Title: Petition of Charles E. Mix, 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.00896

TEI/XML: cww.00896.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, Charles E. Mix of Georgetown, D. C. 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 certain persons of African descent of the names of respectively of Matilda Jones; Henson [otherwise] Henderson Perry; Charles Edward [otherwise] Charles Edward Wilson; Susan Contee; Alice Contee; Lizzie Contee; George Washington Davis; Bill Hamilton Jones; and Maria Myers. for and during the life of said lives of said persons, and that by said act of Congress said persons 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 persons were respectively was of the ages of and of the personal description following:(1)

Height,—about
Matilda Jones, Dark; aged 45 years; 5 feet 6 inches;
Henson [or] Henderson Perry, Dark, " 45 " 5 feet 9 inches;
Charles Edward [or]
Charles Edward Wilson
Dark, " 24 " 5 feet 10 inches;
Susan Contee, Mulatto, " 19 " 5 feet 3 inches;
Alice Contee, Mulatto, " 16 " 5 feet;
Lizzie Contee, Mulatto, " 14 " 4 feet 10 inches;
George Washington Davis, Dark, " 10 " 3 feet 11 inches,
Bill Hamilton Jones, Dark, " 4 " 2 feet 8 inches,
Maria Myers, Mulatto, " 3 months,

 

That your petitioner acquired his claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) by purchase as to Matilda Jones from Young for $800.00, Mr. Hammack, Penn'a Ave near 14th St being a witness thereto. Matildas issue is Bill Hamilton Jones, by purchase as to Henson [otherwise] Henderson Perry for $600.00 from G M Watkins of Montgomery County Maryland, under an agreement between Mr. Watkins and myself on the 2nd day of June 1860, being urgently solicited thereto by Perry himself, and actuated by a desire to subserve solely his interests, as by reference to Statement marked A, herewith, fill more fully appear; by purchase as to Charles Edward [otherwise] Charles Edward Wilson for $870.00 from the Administrators of Sarah M Worthington late of Nottingham in the State of Maryland see Statement marked B, herewith. At a sale to divide the estate of my wife's parents, she bought in as part of her interest Maria Contee with her two children Susan and Alice, Maria had issue in my family of Lizzie Contee, and George Washington Davis. Susan had issue of Maria Meyers. Respecting Charles Edward Wilson I would state that he was in my employment by here, before purchase. One of my daughters is so afflicted that it was necessary to provide for her use a carriage and horse which Charles had charge of. She has such reliance on him as a trusty driver that when he was offered for sale I purchased him.

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 6,908.13/100 dollars in money.(3)See Schedule marked D, herewith.

My servants were honest and faithful, and to my family invaluable. I know of no moral, mental or bodily infirmities or defects possessed by them, or by either of them. Maria Myers was 3 months old on the 1st June 1862, since when she has deceased: the cost of her birth and burial being to me about $20.00 which is the amount only of my claim or all I desire to claim as appears on Schedule D.

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 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.

(Signed by)
Charles E. Mix,
 
Statement A
Agreement between G M Watkins and Charles E Mix, dated 2nd June 1860, for the purchase of Henson [otherwise] Henderson Perry for $600.00, together with explanation on alternate page herein.
 

This agreement made this 2nd day of June 1860 between G. M Watkins of Montgomery County, State of Maryland of the one part, and Charles E. Mix of Alexandria County State of Virginia of the other. Witnesseth, that the said Watkins for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred dollars ($600.) to him in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledge, hath sold, or leased unto the said Mix his slave Henson Perry for the term of four years, dating from the 1st day of February 1860. It is further agreed and we hereby bind ourselves, our heirs, & assigns to each other to give at the expiration of the above time unto the said Henson Perry his freedom or manumission papers.

In witness whereof we hereby sign our hands, & affix our seals the day & date above written.


G. M. Watkins SS
Charles E. Mix SS
Witness
Jno L Kidwell
for G M Watkins
 

I acquired Henson [otherwise] Henderson Perry in the following manner. He solicited my intervention in his behalf, for the following among other reasons,—that he had a wife and children residing in Georgetown D.C,—that, his master had for certain considerations given him a chance to purchase himself;—that he had paid a portion thereon leaving a balance due of $600.00, or thereabouts, but he felt anxious to make an arrangement by which, within a specified time, he could acquire his freedom, and, in the meantime be near his family and without the prospect of being separated therefrom.

He was regarded as a valuable hand, being competent to perform generally mechanical labor required on a farm. I therefore advanced to his master the sum of $600.00,—agreeing to allow to said Perry $150.00 per annum for his labor, exclusive of clothing and board; and that, if by any proper means he could re-imburse me in kind within the period of four years, I was, and did agree, to manumit him. He his​ the agreement,—no copy having been by me retained.

Respectfully,
Charles E. Mix,
 

Statement, B.

 

28 April 1855 Red​ of Mr. Charles E Mix [the?] acceptance of [illegible] for eight hundred ninety six dollars ten cents, at [six months date?] 30 March 1855 and payable at [illegible] at the Banking house of Johnson [illegible] Baltimore [illegible] when paid will be in full of negro boy said Mr Mix belonging to the estate of the late Sarah M Worthington [boy named?] Charles Edward


J H Kearny
C [illegible]
Adm​ of Sarah M Worthington
per C [illegible]
 
Statement, C.
Henson [otherwise] Henderson Perrys indebtedness to Charles E Mix, on the 1st June 1862
$338.13
 

Statement of Amt​ due C. E Mix by Henderson Perry (colored)

Principal $600.—
Int​ on do from Feby 1st 1860 to Feby 1st 1861 offset by Boy Bill
Amt​ due Feby 1st 1860 600
Deduct 1 yr labor of Perry from Feby 1st 1860 to Feby 1st 1861. 150
Balance due Feby 1, 1861, $450
Int​ on do from Feby 1st 1861 to Nov 10th 1861, 9 mo​ & 10 dys 21
Amt​ due Nov 10th 1861 471.—
Deduct labor of Perry from Feby 1st 1861 to Nov 10th 1861, 9 mo​ & 10 dy​ @ 15 per anum 116.67
Cash paid Mch 9th 1861 12—
Int​ on do from Mch 9, 1861, to Nov 10th 1861 8 mo​ 1 dys .49 12.46 129.16
Balance due Nov 10th 1861 341.84
Int​ on do from Nov 10th 1861 to Mch 15th 1862 4 mo​ 5 dys 7.12
Amt​ due Mch 15th 1862 348.96
Cash Labor Paid Mch 15th 1862 15.—
Balance due Mch 15th 1862 333.96
Int​ on do from " 15th 1862 to June 1st 1862, 2 mo​ 10 dys 4.17
Amt​ due June 1st 1862 338.13
 
Schedule, D.
 
Matilda Jones, 1,200 "
Henson [or] Henderson Perry, due me 1st June 1862,
as per Statement marked C, herewith,
338 13
Charles Edward [or] Charles Edward Wilson, 1,800 "
Susan Contee, 1,200 "
Alice Contee, 1,000 "
Lizzie Contee, 800 "
George Washington Davis, 400 "
Bill Hamilton Jones, 150 "
Maria Myers, 20 "
6,908 13
 

[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]

I, Charles E. Mix 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.

(Signed by)
Charles E. Mix,

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 11th day of June A. D. 1862.

(Signed by)
Wm. R. Woodward clk
896
Charles E. Mix
Filed 11 July 1862


 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.

Transcription and encoding: Janel Cayer, Nima Najafi Kianfar, and Kenneth J. Winkle.