County of St Louis , Ss.The State Of Missouri ,To John Blossum and Nathaniel Janney
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 morning of the 28th: at
the hour of nine o'clock with at the City of St. Louis ,office of Prinum and Salor Cohen of Peried Main St, then and there to
testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein Mary Ann Speaks is
plaintiff and John M . Jameson and James Luis
defendant on the part of plaintiff
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 27th day of Seb
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-four
John M Ruland Clerk C.C.

Executed this writ in the county of St Louis
on the 28th day of September 1844 by reading
into John Blossom one of the within na=
med witness. N. E. not summo=
-ned by order of R. Taylor att.

Service $0.50 William Milburn Shrff
By eld Derker Depty.

Cir : Court .
April Term 1844

Witness for 28th;
writ: at 9 o'clock in
the morning-

John Blosson on
5th: nead Carr's duty
N.E. -

at office of Purvis
& Talor..

To the Honorable John M . Krum , Judge of
the St Louis Cicuit Court , within and for
the County of Saint Louis .

The undersigned petitioner, respectfully
represents to your Honor, that she is now held
in close confinement in the common Prison of
the County aforesaid and claimed as the prop=
erty of one James Louis Jeubery , administrator
of the estate of Susan Blunt , deed, and held
in by the said as ad-
ministrator aforesaid_ that she is entitled to
her freedom and is of right sue under the cause
of the Land and petitioner your Honor
for permission to sue for her freedom as a poor
person, under the statute in such case made and provided.

And the undersigned here states to your
honor the facts and circumstances on which
she so claims her right to freedom, which if
she is permitted to prove; sufficient evidence
can he forthcoming when and where your honor shall direct to such the same_ that
your petitioner is about twenty-four years of
age, born in the City and County of Alex =
andria in the District of Columbia ; that
her mother at the time of her wish, and
for a long period before, was and still
is free; that some eight years since her
mother found her by indenture in miting
in the said County of Alexandria for the
period of ten years, to one Susan Blunt , to
he by her the said Susan instructed in
the ash and of a good house wife;
that after she was so bound as aforesaid,
and after the said Susan had enjoyed
the Labour and service of your petitioner for
the period of two years, she the said Susan

That the said Luis Jeusburry since he has
of your petitioner intention to claim her freedom,
has and unnecessary restraint and harrass
toward her, and hascaused her to be kept in
one confinement in the prison as aforesaid;
and that your honor witness
it she will be in danger of losing forever
her freedom; in news of the foregoing, she
now , that your honor will allow her to
sue as a poor person for her freedom; that
she may have counsel appointedby your honor
to conduct her said suit; and that the said
James Luisenburry may be required to Enter
into and , that your petitioner
shall not be removedwithout the jurisdic=
tion of your honorableCourt; or in default
therein the Sheriff of the County aforesaid, shall
be induced to in confinement on
hideherunder the statue in such case
made and provided; and such other
relief as to your honor shall much
and purpose; all of which is respectfully
submitted.

Mary Ann +her mark Speaks

Sworn to & Subscribed before me
this 21st day of October 1844
before me

John Ruland Clerk by by

On reading & the fore-
=going Petition introduced that the said
Petitioner Mary Ann Speaks be allowed
to sue as a poor person in Establishing
her right to freedom- that

& George R Taylor be assigned
as Counsel for said Petitioner & this
further ordered that the said Petitioner
has reasonable liberty be allowed
her Counsel & the Court as occurence
may require that she be not
removed out of the jurisdiction
of the said Court nor subject
to any severity on account of
her application for freedom_

John M . Krum Judge Mi Cir Mo

To the Honorable John
M . Krum ,Judge of the
St . Louis Circuit Court

Petition of Mary Ann
Speaks, for permission
to sue as a poor person
for her freedom.

In the Saint Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844
Saint Louis County, to wit,

Mary Ann Speaks plain-
tiff, with leave of the Court for that purpose, first
had and obtained, by her attorney complained
of James Luisenburry and John Jameson
defendants, of a plea of trespass, for false im=
prisonment. that the said defendants, on
thefifteenth day of October A.D. Eighteen hun-
dred and forty four, at the County of St. Louis ,
with force and assaulted said plain-
tiff, and her then and there took and im=
prisoned, and restrained her of her liberty, and
confined her in common prison for the
County aforesaid, and held her in servitude
now first day of August in the year afore-
said, until the day and year first aforesaid,
and yet detains and imprisons her the said
plaintiff, and still defnies her of her liberty
and freedom as aforesaid, against the law
of the land, and against the will of the
plaintiff, and other injuries the said defen-
dants, then and there at the times aforesaid,
did to the said plaintiff, contrary to the
law of the land, and the peace and
of the said plaintiff, and to the damage
of the plaintiff of one thousand dollars, and
therefore she sues

Primus & Taylor for pltff

Trespass for false im=
prisonment.

