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To: Col Samuel Thomas
Commissioner of Freedmen
State of Mississippi

Your petioner Bryan Askew would respectfully state that he is the owner of a Store House on Washington Street in the City of Vicksburg now occupied by Adams Express Co and prays restitution of possession thereof, for the following reasons:

He was merchant in the City of Vicksburg previous to the War, and contracted debts to certain persons North, which debts your petioner feels should be liquidated by him being of a peculiar character and contracted under peculiar circumstances.

Your petioner prays restitution of possession of the aforesaid property in order that he may resume his business. His family are destitute and he is now depending upon the [[charity?]] of his friends for a support.

Your petioner would further state that the property mentioned was never voluntarily abandoned by him. He remained in Vicksburg as long as his own safety and that of his family would permit. Your petioner would further show that has never been in any 

Transcription Notes:
I could not reliably determine the letters following the word that starts "pet"