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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
an infant within the age of twenty one years
to
next friend
presents. That she is a person of colour, and
the daughter of parents who were at the time
of her birth and still are, free- That your
petitioner is unlawfully restrained of her
freedom by a certain
city of
ry
profession a clergyman of the
sion or belief: your petitioner shows to your honour
that she is detained by the said
and restrained of her liberty by virtue of a
claim proferred by said
vices of your petitioner as his slave. Your peti
tioner avers that she is of right entitled to her
freedom- that she was born of free parents &
that by no act of her own nor by the proceedings
of any authoritative
ever been forfeited. but that she is forcibly abrid-
ged of the same by the said
your petitioner further shows that she is fearful of
being removed from the jurisdiction of this state in con
ticipation of your honour's action thereupon. and
that the said
and
ing her. In consideration whereof may
your honour to grant unto your petitioner
sue for her freedom as a poor person: and futher may
to the Sheriff of St. Louis County commanding him
to
and to summon the said
found. to appear before this court on a day and at
a place to be therein specified, and receive such
order as the court may make in the premises &
abide by the same. And that it may please your
honour to grant unto your petitioner such other
and further relief as to your honour may seem
fit and the nature and equity of the case may re-
quire. And as in
On this
July 1840
and maketh oath and Saith that she is of her
own knowledge acquainted with the facts set forth
stated are just & true.
Ordered by the Court that the above mention
ed petitioner be allowed to sue as a poor per
son to
for said petitioner within behalf - and that
the petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend
her counsel and the court on occasion may
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.
moved out of the jurisdiction of the court and
that she be not subject to any
count of her application for freedom
next friend
vs
Berry Mitchell
petition for free-
dom
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
Berry Mrachum
Warrant & 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.
of our
, by the Petition of
of twenty one years, to wit; the age of fifteen years, who appears
by her next friend
restrained of her freedom by a certain
you are therefore hereby commanded to seize the said
and bring her before our said court forthwith, and also that
you summon the said
in your county, that he be and appear before our said court now
sitting in the city of
to answer unto the petition of said
who sues by his next friend
set forth in the
-nexed - and have you then there this
return thereon. Now you shall execute the
same.
Ordered by the court that the
above mentioned petitioner be allowed to sue as
a poor person to establish to her freedom, and that Tho-
mas J. Gantt and George F. Strother be assigned as coun-
sel for said petitioner in this behalf- and that the pe-
titioner have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel
and the court, as occasion may require; and that said
petitioner be not
diction of the court and that she be not
Executed this writ in the
named
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.
We, reposing special trust and confidence in your integrity and circumspection, do authorize
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
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.
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.
Deposition of witness taken in a case pending in the
is plaintiff and John
in pursuance of notice hereto attached and at the
time and place therein mentioned: Neither of
the parties being present
age being first duly sworn by me as hereafter
certified. Deposes and says that some time in the
year
Ky brought to the house of deponant then in
Georgetown
named
he had come to assist
freedom in the
Pleas then in session- a few hours after
was previously acquainted with the Mitchels and
learned of them that
some time in
years the precise time not Recollected and had
kept
grounds that
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 present
at the trial but after it was over the Mitchels
all stated and agreed that
establishing her Right to freedom. deponant also
heared the same from Some of the officers of the court
and other persons at the trial- it was then agreed
by the parties that
Return with
with him as Members of his family, and with that
appeared 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
complexion but does not distinctly Remember
deponant heared that
moved to the
children with him. but has no personal knowledge
of the parts, and further this deponant said not
I
the township of Tate in the
do hereby certify that the above named
was by me first duly sworn to testify the whole truth
and nothing but the truth and that the foregoing
deposition by him subscribed were Reduced to writing
by me and were taken at the time and place
specified in the inclosed notice
In
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.
I. pl,
of Common pleas in
and State aforesaid do hereby certify that
the foregoing deposition of
appears to have
was at the time of taking and certifying said deposition
and now is an acting justice of the
said
and full
to all his official acts as
as
written is
hereunto
Court of Common pleas at
this
Depositions of
Opened
vs