O Say Can You See

The Petition of Charles Beall a negro, humbly sheweth unto you Honours, that your petitioner was heretofore to wit in the month of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and forty one and for a long time before, was held and detained in servitude as the property of the said of o a certain Elizabeth Kinner of Alexandria in the State of Virginia, but then in a part of the District aforesaid; that in or about the said month of May in the year aforesaid the said Elizabeth Kinner brought your petitioner to the City of Washington in the District of aforesaid and hired your petitioner to Colonel James Kearney; that your petitioner remained in the said City in service [strikethrough] as a hired slave until in sometime in or about the month of M April in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fifty one when the said Elizabeth Kinner took and carryed your petitioner from the said City of Washington to the County of           in the said State of Virginia where your petitioner was detained and kept by the said Elizabeth for about two months that afterwards to wit in the month of June in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty one aforesaid your petitioner was brought back introduced and   imported from the said State of Virginia into the said City of Washington in the District aforesaid by the procurement and authority of the said Elizabeth Kinner. And that your petitioner after his said importation b was by the said Elz Elizabeth hired out as a slave to one Charles Conrad who was then permanently located and housekeeping in the said City of Washington; and that your petitioner has remained in the said City ever since the time of his said last mentioned importation; to the time of the filing of this petition.

Your petitioner further sheweth that since the happenings of the matters and things hereintofore stated that the said Elz Elizabeth Kinner hath departed this life leaving as her heirs at law[?] and distributees William Kinner Eliza Kinner, Adeline Kinner, John Kinner and George Kinner & Lucy Kinner and Mariah Plunkett intermarried with one John Plunkett, that all and singular the said heirs and distributees live out of the said district of your Honorable Court and in the State of Virginia and except the said John & the said Maria Plunkett who also live out of the jurisdiction of your Honorable Court, in the State of North Carolina.

Your Petitioner is [strikethrough] not informed that   any distribution or division either judicial or conventional has been [illegible] between the said heirs at Law and debt distributees but further shews in this behalf that he hath been accustomed[?] to pay his wage unto the said Eliza Kinner who resides in the city of Alexandria in the State of Virginia.

Your petitioner further sheweth that he is claimed as the slave the and property of some or all of the said heirs and distrb distrb distributees and hath been sold by some or all of them to certain person unknown to your petitioner; nothwithstanding they [strikethrough] well known the fact that your petition is by reason of the several matters and things hereinbefore set forth the [illegible] and released from his said servitude.

And your petitioner [illegible] and charges that he is free and [illegible] and ought not to be held in bondage or servitude by the said parties, to and that he is entitled to the judgement of your honours according to the law[?] of the statute[?] in such case merit[?] and provided manumitting and releasing him from the said unlawful servitude and detention;

Wherefore and to the end[?]   that your petitioners right may be recovered to him, may it please your honours the premises considered, to grant unto your petitioner a writ of summons to be directed to the said parties & their agents and abettors when the same shall be found in the said District to be and appear before your honorable Court to suc at such time as to your honors shall deem proper to answer all & [strikethrough] singular the premises aforesaid & that your petitioner may have such other relef relief, or may be [illegible] & proper for his case.

Carlisle Maury
Attys for Petitioner Charles Beall