Title: Petition of Mary R. Stewart and Mary R. Patterson, 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 General Accounting Office, 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.00640
TEI/XML: cww.00640.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,s
Mary R. Stewart and Mary R.
Patterson
of the District 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 claims to service or labor
against one person of African descent of the name
of
Lucy Whitney
for and during the life of said
Lucy Whitney
and that by said act of Congress said Lucy Whitney 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
Lucy Whitney was of the age of Twenty (20) years and of the personal description
following:(1)
Dark chestnut complexion; stout and well built; full
suit of rather straight hair; pleasant and intelligent countenance; and
having no other particular marks of identification.
That your petitioners acquired their claims to the aforesaid service or labor of said Lucy Whitney in manner following:(2) Said Lucy was conveyed to the aforesaid Mary R. Stewart by instrument of writing from Robert Patterson of Somerset County Maryland (herewith annexed marked Exhibit A) which in consideration of the sum of $300—grants to the aforesaid Mary R. Stewart the right to the services of the said Lucy until she shall attain the age of thirty years—said Lucy was of the age of twenty years in April 1862—The revisionary interest for life of the services & labor of said Lucy was conveyed to Mary R. Patterson, by Robert Patterson of Somerset County Maryland by instrument of writing (herewith annexed marked Exhibit B) for the consideration of $300. and subject to the prior claim of the said Mary R. Stewart to the said Lucy.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Lucy Whitney was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of eight hundred dollars in money.(3)apportioned as follows to wit:
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 not, nor have
either of them
has not brought said
Lucy Whitney
into the District of Columbia since the passage of
said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Lucy Whitney
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 their said claims to the service or labor of said Lucy Whitney 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 their said claims to the service or labor of said Lucy Whitney 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.
Mary R. Stewart
Mary R. Patterson
(Exhibit A)
Received April 13th 1855 of Rebecca Stewart widow of the late Charles R. Stewart of Washington City D.C. the sum of three hundred dollars it being payment in full for the services of one Negro girl Lucy now in the employ of the said Mrs. Stewart up until the time that the said negro girl Lucy shall be thirty years of age
Robert Patterson
(Exhibit B)
Recd Octr 15th 1860 of my daughter Mary the sum of three hundred dollars it being for my negro girl Lucy aged eighteen years and five months
Robert Patterson
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
We
I, Mary R. Stewart,
and Mary R. Patterson 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.
Mary R. Steward
Mary R. Patterson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 6th day of June A. D. 1862.
Wm R. Woodward clk
Mary R. Stewart
and
Mary R. Patterson
Hon. J. W. Crisfield
(U. S. House of Reps)
Wm. J. H. White
(Surgeon U. S. Army)
John Miles
(Post Office Dept)
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.
