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To Col Samuel Thomas Asst Commissioner of Bureau of Freedmen & abandoned Land for the State of Mississippi

The petition of Mary McConnell of the City of Natchez, County of Adams in the State of Mississippi shows that she is the owner of two certain Houses and lots situated on the corner of Main & Locust Streets in said City of Natchez adjoining each other and for many years known as the McConnell property and that said two Houses & Lots were on the 20th day of November 1863 or thereabouts seized and taken possession of by the United States Authorities occupying said City or Natchez as abandoned property as your petitioner was informed, and said property has ever since that time so been held and the rents thereof collected by the Agents of the United States. This petitioner further shows that her mother Julia McConnell was the widow of James McConnell who died in Natchez in the year 1819 seized and possessed of said above described properly and the said Julia McConnell held and owned from the death of her said husband a Dower interest in said property, amounting to one third thereof during her natural life and said Julia McConnell managed and controled the whole of said property and used the rents thereof for the use of her family including your petitioner ever since the death of her said Husband and for more than twenty years the rents thereof has been the principal means of support of said Julia McConnell and your petitioner.

This petitioner further shows that a short time before the ocupation of the City of Natchez