Title: Petition of William F. Dickinson, 30 June 1862
Date: June 30, 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.00798
TEI/XML: cww.00798.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, Wm F Dickinson of District of Columbia 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 one woman and one boy persons of African descent of the names of Harriet Winston and her son Robert Winston for and during the life of said Harriet Winston and Robert Winston and that by said act of Congress said Harriet Winston and Robert Winston are discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Harriet Winston and Robert Winston were was of the ages of fifty and fifteen respectively and of the personal description following:(1) Harriet Winston is Dark coloured five feet 5¼ inches high straight and somewhat spare in person pleasing and inteligent in expression of face and polite and respectful when addressed.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Woman and boy in manner following:(2) to wit By a decree of the court of Caroline County in the State of Virginia for the division of the estate of F. Dickinson in the year 1849 as will appear by the records of said court
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Woman and boy was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value of Eight hundred dollars
in money.(3)for the said Robert
Winston and of the value of four hundred dollars for the said
Harriet Winston in money—The said
Harriet an excellent house servant, honest and
responsible—has no physical defect except corns upon her feet and no
mental infirmity, but is quite intelligent—The said
Robert has no physical or mental defect, and has a
good moral character.
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 woman and boy
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
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 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.
Wm F. Dickinson
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, Wm. F. Dickinson 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.
Wm. F. Dickinson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27th day of June A. D. 1862.
J. W. Barnacle JP
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.
