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, Nancy W Balmain of Washington, District of Columbia, by this her petition in writing, represents and states, that she 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 Four persons of African descent of the names of Mary Jane Turley, & Fanny & Martha Turley, her children, and Charlotte Erving for and during the lifeves of said Four named Persons and that by said act of Congress said Four 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 Mary Jane Turley was of the age of 32 years or thereabouts—Fanny Turley, of about 14 years, Martha Turley of 12 years or thereabouts & Charlotte Erving of the age of 50 years or thereabouts and of the personal description following:(1) Mary Jane Turley is of a black complexion, about 5 Feet high—erect in her carriage & slender. Her Daughter Fanny is a light mulatto, about Four Feet & a half in height, & her other Daughter Martha is of the same complexion & near her height—and Charlotte Erving is about Six Feet in height of a black Color of a spare figure & erect carriage.

 

That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Four Persons in manner following:(2) Mary Jane Turley was inherited upon the [illegible] of her Father [illegible] Andrew Balmain, late of Virginia, & has been in the Petitioners possession & ownership for the last Thirty Years. Her children, Fanny & Martha were born while the said Mother was so held to service & labor by your Petitioner, & the said Charlotte Erving was purchased from the late Major W B Scott, in this city & John Cryer in & about the year 1842, as since will be seen by reference to the Records of the County Court.

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Persons was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Two thousand [nine?] hundred dollars in money.(3) She values Mary Jane Turley at $900. She is a good plain cook & washer woman & ironer & house servant in all its branches. Her health is good. Fanny, her daughter, is a tractable, intelligent girl, sews & knits, does house work generally—Martha, the other Daughter is smart & intelligent & does the same work as her Sister. Charlotte Erving, is a good cook & an Excellent Washerwoman & Ironer. Her health is fair. Your petitioner knows of no other infirmities or defects of said persons which impair the Value of her claim to such service or labor, & she believes none other to exist.

Your petitioner hereby declares that she bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that she 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 she has not brought said said Four named Persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Four named Persons wasere 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said Four named 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said Four named 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.