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 Ignatius F Young Trustee for Mrs James Anna Brent both 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 in Trust for Mrs James Anna Brent a person also Loyal with himself, to service or labor against four persons of African Descent of the name of Henny Bowie, Rezin Bowie, Hank Bowie and Mary Louisa Bowie, for and during the life of the said Henny, Rezin, Hank, and Mary Louisa and that by Said Act of Congress the said Henny, Rezin, Hank, and Mary Louisa Bowie were discharged and freed of and from all claim of your Petitioner as Trustee as aforesaid to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge the said Henny Rezin Hank and Mary Louisa were respectively of the ages of Fifty, Eighteen, fifteen and thirteen years or thereabout and of the personal description following personal description:

• Henny Bowiea mulatto woman aged about Fifty (50) years—Sound & healthy value $700
• Rezin a black boy the child of said Henny aged about Eighteen (18) years—Sound value $900.—
• Hank a boy copper colored the Child of said Henny aged about Fifteen (15) years healthy value $700.
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• Mary Louisa a bright mulatto girl and Child of said Henny aged about thirteen (13) years value 800—

That the claim to the aforesaid Service or labor of said four persons was acquired by Mrs James Anna Brent by the will of her Grandmother and that your petitioner Ignatius. F. Young acquired his title by deed from her husband in trust for her sole use and benefit prior to the passage of the Act aforesaid

That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said four persons was at the time of their discharge therefrom of the value of thirty one hundred dollars in money and that he knows of no moral mental or bodily infirmity which would impair their value

Your petitioner hereby declares that he as well as Mrs James Anna Brent who has sworn to and subscribed this petition bear true and faithful allegiance to the government of the United States, and that neither of them 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 that he has not brought said persons into the District of Columbia since the passage of the 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 Petitioners 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 petitioners pray 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