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 Petitioners John Marbury Jr, Judson Mitchell & Charles A. Buckey of George Town DC 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 John Summerfield Butler & George W. Butler persons of African descent of the name of for and during the life of said John S. & George W. Butler and that by said act of Congress said John & George Butler were 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 John & George were was of the age of [no handwritten text supplied here] and of the personal description following:(1) That is to say that the said George W. Butler is of the age of five years & six months, of a chesnut​ color, about the size usual for boys of his age & healthy.
That the said John S. Butler is of the age of three years & six months, rather darker than George, about the size usual for children of his age & healthy.

 

That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said George & John Butler in manner following:(2) The mother of the said George & John was the property of Wm Nelson, deceased, & at the distribution of his personal Estate was allotted to his daughter Mrs. Ann Ogle. That on the 3rd of July 1855 Mrs. Ann Ogle & her husband Benj Ogle joined in a deed to your petitioners, settling all the property of the wife upon your petitioners for the benefit of the said Mrs. Ann Ogle. That the two children above named are the children of the woman named in said deed of trust. That the said deed is recorded in Liber J. A. S. No 107 at folios 132 &c. one of the Land records of Washington Co. unto which reference is hereby made.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said two servants was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of seven hundred dollars in money.(3) The said George W. Butler being a hearty child & near the age to be useful is fully worth four hundred dollars.
The said John S Butler being younger, though a likely healthy child is worth about three 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 petitioners further states and alleges, that they have has not brought said servants or Either of them into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said John & George Butler were was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.

Your petitioners further states and alleges, that their said claim to the service or labor of said two servants 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 two servants 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.