Title: Petition of A. Ross Ray and Albert Ray, 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 5. 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.00608
TEI/XML: cww.00608.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,
A. R. & A. Ray
of
Georgetown
Dist of Columbia
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 one person of
African descent of the name of
Aaron Hall
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 petitioners to such service or labor; that at the time of
said discharge said
Aaron Hall was of the age of about sixty years and of the personal description
following:(1)
mulatto man about six feet in height.
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said person in manner following:(2) Aaron Hall was purchased from Mr. V. J. Taylor of Georgetown about seven or ten years ago by Petitioners
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 five hundred dollars in money.(3) Aaron Hall is an honest and industrious servant and good miller valued at five hundred dollars.
Your petitioners hereby declares that
they bears true and faithful allegiance to the
Government of the United States, and that they
have 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 they
have
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 petitioners claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioners further states and alleges, that their 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 petitioners prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the value of their 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.
A Ross Ray
Albert Ray
Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.
Washington County, ss.
I
We,
A. R. & A Ray
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 our
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, we
I believe to be true in substance and in fact.
A Ross Ray
Albert Ray
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 29th day of May A. D. 1862.
Robert White
J Peace
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.
