her dower interest in the estate of the said Robert Wallace deceased. That your petitioner has been in the exclusive, adverse and notorious possession of the said Catharine claiming her as her property, ever since the death of her said husband, (about 16 yrs)—and the said Charles Henry; all his life.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Catharine A. Herbert & Charles Henry Herbert her son was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of $1600. dollars in money.(3)That the said Catharine A. Herbert was brought up by your petitioner with care from her childhood as a house and Kitchen servant. The said Charles Henry Herbert her son is a very sprightly and intelligent house servant.

That your petitioner knows of no moral, mental, or bodily infirmities or defects of said persons which impair the value of petitioner's claim to such service or labor & 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 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 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.

(Signed by)
Mary Key Wallace
 
590
 

This is to certify that on the 25th of May 1838, Robert Wallace, registered in this Office, Six Slaves one of them named Kitty


Saml E. Douglass
Register
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Mary Key Wallace 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.

(Signed by)
Mary Key Wallace

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31st day of May A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
D. Rowland
Justice of the Peace
590
Mary Key Wallace
Filed June 2, 1862
Richard W. Wallace
Benjamin L. Bayley
Thomas Young


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Courtney Rebecca Lawton, Janel Cayer, and Kenneth J. Winkle.