Title: Petition of Harriet E. Muncaster and Julian Magruder, 11 July 1862
Date: July 11, 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.00882
TEI/XML: cww.00882.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, Harriet E.
Muncaster by her next friend Julian Magruder
of Montgomery County, and State of
Maryland 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 a negro man named Sam, calling
himself Samuel Martin a person of African descent
of the name of for and during the life of said Sam and that by said act of
Congress said Sam 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 of
Sam he was of the age of about Forty three years and of the personal
description following:(1)
He is somewhere about five feet Eight, or nine inches
high black: stout, strong, healthy, bred as a farm hand; and capable of any
farm work: for some years past has been engaged (say for ten years) in driving
a cart or dray, and at the time of the passage of said act was receiving
four dollars a week, wages, boarding himself
That your petitioner acquired her claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said servant man in manner following:(2) in the distribution of the personal Estate of Zadok Magruder late of Montgomery County deceased, who was the father of your petitioner, and her said [near?] friend Julian Magruder: your Petitioner is a married woman the wife of Otho Z. Muncaster of Montgomery County Maryland; but both by the laws of said State and by marriage settlement, she has a separate Estate in her personal property
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said negro man was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of Seventeen hundred dollars in money.(3)She could have got that price for him in the fall of 1860, but he was not for sale; and he was worth quite as much at the time of the passage of said act
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 negro man into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said negro man 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 her said claim to the service or labor of said negro man 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 negro man 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.
H Muncaster Harriet E Muncaster
J Magruder Julian Magruder
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Montgomery County to wit
We Harriet E. Muncaster, and
Julian Magruder 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
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, I
we believe to be true in substance and in
fact.
H Muncaster Harriet E Muncaster
J Magruder Julian Magruder
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 8th day of July A. D. 1862.
John W. Baker J. P.
(Signed by)
Here add the certificate of the clerk of the Court under seal that the Justice certifying the oath is at the time of so doing a Justice [illegible]
I hereby certify that John W Baker Gentleman before whom the aforegoing affidavit was made and whose genuine signature is thereto subscribed was at the time thereof one of the State of Maryland's Justices of the peace in and for Montgomery County duly commissioned and sworn
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court for said County this 8th day of July AD. 1862
Harriet E. Muncaster
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.
