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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.
To the Hon.
respectfully represents to your honorable Court that he is a
free man of color, and that he is now claimed and held as a
slave by one
your petitioner confined in the trading yard of B. W. Lynch of
this City, and he is not allowed to see his friends or counsel.
Your petitioner further states the following to be the grounds on
which his claim to freedom is founded:
To wit - that he was born of free colored parents in Fayette County
in the
from his birth to the present time, never having owed service, nor
belonged to any person whatever.
Your petitioner further states that, he has resided a free man
of color in the
Your petitioner further states that by reason of his said free
birth by his free parents, he feels that he is entitled to his
freedom, and prays the Court to permit him to sue, as a
poor person, for his freedom, and, until such suits shall be
decided, to allow him free
Court, and to prevent him from being removed beyond the jurisdic
tion of this Court.
It is hereby ordered that the said
a man of colour be allowed to sue for the free
dom of himself as a poor person and that he have reasonable
liberty to attend his counsel and the Court as
occasion may require, and that he be not re
moved out of the Jurisdiction of this Court, and
that he be not subject to any severity on account
of his application or suit for freedom.
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.
Plff in the above entitled cause
states that he is a free man of color
and as such entitled in law and
equity to his freedom. That he was born
in the county of Fayette in the
state of
parents on or about the
of January in the year of
our Lord Eighteen hundred and twenty six
which said State of
on the day and year aforesaid a
free State in which the institution
of slavery did not exist by the laws
of said state or by the laws of the
Federal Government of the
of Plff's birth his parents were free
colored citizens of the state of
said birth and nativity in the state of
Nevertheless the Plff states that on or
about the
he came to the
was on the
and fifty two
close confinement by
defendant, who claims the Plff as his
him confined in the trading yard of
B W Lynch a negro trader in the
city of
states that before and at the time of
the committing of the grievances by the
deft he was and still is a free person
and that the deft held and still holds
him in slavery - he therefore prays
the Court to grant him Judgement of
Liberation and declare him to be a
free man.
states that the foregoing petition and
the matters therein stated are true.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
this
Suit for freedom
Issue Summons
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 command you to summon
to appear
before the Judge of our
term thereof, to be held in the
next, then and there to answer the complaint of
as set forth in the annexed petition
and have you then there this writ.
I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.
Witness my hand and seal, at
185
Summons
Pet for Freedom
the said
lor be allowed to sue for his freedom
of himself as a poor person and that he have reasonable
liberty to attend his Counsel and the
Court as occasion may require, and
that he be not removed out of the
Jurisdiction of this Court, and that he
be not subjected to any severity on
account of his application or suit
for freedom.
Executed the within writ in the
by delivering a copy of the same and also a
copy of the petition to the within named
Moore.
Further executed this writ by reading to
with this writ, in the
on the
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.
Suit for Freedom
that upon reading the order to the defendant
in above case by his Deputy (J H Gamble) the
said defendant stated to him that he
would not obey the order and that
he should take the plaintiff out of the jurisdiction of this Court
, and therefore the said
plaintiff into custody and still holds him
and the said
asks of the Court to make an order to
him said plaintiff out according to law.
Joseph H Gamble Deputy Sheriff
makes oath & says that the above
statement is true.
Return & Petition of
Sheriff
and petition of Shff filed 22 p 92
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 men by these presents
that I,
my legal Attorney W. Boudes
Attorney, for me and in my
name to do all lawful
acts and things in my case
now pending in St. Louis County
for my freedom - to prosecute
or dismiss the same for the
present as he may deem
advisable, and to attend
to all my interests as I
might or could do if I
were at liberty and
personally present.
And I hereby notify and
confirm all that my said
Attorney may or shall do
in my name in and
about the premises.
Filed