Petition of Ann Mathieson to the 35th Congress, 1858

MATHIESON

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall
Date: 10/29/2007 at 07:21:05

Petition of Ann Mathieson, 1858
35th congress, 1st Session
Document No. 148

April 1, 1858 - Ordered to be printed

In the Senate of the United States
Mr. Iverson (Democratic Senator from Georgia) submitted the following

REPORT

The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Ann Mathieson:

This claim is based upon the following state of facts, as alleged by the petitioner, whose statement is corroborated by the evidence.

Robert Mathieson, the husband of the petitioner, in the fall of 1856, went from Delaware county, Iowa to Spirit Lake, in Dickinson county, for the purpose of entering upon and securing a "claim" to a half section of public land, with the purpose of making it the future home of his family. He selected his "claim" and commenced his improvements upon it, and continued them until he was interrupted by the snow.

He passed the winter at a neighboring settlement until the 12th of March, when he and the settlers with whom he resided were all massacred by a party of hostile Indians, and their property destroyed or carried off. It is in evidence that the property of Mr. Mathieson was valued at about nine hundred dollars. The settlers at Spirit Lake are protecting the "claim" of Mr. Mathieson "at Ocaboga lake" for the benefit of his widow and children.

Mrs. Mathieson asks that the "claim" may be granted to her children, and that the value of the property destroyed may be paid "to her and them."

So far as the claim for remuneration for property destroyed is concerned, the committee are not aware of any principle heretofore recognized by Congress which would justify its allowance form the public treasury; they, therefore, recommend that it be rejected.

The committee ask to be discharged from the further consideration of so much of the petition as relates to the grant of land, and that it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
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~Private Relief Action, Document No: S.rp. 148
Serial Volume 1, Congress Session 35-1, Session Volume 1; Serial Set ID: 938 S.rp.148