Document 1:

Title: Petition of Eliza Mason, [n. d.]

Date: Not before July 12, 1862, and not after July 29, 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).

Document 2:

Title: Petition of John W. Mason, 28 July 1862

Date: July 28, 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).

Document 3:

Title: Evidence Relating to the Petitions of Eliza Mason and John W. Mason, August 1862

Date: August 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.00985

TEI/XML: cww.00985.xml

 
To John A. Smith Esq​., Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia.
Sir:

Sarah Forrest of Prince George Country Maryland having claim to the service or labor of the undersigned, and having refused or neglected to file in your office the statement in writing or schedule provided for in the 9th section of the Act of Congress, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in said District," approved April 16, 1862, you will please file this petition or schedule in lieu thereof, in pursuance of the provisions of an act supplementary to said act which said last mentioned act was approved July 12, 1862. This petitioner further state that the undersigned [no handwritten text supplied here] resided in said District since the 4th of May and has resided therein since the said 4 day of May 1862, by and with the consent of [no handwritten text supplied here] said Sarah Forrest

Name, Age, Sex, Remarks,
Eliza Mason 19 female Dark Copper Color

her X mark Eliza Mason
In presence of
George E. H. Day
 
Eliza Mason
Petition
 
To John A. Smith Esq​., Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia.
Sir:

Sarah Forrest of Prince George's Co Maryland having claim to the service or labor of the undersigned, and having refused or neglected to file in your office the statement in writing or schedule provided for in the 9th section of the Act of Congress, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in said District," approved April 16, 1862, you will please file this petition or schedule in lieu thereof, in pursuance of the provisions of an act supplementary to said act which said last mentioned act was approved July 12, 1862. This petitioner further state that the undersigned has resided in said District since the [illegible] and has resided therein since the 7 day of May 1862, by and with the consent of the said Mary Forrest

Name, Age, Sex, Remarks,
John W. Mason 18 Male Dark Copper Color

his X mark John W Mason
In presence of
George E H Day
 
John W Mason
Petition Filed
Filed 28 July 1862
 
July 29, 1862
John W. Mason
servant of Sarah Forest
Eliza Mason
Servant of Sarah Forrest of Prince Geo Co Md
Elias H. Eable. I know and have known these servants for last 5 years and have resided here since that time. I have no knowledge that they were here on 16th March 1862.
I dont know Mrs Forrest or her hand writing Boy was in Maryland at the time of the passage of act. has lived out of District for two years
Letter purporting to be from Mrs Forrest to Mr Day was read
Further proof required
Aug 13
Mary W. [Kearny?] this is my sisters hand writing. I know servants perfectly well. They were not here by my sister Mrs Forrests consent—came here a month after passage of act
 
Joseph W. Mason
Eliza Mason
Augst 13.
 
July 14th 1862
Mr Geo E H Day

Your note of the 6th only reached me a few days since I do not want my servant Eliza Mason back and will gladly accept your offer, but I believe her brother John will return if let alone, but if he will call on me and say he is unwilling to come back of course there will be no use in tying to keep at home, so I suppose you could fix the papers for both if necessary, but I desire to talk with John who is a good boy and see if I can't induce him to return—   If he will come to Mrs Dr Kearney's in Georgetown, on some day you can name,

Respectfully

Sarah Forrest
Address
Long old Fields Prince Georges County
Md
 
proof of her sisters hand &c
Transcription and encoding: Janel Cayer, Elizabeth Lorang, and Kenneth J. Winkle.