Title: Petition of John B. Semmes, 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.00884
TEI/XML: cww.00884.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, John B.
Semmes of the 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 Four persons of African descent of the names of Jane
Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell (brother of
Joe King) & Hillary
Davis— for and during the lives of said Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis respectively and that by said
act of Congress said Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis 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
Jane Young
Joe King
Ned King or Campbell &
Hillary Davis were of the ages
of and of the personal description following:(1)
Jane Young aged about Twenty-eight years & dark
complexion Joe King about Twenty-eight years old dark copper-color nearly Six feet high & stoutly built. Ned King or Campbell about 19 or 20 years old nearly Six feet high well built & of black complexion,
& Hillary Davis light yellow complexion thick set
medium height and about 32 years of age.
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) the said Jane Young Joe King & Ned King or Campbell were the property of your petitioner's wife at the time of her marriage having been left to her by the last will & testament of Miss Mary Ann McPherson of Prince George's County in the State of Maryland & the said Hillary Davis became the property of your petitioner upon the division under the will of your petitioner's Grandmother Henrietta Semmes
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 Six Thousand Five Hundred dollars in money.(3)the said Jane Young is a good house servant cook & washer & ironer—the said Joe King was at the time of the passage of the said Act working as a blacksmith in the Washington Navy Yard & was earning $480 a year—Ned King or Campbell is a good driver healthy & capable for general work—Hillary Davis has been employed as a Porter & Drayman & has few superiors in those capacities. your petitioner knows of no infirmities or defects bodily or mental which impair the claim of your petitioner to the labor or service of said persons or either of them.
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 persons 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 persons were 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.
John B. Semmes
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
I, John B Semmes 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.
John B. Semmes
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 9th day of July A. D. 1862.
F. I. Murphey J. P.
Jno. B. Semmes
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.
