Mary Robinson, alias Robertson, a woman of colour v. Ringrose D. Watson This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

There are no known copyright restrictions on this item. You are free to use this item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Washington University Libraries does not assert copyright in reproduction scans of public domain materials made openly available on its websites. For more information on policies and procedures governing the use of materials, contact digital@wumail.wustl.edu.

 November 30, 1844 April Term 1855

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Mary Robinson, alias Robertson, a woman of colour v. Ringrose D. Watson November 30, 1844 April Term 1855 Robinson, Mary (also Robertson) Watson, Ringrose D. Carson, Amos L. Trespass False Imprisonment Assault Battery 11 St. Louis Circuit Court Krum, John Hurdy, James Ruland, John Milburn, William Osburn, N. C. Todd, Sarah Douglass Green, John DuBreuil, Louis Watson, George F. Smith Langton Crockett MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line 25 MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line (lower) 33 MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line 79 MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line 114 MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line 133 MM deciphered vendor's unclear tags through line 167 KT added legal encoding through line 198 KT finished adding legal encoding KT removed comment tags, added caseTitle, and moved legalFunction tags CM performed final review of legal encoding Petition for Permission to Sue as a Free Person

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Petition for Permission to Sue as a Free Person Smith Langton Hurdy, James Krum, John St. Louis Circuit Court State of Missouri St Louis County

Mary Robinson maketh oath and says the foregoing petition is true- as Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of December 1844

Mary her X mark Robinson State of Missouri St Louis County ss In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

This petition of Mary Robinson Humbly showeth that she your petitioner that she is a woman of Colour and entitled to her Freedom from the following facts- Viz. That in the Winter of Eighteen hundred and forty one She your petitioner was taken from the city of St Louis in said County to the City of Alton in the state of Illnois by her then Master and owner and kept in slavery contrary to her your petitioners will but by the will of her said owner Viz Amos L. Carson- in the state of Illinois in the said City of Alton for the space of time at least six months contrary to law. After which period of time the six months last aforesaid she your petitioner was sent by the said Carson to the City of Saint Louis and was kept in slavery by one Ringrose D Watson for a long space of time after which time a suit for her freedom was commenced in this Court and was terminated by a nonsuit in consequence of the said Ringrose D. Watson Declaiming any ownership over your petitioner but last night the said Watson in company with a person calling himself an officer called at the residence of your petitioner and demanded her your petitioner and and took her to the Jail of said county where she is now as a slave and your petitioner has good reason to believe and does believe she will be taken Beyond the jurisdiction of this Court and kept in slavery the said & Carson are restrained by this Court from with her she therefore prays to be permitted to sue as a free person - and that place under the protection of this Court and as in duly because she will ever pray

Mary Robinson x her mark St Louis County

Mary Robinson the above named petitioner marketh and saith that the above petition is true in every particular Sworn and subscribed to before me this - 30th Nov 1844 James Hurdy a justice of the St Louis Courts

In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845 Mary Robinson vs R D Watson & Carson

trespass & false impr

Smith & Langton for plaintiff In the St Louis Circuit Court St Louis County State of Missouri

This ordered by Judge of said Court that the petition be allowed to to establish her right to freedom and it is further ordered that Smith and Langton Esquire be and they are hereby assigned as her counsel and it is further ordered that she the said petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend her said counsel and the Court as may require that she be not removed from the jurisdiction of said Court and that she be not subject to any severity on account of her application for Freedom Dec. 2 1844

John M Krum Judge 8. Judge Cir Mo Plaintiff's Complaint

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Plaintiff's Complaint Smith Langton St. Louis Circuit Court State of Missouri ss St Louis County In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

Mary Robinson a woman of colour by her attorneys Smith & Langton Complains of Ringrose D. Watson and Amos L. Carson of a plea of Trespass for false imprisonment For that heretofore to wit on the twenty fourth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and forty one at the County aforesaid The said defendants with force and arms an assault made on the said plaintiff and then and there beat bruised and ill- treated her the said plaintiff and then and there unlawfully imprisoned her the said plaintiff and there hath kept and retained her in prison from the day last aforesaid for the span of twelve hours thereafter Contrary to the form of the statues in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the state And the said plaintiff avers that before and at the time of the committing the said several grievances she the said plaintiff was and still is a free person and that the Defendants hold and still holds the said plaintiff in slavery Therefore the said plaintiff says she is injured and has sustained damages to the amount of five hundred dollars and therefore she sues &c

Smith & Langton for plaintiff Mary Robinson vs Ringrose D. Watson & Amos L . Carson

Trespass & false imprisonment . Dam $ 500. 00 Smith & Langton p.q.

