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The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
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.
The petition of Archibald
St. Louis County and
within the age of twenty one years to wit the age of
sixteen years, and who appears by his next friend
your petitioner is a person of colour, and the
son of parents who were at the time of his birth
and still are, free. That your petitioner is un
lawfully restrained of his freedom and held
in confinement by a certain
who claims your petitioner as his slave. Your
petitioner shows to your honour that the said
great inhumanity harshness and severity:
and that, your petitioner fears that the
said
unlawfully beyond the limits of the
doing) in consequence of this application
to your honour. Your petitioner avers that,
he is now free: that he was born free: and
that by no act of his own, nor by any pro-
ceedings of any anthoritative tribunal has
his right to his freedom been forfeited: but
that he is forcibly abridged of the same
by the said
In consideration whereof may it please your
honour to grant unto your petitioner permission
to sue for his freedom as a poor person: and further
may it please your honour to grant a warrant dire
cected to the Sheriff of St Louis County, commanding
him to seize
court, and to summon the said
person in whose hands the said petitioner may
be found. to appear before this court on a
receive such order as the court may make in the
premises: and give security to abide by the same
And that it may please your honour to
grant unto your petitioner such other & fur-
ther relief as to your honour may seem fit and
the nature of the case may require and as in
duty &c.
On this
eighteen hundred and forty
court Leah Charleville
-
and being duly sworn deposeth and
that the facts set forth in the above petition
are within her knowledge and that they
are true as therein stated -
Ordered by the court that the above mention
ed petitioner be allowed to sue as a poor person
to establish his freedom and that Thos. T. Gantt
and George F. Strother. be assigned as counsel for
said petitioner in this behalf. and that the
petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend his counsel and the court as occasion may re
quire, and that said petitioner be not re-
moved out of the jurisdiction of this court and
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.
that he be not
severity on account of this application
for freedom
by
next friend
vs
Berry Mitchell
Petition for freedom
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.
friend,
vs warrant & summons
Pet: for Freedom
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.
now in session by the petition of
an infant within the age of twenty one years, to
the age of
restrained of his freedom by a
to seize the said
wherever her may be found and bring him before
our said Court forthwith, and also that you
the said
county, that he be and appear before our said Court
now sitting in the city of
and there to answer unto the petition of said
hereto annexed- and have you then there this writ
with your return thereon now you shall execute
the same.
Ordered by the court that the above
mentioned petitioner be allowed to sue as a poor per-
son to establish his freedom. and that Thos. T. Gantt and
George F. Strother be assigned as counsel for said
Petitioner in this behalf: and that the petitioner
have reasonable liberty to attend his counsel and
the court as occasion may
titioner be not removed out of the jurisdiction of this
Court and that he be not
count of this application for freedom.
Executed this writ in the
and have now the body of
my county
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.
Know all were by there presents that we
John
the
hundred fifty dollars for the payment whereof
we
our seals and dated this
hundred forty.
The condition of this recognizance is such
that whereas
in the
order for
dom; now if the said
during the
liberty of attending his counsel and the Court
and shall not be removed out of the jurisdiction
of said Court, and shall not be subjected
to any severity on account of his application
for freedom; then this obligation shall be
Filed
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.
And the said plaintiff as to the first
plea of said defendant and whereof he
hath put himself upon the county
doth the like -
and as to the
defendant the said plaintiff says that
he by any thing therein contained
ought not to be barred from having
and maintaining his said action
thereof against him
that at the time of the committing
of the said trespasses in the said declaration
mentioned, plaintiff was
and still is a free person and not
the slave of the defendant as in the
said plea is alleged and this the
of by the County.
next friend)
vs
Replication to pleas
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.
Take notice that on the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
depositions will be taken by the undersigned, to be read on the trial of the above entitled case, on
behalf of the
on that day, will be continued from day to day at the same place and between the same hours,
until completed.
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.
We, reposing special trust and confidence in your integrity and circumspection, do au-
thorize and require you, that you cause to come before you, such person or persons as
shall be named to you by
Attorney or Agent, and him or them examine upon his, her or their corporal oath, (to be
by you administered,) touching their knowledge of any thing that may relate to a certain
matter of controversy, now pending in our
wherein
plaintiff and
defendant on the part of the
so reduced the said depositions so taken by you as aforesaid in writing, you are required
to send the same, together with this commission, enclosed under your seal, to our said
Deposi
vs
Dedimus for plff.
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.
Deposition of witness taken in a Case
in the
Barnes is plaintiff and John
is defendent in pursuance of notice hereto attached
and at the time and place
Neither of the parties being present.
me as hereafter certified. Deposes and says that
some time in the year
Grant of Maysville Ky brought to the house of depona-
nt then in Georgetown
woman named
he had come to assist
-dom in the
then in session. a few hours after
the former owner & then claimant of Leah & John
Mitchel the Brother of
of deponant. deponant was previously acquainted
with the Mitchels and learned of them that
presise time not Recollected. and had kept
-unds that
parties staid at the house of deponant most of
the time until the trial come on which was from
four to six days- deponant thinks he was not pres
-sent at the trial but after it was over the
Mitchels
to his house and all stated and agreed that
to freedom. deponant also heared the same
from some of the officers of the court and others present
at the trial- it was then agreed by the parties that
all left the house of deponant-
to be from twenty to twenty five years of age- She
had a Mulatto male child with her from two to
three years old and was said to be in an advanced
state of pregnancy- deponant thinks that
was of light complexion but does not distinvtly
Remember- deponant heared that
afterwords moved to the state of
and her children with him- but has no personal
knowledged of the fact and further this deponant
saith not
I
the township of Tate in the
do hereby certify that the above named
were by me first duly sworn to testify the whole
truth and nothing but the truth, and that the foregoing
deposition by him subscribed wore Reduced to
writing by me and were taken at the time and place
Specified in the inclosed notice —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
this
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.
S. S. I.
of Common pleas in
and State aforesaid do hereby Certify that
the foregoing deposition of
appears to have been sworn to & Subscribed
was at the time of taking and certifying said deposition and
now is an acting justice of the peace in
and full faith and credit are due and ought to be
given to all his official acts as such in all Courts of
record as well as elsewhere
thereto
have
said Court of Common pleas at
County this
Deposition of
Opened & filed
vs