Title: Petition of Jane E. Beall, Matilda B. Louisa Beall, and Margaret J. Beall, 6 June 1862
Date: June 6, 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.00639
TEI/XML: cww.00639.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,
Jane E. Beall, Matilda B. L. Beall and
Margaret J. Beall
of
Rockville Maryland
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 seventeen persons of African descent of the names of
Cicily Talbott, Charlotte Plowden,
Charles Plowden, Lotty Plowden,
Teresa Tyler, Henry Tyler,
Ann Maria Tyler, Sophia Clements,
Harriet Smith, Jennie Smith,
Bell Smith, Margery Smith,
Louisa Smith, Billy Smith,
Mary Jane Smith, Chas. Smith and
Maurice
for and during the lifes of said persons and that by said act of Congress said persons were discharged and freed of and from all claim
of your petitioners to such service or labor; that at
the time of said discharge said
Cicily Talbott was of the age of about seventy years and of the personal description
following:(1)
black woman five feet two or three inches in height active
and healthy
- 2 Charlotte Plowden black woman about five feet five or six inches in height and stout
- 3 Charles Plowden black boy nine years of age
- 4 Lotty Plowden black girl seven years of age
- 5 Teresa Tyler black woman very tall forty years old
- 6 Henry Tyler black man about forty four years old about five feet eight inches in height
- 7 Sophia Clements black woman five feet three or four inches in height forty one years old
- 8 Harriet Smith mulatto woman five feet three inches in height thirty years old
- 9 Jennie Smith bright mulatto girl nine years old
- 10 Bell Smith bright mulatto girl four years old
- 11 Margery Smith bright mulatto girl one year old
- 12 Louisa Smith black woman twenty eight years old
- 13 Billy Smith copper colored boy eleven years old
- 14 Mary Jane Smith mulatto girl nine years old
- 15 Chas. Smith black boy six years old
- 16 Maurice mulatto man twenty nine years old lame from having had his leg broken
- 17 Ann Maria Tyler mulatto girl nine years old very smart
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) Cicily Talbott, Henry Tyler, Charlotte Plowden, Teresa Tyler, Sophia Clements, Harriet Smith, Louisa Smith, Lucy Moore and Maurice were inherited by petitioners from their mother Mrs. Jane N. Beall of Montgomery Co. Maryland and the other servants are the children of the above named ones born while they were owned by petitioners
That your petitioners claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of $9400 dollars in money.(3)
- Cicily Talbott for her age is very active & healthy is a good cook valued at $50—
- Charlotte Plowden is a first-rate cook, ironer and washer stout strong & healthy valued at $800—
- Charles Plowden is a smart and likely boy strong and healthy valued at $500—
- Lotty Plowden stout and healthy girl valued at $350—
- Henry Tyler is a strong and healthy man is an house servant valued at $1000
- Teresa Tyler is a strong and healthy woman an excellent nourse, first rate cook, ironer & washer valued at $800—
- Ann Maria Tyler is a very smart and active child strong and healthy valued at $500—
- Sophia Clements is an house servant, a good cook, ironer and washer valued at $800—
- Harriet Smith is a very capable house servant in every department, an excellent cook, ironer and washer valued at $900—
- Jennie Smith a smart and intelligent child valued at $500—
- Bell Smith is a bright child valued at $300
- Margery Smith is a very healthy child valued at $100
- Louisa Smith is a strong and healthy woman good cook, ironer and washer valued at $600
- Billy Smith raised as house servant valued at $600—
- Mary Jane Smith strong, healthy girl very smart valued at $500—
- Charles Smith strong healthy child—valued at $300—
- Maurice has been an excellent servant very reliable, a first-class field hand and house servant, but at present is unable to do any thing on account of his leg being broken valued at $500—These persons are free from any infirmities with above exception either bodily mental or moral, & are honest, industrious and faithful.
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 petitioners further states and
alleges, that they have
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 were
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 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 petitioners prays the said
Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of their 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.
Jane Elizabeth Beall.
Matilda B. L. Beall.
Margaret J. Beall.
The Miss Beall's residing in Montgomery County Maryland, 8 or 10 miles from the District of Columbia have for the last 12 or 15 years been in the habit of hiring their Slaves here—when the emancipation act passed (16th April) a portion only, of those, who had been in the habit of being here, were here, the other, not having places, were in Montgomery County, waiting to be hired here—Those that were here, on the 16th April, & entitle to the benifit of that law, are included in their petition, & the application now is, to amend their petition, so as include those that were accidentally absent on the passage of the law—
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
State of Maryland Montgomery County, to with;
We
I,
Jane E Beall, Matilda B L Beall &
Margaret J. Beall
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.
Jane Elizabeth Beall.
Matilda B. L. Beall.
Margaret J Beall.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this thirty-first day of May, A. D. 1862.
D. H. Bowie J. P.
I hereby certify that Daivd H. Bowie Gentleman before whom the aforegoing affidavit was made and whose genuine signature is thereto subscribed was at the time thereof one of the State of Maryland's Justices of the peace in and for Montgomery County duly commissioned and sworn
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court for said County this 3d day of June AD 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.