Petn filed & order read

Dec 2nd 1844. Summons of Ringrose D. Watson and Amos L. Carson

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Summons of Ringrose D. Watson and Amos L. Carson Ruland, John Milburn, William Osburn, N. C. St. Louis Circuit Court County of St. Louis , ss. The State of Missouri , To the Sheriff of St. Louis County--Greeting:

We command you to Summon Ringrose D Watson and Amos L Carson if they be found in your County that they be and appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the first day of the next term thereof, to be held at the City of St. Louis , within and for the county of St. Louis , on the third Mou- day of April next, then and there to answer unto Mary Robinson of a plea of trepass and false imprisonment to the damage of said plaintiff five hundred dollars: And have you then there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the city of St. Louis , this Second day of December in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty four. John Ruland Clerk.

I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.

Witness my hand and seal, at St. Louis , this day of 184

petition filed order made 15p 354. plea by deft Watson filed 16p165 add plea filed by leave of court 16p 282 Dismissed March 20 1846 36 12 pq of

No 11 St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845 Mary Robinson vs summons Ringrose D Watson & Amos L. Carson

Trespass & false imprisonment Damages $500 Smith Langton atty

Filed December 2nd 1844 John Ruland clk

It is ordered that the petitioner be allowed to sue as a poor person to establish her right to freedom and it is further ordered that Smith Langton Esquire be and they are hereby assigned as her Counsel and it is further ordered that she the said petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend her said Counsel and the Court as occasion may require that she be not removed from the jurisdiction of said Court and that she be not subject to any severity on account of her application for freedom free (155)

Executed this writ in the County of St Louis on the 3rd day December 1844 by offering to read it, the petition and the declaration to Ringrose D Watson one of the defendants which he refused to hear Also by reading to the said Ringrose D Watson the order of the Judge endorsed upon this writ - Amos L Carson , the other defendant not found in my County

William Milburn Shff By N. C Osburn Depty Fees $2.50 Defendant Ringrose D. Watson's Plea

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Defendant Ringrose D. Watson's Plea Crockett St. Louis Circuit Court No. 11 Mary Robertson vs R. D. Watson with Carson In the St. Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

And the defendant Watson by his attorneys, comes and defends, the force and injury when &c and for plea says that he is not guilty The said supposed trespass herein laid to his charge by the plaintiff and further says that it is not true as stated by plaintiff, that she is now or ever has been a free person and of this he puts himself upon the County

Crockett & for Defn No 11 In St. Louis Circuit Court Mary Robertson vs R. D. Watson impleaded &c with Carson - .

Not guilty for W.

filed 28 April 1845 Jno Ruland Clerk </titleStmt> <publicationStmt> <p>This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.</p> </publicationStmt> <sourceDesc> <p>The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.</p> </sourceDesc> </fileDesc> <profileDesc/> </teiHeader> <text> <body rend="handwritten"> <div1 legalFunction="Caption" rend="vertical"> <pb facs="6807_009.tif" n="009"/> <opener> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied>No</supplied> </unclear> <abbr>11</abbr> <lb/> <dateline> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied>In <placeName> <choice> <orig>St. Louis Circuit Court</orig> </choice> </placeName> </supplied> </unclear> </dateline> </opener> <head rend="bracketed"> <persName> <choice> <orig>Mary</orig> </choice> </persName> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied> <sic> <persName> <choice> <orig>Robertson</orig> </choice> </persName> </sic> of Color</supplied> </unclear> <lb/> <abbr> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied>vs</supplied> </unclear> </abbr> <lb/> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied> <persName> <choice> <orig>Ringrose D Watson</orig> </choice> </persName> <lb/> impleaded with <persName> <choice> <orig>Carson</orig> </choice> </persName> </supplied> </unclear> </head> <p>Additional <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied>plea</supplied> </unclear> </p> <closer> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied>Filed June 7th 1845</supplied> </unclear> <dateline/> <lb/> <signed> <unclear rend="written" unit="chars"> <supplied> <persName> <choice> <orig>John Ruland</orig> </choice> </persName> Clerk</supplied> </unclear> </signed> </closer> </div1> <div1> <pb facs="6807_010.tif" n="010"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI> <TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" > <teiHeader> <fileDesc> <titleStmt> <title>Defendant Ringrose D. Watson's Additional Plea

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Defendant Ringrose D. Watson's Additional Plea Crockett St. Louis Circuit Court Mary Robertson vs Ringrose D Watson impleaded with Carson In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

And for this & further plea in this behalf by leave of Court the said defendant Watson defending the force and injury when &c &c, and says acts because he says that at the November Term 1841 of the Circuit Court of St Louis County aforesaid the said plaintiff Mary Robertson impleaded the said defendant Watson in and by her certain action and plea of Trespass and false imprisonment for the establishment of her freedom and for and on account of the very same trespasses & grievances , matters and things now here alledged by plff against him the said defendant Watson : .

