Title: Petition of Phineas F. Wood, Mary E. Wood, Elizabeth M. Clements, and Asbury Lloyd, 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 6. 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.00810
TEI/XML: cww.00810.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, Phineas F
Wood—Mary E Wood (his wife)
Elizabeth M Clements and Asbury
Lloyd, (Trustee) 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 one female person of African descent of the name of
Sarah F Mason for and
during the life of said Sarah F
Mason and that by said act of Congress said Sarah F Mason 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 Sarah
F Mason was of the age of Seventeen years or about. and of the personal description
following:(1)
a Dark mulatto woman—medium height—stout and
strong—active, likely and intelligent
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said Sarah F Mason in manner following:(2) by virtue first: of a Sale from Columbus Alexander to said Mary E. Wood—formerly "Clements" (as by reference to the Bill of Sale hereto annexed and made a part of this Petition showing the consideration &c. will appear.)—Secondly by virtue of a Deed of Trust from said Mary E. Wood—prior to her Marriage—to the said Asbury Lloyd In Trust for the benefit of said Mary E. Wood, and Elizabeth M Clements—as by reference to the said Deed [illegible] will appear [illegible]
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Sarah F Mason was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of one thousand dollars in money.(3)that the said Sarah, is a very useful woman, either as housekeeper, Cook, or Chambermaid, is sound and healthy—of good habits and amiable disposition; and they aver that they have no knowledge of any defect in said person, calculated to impair the value of said Claim. And they further say, at the time said Sarah, was bought as aforesaid of said Alexander, she was quite young and helpless and was sold to the said Wood in consideration of having [illegible] [of Claimants?]
Your petitioner hereby declares that they bears true and faithful allegiance to the Government
of the United States, and that they have 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 they have not brought said Sarah F Mason into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Sarah F Mason 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 their said claim to the service or labor of said Sarah F. 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 their said claim to the
service or labor of said Sarah F
Mason 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.
Mary E Wood
Phineas F Wood
Elizabeth M Clements
Asbury Lloyd (Trustee)
Susan Bird
to
Asbury Lloyd Trustee
Deeds
Jno. A. Smith
Clerk
This Indenture made this twentyninth day of January in the
year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and Sixty-one, by
and between Mary Eliza Clements of the City
of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, of the One part and Asbury
Lloyd of the same City and District of the other part.
Witnesseth that the said Mary Eliza Clements, for and
in consideration of the Sum of Five dollars, current money of the
United States, to her in hand paid, at or before
the ensealing and delivery of these presents, by the said
Lloyd, the receipt of which sum is hereby
acknowledged—hath, granted, bargained, sold, assigned, and delivered,
and by these presents, doth grant, bargain, sell, assign and deliver, unto
him, the said Lloyd, his executors administrators, and
assigns, all, and singular, the following, goods, chattels furniture,
property and effects, now in the
house No 160., and situated on F street, between 19th and 20th strts
in the City of Washington, to wit: Slave colored,
girl, named, Sarah Francis Mason—aged about
Thirteen years. 
and all her
right, title, and interest of, in and to the following goods, chattels,
furniture and effects to wit: Two tables, Three beds, half doz. parlor chairs, one rocker, one sofa, one brussels carpet, one
bureau Two looking glasses. One cooking stone and cooking utensils—now
in said house No 160. To have and To hold, the said Slave girl,
Sarah Frances—and all her interest, and
title, in said goods, chattels, furniture and effects, and every part of the
Same, unto him the said Lloyd, his executors,
administrators and assigns forever In Trust, never the less for the
following uses and purposes, that is to say, In Trust, to Suffer and permit,
Elizabeth M. Clements, the Sister of the said
Mary Eliza, to have, hold use and enjoy the said
property jointly with the said Mary Eliza—and the
profits and income of the same to take, receive and apply to their own
use.—For their own Separate use and benefit, free and clear of any
husband—they or either of them, may hereafter take—said free and
clear of 
all
interference—or liabilities, From my Service whatsoever—For and
during the period of the lives of the said Elizabeth.
M. and Mary Eliza Clements and the life
of the Survivor of them. And on this further Trust to transfer, convey and
dispose of the said property in all the interest of the said Mary
Eliza, in the same, in such manner and form as the said
Elizabeth M. and the said Mary
Eliza, or the Survivor of them, shall in writing direct or
appoint, and in default of Such direction or appointment, to hold the said
property for the right heirs of the said Elizabeth M.
and Mary Eliza, their executors, administrators, and
assigns, and the Survivor of them, his executors, administrators, and
assigns, and to transfer and convey the Same to such heirs and this Trust,
shall cease and terminate.
In Testimony whereof the said Mary Eliza Clements hath
hereunto set her hand and 
affixed her Seal the day and year first herein before written
Mary Eliza Clements seal
Signed, Sealed and delivered in the presence of
F. I. Murphey
Joseph T. Howard
County of Washington To wit:
On this 29th day of January A.D. 1861, before me the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and District aforesaid personally appeared Mary Eliza Clements the party grantor of the within and annexed instrument, bearing date on the 29th day of Jany A.D. 1861. being personally well known to me as the person who executed the said Deed or instrument of writing, and acknowledged the same to be her act and Deed for the purposes expressed therein. Given under my hand and Seal this 29th day of January AD. 1861—
F. I. Murphey J.P. Seal
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
We Phineas F Wood, Mary E. Wood, E M Clements and Asbury Lloyd—Trustee 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 our 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, We believe to be true in substance and in fact.
Mary E Wood
Phinehas F Wood
Asbury Lloyd (Trustee)
Elizabeth M Clements
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 23rd day of June A. D. 1862.
Saml Drury JP
to
Lloyd (Trustee)
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.
