Civil War Washington

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, William McKnew, of Prince Georges County State of Maryland by this his petition in writing, represents and states, that he 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 female person of African descent of the name of Maria Walker and also against a female person of African descent of the name of Mary Walker, and also against a female person of African descent, of the name of Nelly—and also against a male person of African descent of the name of Isaac Walker, for and during the lives of said persons, and that by said act of Congress said persons 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 Maria Walker was of the age of thirty years, or thereabouts, and of the personal description following:(1) of a dark-brown or copper color, small, or, perhaps, of a medium size & likely; said Mary Walker was of the age of about eight years, of a dark-brown or copper color and fine-looking; said Nelly was of the age of forty-five years, or thereabouts, black, and large; and said Isaac Walker was of the age of five or six years, of a dark-brown or copper color & fine-looking.

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) Said Maria Walker was born his slave; said Mary Walker and said Isaac Walker were also born his slaves, being children of said Maria Walker; and said Nelly was allotted to his wife, Mary McKnew, in the distribution of the personal estate of her father, John C. Prather, under an order of the Orphans Court of Prince Georges County, in the State of Maryland, made in the Spring of 1861,

That your petitioner's cannot state positively what was the value of his claim to the service or labor of said persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of dollars [no handwritten text supplied here] in money.(3)but this he can state, that immediately before the present war commenced, his claim to the service or labor of said Maria Walker was worth at least eight hundred dollars; his claim to the service or labor of said Mary Walker was worth at least five hundred dollars; his claim to the service of labor of said Isaac Walker was worth three or four hundred dollars; and that his claim to the service or labor of said Nelly was worth about three hundred dollars, making, in the aggregate, from $1,900 to $2,000.—Said Maria Walker is a first rate house-servant, being an excellent cook, washer and ironer; and has always commanded high-wages; Said Nelly is somewhat afflicted with rheumatism, but not to such an extent, as to disqualify her from work. Your petitioner has no knowledge of any infirmity or defect, moral mental or bodily, in the case of said Maria Mary & Isaac, [which?] impair his claim to [such?] service or labor; & he knows of no other in the case of said Nelly, than that above mentioned, and he believes none other to exist

Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he 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 he 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 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 his 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 his 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.