And at said Term of said to Court the said defendant Watson pleaded that he was not guilty of of the supposed Trepass then by said plff in said suit charged against defendant Watson - also 2d ly that at the institution of her said suit , “the plaintiff was and still is a slave ”- and 3d ly that at the time of the institution of her said suit , “the plff has and still is a slave , the property of Amos L Carson ” &

And afterward to wit at the same Term aforesaid of said Circuit Court issues were taken and upon said pleas . And at the Term of said Court held November 1844 to wit on 27th day of November 1844 , the said Cause came on for trial ( and the pleas and casues aforesaid) and was then and there tried by a jury of the Country, who then and there found each and all of said issues and causes thereon for him the said defendant Watson - Whereupon, in the day and term last mentioned, and in conformity with said verdict

-, in the day and term last and in with said it was considered by said St Louis Circuit Court that said plaintiff should take witness &c when said suit but that defendant shewed so thereof without dely &

As In the Record and proceedings thereof as they remain in the said Court more fully appears: which said verdict and judgt remain in full force & virture not in any wise set aside , reversed, or vacuted or annulled

And these defendant Watson is to verify by by said Record:

Wherefore he prays judgt of the said plff ought have or maintain her aforesaid action thereof against him the said defendant

Crockett & Attys for Deft Watson Subpoena for Sarah Douglass Todd, John Green, and Louis DuBreuil

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Subpoena for Sarah Douglass Todd, John Green, and Louis DuBreuil Ruland, John Milburn, William St. Louis Circuit Court County Of St. Louis , Ss. The State Of Missouri , To Sarah Douglass Todd John Green Louis . DuBreuil Greeting:

You are hereby commanded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the Eighteenth day of February 1846 at the City of St. Louis , then and there to testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court, wherein Mary Robinson is plaintiff and Watson & of is defendant- on the part of and herein you are in no wise to fail.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the City of St . Louis , this 16th day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. John Ruland Clerk, C. C. Circuit Court Mary Robinson vs Watson &

suit for Freedom

X Sarah Douglass Todd = Green X Louis DuBreuil 18th July 1846 X R P. Todd Smith Executed Wm Milburn Sheriff fee 1.00 & Subpoena of George F. Watson

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Subpoena of George F. Watson Ruland, John Milburn, William St. Louis Circuit Court County Of St. Louis , Ss. The State Of Missouri , To George F. Watson Greeting:

You are hereby commanded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the 20th day of February 1846 at the City of St. Louis , then and there to testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court, wherein Mary Robinson is plaintiff and R D Watson & Carson are defendants on the part of Defdts and herein you are in no wise to fail.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the City of St . Louis , this 19 day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six. John Ruland Clerk, C. C. Mary Robinson vs R. D Watson

subp for

X George F. Watson at Walch's Union Mill for 20th

Executed Wm Milburn Shrff fee 50 ct Attachment of Sarah Douglass Todd and Louis DuBreuil

This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.

The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.

 Attachment of Sarah Douglass Todd and Louis DuBreuil Ruland, John St. Louis Circuit Court County Of St. Louis , Sct. State of Missouri , To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting:

We command you to attach Sarah Douglass Todd & Louis DuBreuil by their bodies and them safely keep, so that you have their bodis before the Judge of our Circuit Court , now in session at the City of St. Louis , within and for the County of St. Louis , on the forthwith 184 then and there to testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy, now pending in our said Circuit Court , between Mary Robinson is plaintiff, and Carson & Watson are defendants, wherein the said Todd & DuBreuil have heretofore been summoned on the part of the said plaintiff

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit Court , at the City of St. Louis , this 2nd day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six John Ruland Clerk, C. C. Circuit Court Mary Robinson vs Carson & Watson

attachment for Sarah Douglass Todd X & Louis DuBreuil for plff

Executed and had L. Dubreuil in assin Court Wm Milburn Shrff fee $1.50. Mrs Todd sick in in