Title: Petition of Eliza Kolp, 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.00598
TEI/XML: cww.00598.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,
Eliza Kolp of
Washington County in Hartford
District, but at present temporarily at Frederick
City in Maryland where she has been
detained by sickness 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 person of African descent of the name of
Ned Selby
for and during
the life of said
Ned Selby
and that by said act of Congress said
Ned
Selby 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
Ned Selby was of the age
of twenty seven years and of the personal
description following:
;
(1)
viz: he is of black complexion or color—of the
height of six feet two inches, a strong, tall and powerful man.
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Ned
Selby
in manner following:
;
(2)
to wit: He was devised to your petitioner by the Will of
the late Margaret Adlum late of Washington
County in the District of Columbia,
deceased, whose Will is recorded in the Orphan's Court of said District, and
whose slave he was prior to the said devise to the petitioner: he has been
in her possession ever since the death of Mrs. Adlum,
which took place about 1858
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Ned Selby was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of fifteen hundred dollars in money, (3) according to the prices which had been given for similar negroes by dealers; but being adverse to selling negroes by dealers; but being averse to selling negroes from their homes, she kept him here, declining to sell. The man is an excellent farmhand, good at kind of works of that description. He is healthy, and well-behaved, and is free from any moral, mental or bodily infirmity or defect: she knows of no such defect or infirmity
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 Ned Selby into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Ned Selby 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 Ned Selby 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 value of her said claim to the service or labor of said Ned Selby 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.
Eliza Kolp
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
I, Eliza Kolp 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.
Eliza Kolp
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day of May A.D. 1862.
W. Mahony
County of Frederick, S.S.
I, Benjamin G. Fitzhugh, Clerk of the County of Frederick above named, do hereby certify that William Mahony has signed his name above, and before whom Eliza Kolp appears to have made the above statement under oath taken before him, was at the time of taking said oath a justice of the peace in and for the County above named duly commissioned and qualified. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of the said County and Court this thirtieth day of May—1862.
B. G. Fitzhugh Clerk
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.
