Title: Petition of Charles Lyons, 16 June 1862
Date: June 16, 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.00690
TEI/XML: cww.00690.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, Charles Lyons, of Washington City 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 the following named person of African descent of the name of Jacob Cole for and during the life of said Jacob and that by said act of Congress said Jacob 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 Jacob Cole of the age of twenty three years, and of the personal description following:(1) That is to say—Jacob is about twenty three years of age of a light complexion and about five feet ten inches high—
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Jacob in manner following:(2) That is to say he purchased him from Mr Sheckell of Washington City D. C. a Negro dealer about the year 1854. The Bill of Sale is hereunto annexed.
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Jacob was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of fifteen hundred dollars in money.(3)Jacob is a very good mechanic has been in my employ in my carpenter shop—He is a very obedient honest faithful and industrious and there are no moral, mental, or bodily defects in the person of Jacob known to your petitioner except those already mentioned
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 person into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said [no handwritten text supplied here] 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 his 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 petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of his 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.
Charles Lyons
Received of B O. Sheckell & Co Seven hundred Dollars, being in full for the purchase of one Negro Slave named Jacob Cole aged about fifteen years the right and title of said Slave I warrant and defend against the claims of all persons whatsoever, and likewise warrant him sound and healthy, and Slave for life.
T H Barron seal.
Know all men by these presents that we, Thomas H. Barron and Catharine his wife of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, for and in consideration of the sum of Nine hundred Dollars in lawful money to us now in hand paid by Charles Lyons of the said City, the receipt of which we do hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold and delivered and do, by these presents, grant, bargain, sell and deliver unto the said Charles Lyons three negro slaves as follows, one negro slave woman named Milly Cole of copper color and aged about thirty-two years—to serve and be a slave for the term of six years from the date hereof—one negro slave boy named Jacob Cole of light complexion and aged about fifteen years and one negro slave girl named Rosa Cole of light complexion and aged about two years the said Jacob and Rosa are children of said Milly and are slaves for life all of said slaves are hereby warranted to said Charles Lyons.
To have and to hold the said slave Milly as a slave for the term aforesaid and the said slaves Jacob and Rosa as slaves for life unto the said Charles Lyons, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns.
In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals on the fourteenth day of August, in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty-four.
T. H Barron seal
Catharine Barron seal
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
County of Washington S.S.
I Craven Ashford a Justice of the Peace in and for the County in said District do hereby certify that Thomas H. Barron and Catharine Barron the parties to the foregoing instrument of writing, personally appeared before me and acknowledged the same to be their act and deed and said Catharine Barron being by me examined separate and apart from her said husband acknowledged the same to be her act and deed
Given under my hand and seal this the Fourteenth day of August A. D. 1854.
C. Ashford J. P. seal
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Charles Lyons 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.
Charles Lyons
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th day of June A. D. 1862.
N Callan JP seal
Charles Lyone
Jas H Halliday
Wm. Q. Force
Mich Coombs—
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.
