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To Genl. Howard Supt. of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedman, & Abandoned lands. 
Your petitioner Edward M. Hallett of the County of Northampton in the State of Virginia respectfully represents that he is the owner of a lot with the buildings and improvements thereon, situated in the town of Capeville in the County and State aforesaid, which he purchased from one Smith P. Godwin on the 23d day of Sept. 1865, which will appear by the certificate of the Clerk of the Courts of the County of Northampton herewith filed, that previous to the said sale to your petitioner, the said Smith P. Godwin had removed from the said town of Capevile and County aforesaid, at least Five years before the breaking out of the war in 1861, and was living in the County of Norfolk Virginia near Portsmouth, that in the absence of the said Godwin the said Lot & buildings were taken possession of by the U.S. authorities and is now held by them as abandoned property. 
Your petitioner further represents that the said Godwin is an aged and infirm old man some Sixty Five years old, and much afflicted with the rheumatism, and never was in any way concerned in the late rebellion; your petitioner at the time of the sale to him, was perfectly ignorant that the said Lot had been taken possession of by the U.S. authorities,