Petition #21184807
- St. Louis County, Missouri. February 15, 1848. - circa February 15, 1848.
- Court: Circuit
- Salutation: To The Honorable Alexander Hamilton, Judge of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County
Abstract
Jane Cotton seeks permission to sue for the recovery of her freedom, citing that James A. Little currently holds her in bondage. Cotton represents that she was born free in the Territory of Illinois and that she was "brought forcibly" into Missouri where slavery was permitted by law, two years after Illinois was admitted to the Union as a free state. The petitioner explains that she "was in infancy and without knowledge of her rights" and had no one to protect her. Cotton further charges that she has been held wrongfully as a slave ever since and has been "carried to Alabama thence to Arkansas" and brought back to Missouri.
Result: Petition granted; plea of trespass filed, dismissed.
- Number of petition pages: 3
- Related documents: Copy of Order, ca. 15 February 1848; Sheriff's Return, 17 February 1848; List of Witnesses, n.d.; Plea of Trespass, Jane Cotton vs. James Little, ca. February 1848; Subpoena, James Little, 15 February 1848; Motion, Jane Cotton, 18 February 1848; Motion to Punish for Contempt, Jane Cotton, 19 February 1848; Demurrer and Motion for Security, James Little, 17 April 1848; Subpoena, Richard Dowling, Samuel Willi, 20 April 1848; Rejoinder, Jane Cotton, 29 April 1848; Subpoena, Samuel Willi, Richard Dowling, 28 April 1848; Subpoena, Alphonso Witmore, Lewis Martin, William Kirk, et al., 29 April 1848; Plea, James Little, 1 May 1849; Amended Declaration, Jane Cotton, 20 November 1848; Motion, n.d.; Amended Declaration, 20 November 1848; Plea, James Little, 21 November 1848; Plea, James Little, 1 May 1849
- Pages of related documents: 25
2 people are documented within petition 21184807
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Citation information
Repository: Civil Courts Building, St. Louis, Missouri
- Records of the Circuit Court
Subjects
