Document 1:

Title: Petition of Harriet F. Belt, 16 August 1862

Date: August 16, 1862

Source Text: A microfilm reproduction of the original document held at the National Archives and Records Administration, Microcopy 433, Reel 3. The original document is held in the Records of the District Courts of the United States, 1685–2004, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 21. Within the National Archives' Archival Description Catalog, see ARC Identifier 4314547 / MLR Number NC-2 33 (http://arcweb.archives.gov).

Document 2:

Title: Evidence Relating to the Petition of Harriet F. Belt, 16 August 1862

Date: August 16, 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.01008

TEI/XML: cww.01008.xml

 
John A Smith Clerk of Circuit Court DC
Sir

William J. Bailey of the city of Washington having claim to the service of the undersigned & having failed & refused to to​ file his claim therefor in this office provided for in the 9th Sec​ of the Act of Congress entitled An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia Approved 16th April 1862 you will please file the [and said?] schedule in pursuance of an act supplemental to the above recited act approved 12 July 1862 The undersigned resided in the city of Washington before & at the time of the passage of said act

Name Sex Age Description
Harriet F Beltt Female 24 Mullato​

her X mark Harriet Beltt

Witness
[L N Wright?]
 
paid
Harriet Belt
Schedule
Amended Act
cert​ given Idfd​ by CB Bayly
Filed August 16th 1862
Recorded in Manumission Record No. 2 folio 59

The Commissioners satisfied on the testimony of Chas. B. Bailey, H. [Lasielle?] & Patrick Selby (& by consent of owner through A. [Carver?], counsel) of the truth of the within statement order the same to be so reported to the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia

Aug. 16, 1862.

Clerk to Commissioners
 
Aug 15.
Harriet F. Belt
servant of William F. Bayly
Charles B. Bayley—I know that servant was Mr William F. Bayly up to Octr 1861, when she ran off—we do not know that she was here in April 1861. He did not sell. She ran away one night. did not advertise her—I never saw her from the time she ran away in Oct until a day or two ago—we had every reason to believe she was out of the District
Further witnesses required
Harriet F. Belt
August 16
 
Aug 16.
H. [Lasielle?]. Have known woman since 3 May last never saw her before she was in District & this city—have seen her frequently since lived at my house. Never knew she was a slave until a few days since— do not know where she was on 16 Apl—
Patrick Selvey (Col​)
have known Harriet Belt 2 or 3 years—she was claimed by gentleman under Willards book store (Mr Bayly) I knowed her all last April In April she was at my aunts washing for Mr Evans—soldier— last April and before—I saw her most every night during winter when I went out to my aunts—left her master last fall. she was not out of city all that time my aunt is named Anna Gilbert—living on 8th bet​ O & P st Harriet washed for soldiers and came home every night—saw her then [illegible] and until she came to where she is allway​ knew she was a slave
 
Buffalo Mills P. 6.
Bedford Co. Pa Sept. 17 "62
My [Dr.​?] Sir,

I am medicating here for the benefit of my health & am somewhat improved but very feeble & sick yet—I am sorry to trouble you with my affairs at this time, for I know you are in trouble & I sincerely condole with you in your loss, but I cannot avoid it as I learn that by the 20th the Emancipation act & payt.​ for Negroes will then be closed—I will be brief in the statement of my case—on the 1st of Oct. 1860 I bought of J. Riordan opposite Riggs & Co​ on 15th St. a fine young mulatto woman & pd.​ him 1,000$ cash for her—I found her to be one of the best servants I ever had in my house, she was faithful, honest, and did her work to our greatest satisfaction & my wife during all the time she was with us did not have one unpleasant word ever with her—she was a Catholic & attended her church regularly also—and it was only when the soldiers were encamped   opposite my house on Franklin Square that I began to doubt her, she got in the family way and on 29th Sept just one yr.​ from the time I bought her she ran off & carried Every thing belonging to her. I thought at the time she went Either to New York or Ohio—I spoke to all the best officers & offered 100$ reward for her but heard nothing of her until she came to my son the other day in Washington and demanded her certificate—I could not apply to the [commissioners?] for I could not swear that she was in Washington at the time the act was passed, [illegible] do I believe it now, so you see I was [illegible] out of all [renumeration?]—I have left the matter in the hands of my son for being absent & so [unwell?] I am entirely unfitted to attend to it myself—I thought I might trouble you by laying a plain statement of the case before you with the request that you would do all in your power to   protect my interests in the matter, and get such [illegible]tion as would suffice for the loss I have met with.

Regretting that [torn away] [compelled?] to tr[torn away] I am

very truly yours,

Wm. F. Bayly
Transcription and encoding: Kenneth J. Winkle, Janel Cayer, and Kevin McMullen.