Title: Petition of Caroline Lashley, Matilda Lloyd, Samuel E. Douglass, and Elizabeth E. Wheeler, 12 July 1862
Date: July 12, 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.00903
TEI/XML: cww.00903.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,s
residents of the
City of Washington 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 Four persons person of African descent of the
names of Terry Carter, Mary Carter
James Carter & George
Carter for and during the life 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 of the ages
of and of the personal description following:(1)
- Terry Carter aged 42 years—Color Black height about 5 feet 4 inches
- Mary Carter aged, 21 years Color light height about 5 feet 2 inches,
- James Carter, aged about, 18 years Color Black, height 5 feet,
- George Carter, aged 15 years Color Black height 5 feet,
That your petitioners acquired their claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:(2) Terry Carter was the Slave of Edward Douglass—Decd who died in 1824, and your petitioner inherited said Terry Carter, as his legal heir and representative. Mary James & George Carter are the children of the said Terry Carter, born Subsequent to the above period
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 three thousand dollars in money.(3)viz
| Terry | $500 |
| Mary | " 1000 |
| James | 500 |
| George | 1,000 |
| $3,000 |
Your petitioner hereby declares that they bears
true and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United
States, and that they have
has not borne arms against the United States
in the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioners further states and alleges,
that they have
has not brought said Slaves into the
District of Columbia since the passage of said act of
Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said persons 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 Slaves 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 Slaves 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.
Matilda Lloyd
Saml E Douglass
E. E. Wheeler,
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, a resident of the State of Indiana 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 past claim to service or labor against Four persons persons of African descent of the name of Terry Carter, Mary Carter James Carter & George Carter for and during the life 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 of the ages of [no handwritten text supplied here] and of the personal description following:()
- Terry Carter aged about 42 years Color Black height about 5 feet 4 inches
- Mary Carter age 21 years Color light height about 5 feet 2 inches
- James Carter, aged about 18 years—Color Black height about 5 feet
- George Carter aged 15 years—color Black height about 5 feet
That your petitioner acquired her part claim to the aforesaid service or labor of said persons in manner following:() Terry Carter was the Slave of Edward Douglass Decd who died in 1824—and your petitioner inherited said part of Said Terry Carter, as one of the legal heirs of said Edward Douglass
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 ¼ of $3000 dollars in money.()viz
| Terry | $500 |
| Mary | 1000 |
| James | 500 |
| George | 1000 |
| $3,000 |
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 Slaves into the District of Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Slaves 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 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 her 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.
Caroline Lashley
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
State of Indiana
Wayne County
I, Caroline Lashley 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.
Caroline Lashley
[A?] Wilson
J. Woods
Sworn to and subscribed before me this second day of July A. D. 1862.
James Woods Justice of the Peace Seal
I Sol. Meredith, Clerk of the Circuit Court, within and for the county of Wayne aforesaid, do hereby certify that James Woods Esq., whose certificate of acknowledgement appear to the Instrument of writing to which this is attached, was, on the date and at the time of making said certificate, to wit: the 2d day of July, 1862 An acting Justice of the Peace within and for said county of Wayne, duly elected, commissioned, and qualified, and that full faith and credit ought to be given to his official acts, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine.
In Witness of Which, I hereunto affix the seal of said Court, and subscribe my name at Centerville, this 2d day of July, 1862
Sol. Meredith Clerk,
[Form of the Oath for the Verification of the Petition.]
Washington County, ss.
[We?]I, [no handwritten text supplied here] 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.
Matilda Lloyd
Saml E Douglass
E. E. Wheeler
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12th day of July A. D. 1862.
Saml Drury JP
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.