Primums & Taylor
for pltff.

County of St. Louis , Ss,The State Of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting:

We command you to James Luisenburry and
John Jameson that they be & 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. Louis , on the third Mon-
day of November next, then and there to answer unto Mary Ann
Speaks of her petition for freedom
to the damage of said plaintiffOne thousand
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 twenty first day of
October 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

plea filed Nov 28th 1844 17 &84.
for Defn March 20 1846 17 &129.

No 213 St. Louis Circuit Court
November term 1844

Trespass & false imprisonment
Damages of $1000.
Filed October 21st 1844

& Taylor p.q
John Clerk

It is ordered that the petitioner
have leave to sue as a poor person
& assign her as her counsel Porimm &
Taylor , and that she have reason
=able liberty to attend her counsel
& the court as occasion may require,
& that she be not subjected to any
severity on a account of her applica-
=tion for freedom
A true copy attesh

John Ruland Clerk(136)

Executed this writ in the county of Saint
Louis this 21 day october 1844 by reading it
and the put petitioner- order of the
judge of that court and declaration to John Jame
son and James Louisbury within
named and also by reading the orders of the Judge
endorsed upon this writ Mathew William

Service $2.00Sheriff

Saint Louis Circuit Court
November term. AD 1844

And the said defendants by their attorney
come and defend the foree and injury whereas
and say that they are not; nor is either of them guilty of the Said
supposed trespasses above said to their charge ar or any or either of them
as any part thereof in manner and form as the said plaintiff hath
complines aganist them, and of this the Said defendants put
themselves upon the country

B C Lacleand for Defendant

St Louis Circuit Court Nov term 1844

Plea-Not Guilty

Filed Nov 23 1844
John Ruland Clerk

County Of St. Louis , Ss.The State Of Missouri ,To Henry Duncan , and
Catherine Duncan , and
Sugar Duncan , Robert Robert Davidson
John Sherry
Greeting:

You are hereby commnaded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on thefifthsixth 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 Ann Speaks
plaintiff and Luiseuberry & Jameson
defendant s on the part of plaintiff
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 first day of february
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundered and
forty -six John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Circuit Court Nov: Term 1845.

Witness for plaintiff
for sixth

Mr.X R. Sherry = on Morgan st =
X William Doug X Carpenter .
X John Kean X
= X Davidson
These two witnesses are
Carpenters or Stine may our
and live on 11th:sh uf lowv Executed Wm Williamson Shff fee $2.00

agreement

filed Feby9. 1846
Jno Ruland Clk

District of
County of Alexander Ss

On this19th day of April 1838 George
White personally appears before me a Justice of the peace for the county
aforesaid and made other that or
about March 1834. Joseph B. Blunt the
husband of Susan Blount . purchased a Colored
Girl by the name of Mary Ann Speaks about Tweleve
year old from one Mary Truly then a
Slave, between to be Serve the Said Blount
sentence the was Twenty eight years of age and
then to be free. out the declaration of Said Term
and on thefirst day of December 1834. Joseph B
Blount Sold the Said Mary Jone James Norris
of for the Term of Three years. whichSaid, three years defines thefirst day
of may 1838at which time the Said
May fifteen years old that she is to
Serve the said Susan Blont agreeable to the Court and then three years from thefirst day
of May 1838until She is Twenty
eight years old and no longer at what time
She is free, Given my hand and
this19 day of April 1838.

Charles Scott The above negro girl is known by the name of
Mary Speaks

I the named Susan Blunt do hereby
certify that the facts as set forth in the written
affidavit of George White are true
and that she both reason to believe that
the bite of sale summons
Yurly to husband B. Blunt
has been or , by which said
Bill of sale to the said Negro
slaves for freedom was deserved to her she
to age of twenty eight years - witness
to my this23rd of april 1838

witness-
James himxmark Blunt

May term 1838

Recorded
K pays
519 &

At an United States Circuit Court of the of
Columbia continued and held for the County of
the8th day of May 1838_This affdavit of George White
& certificate in relation to the freedom of of Negro Mary
Speaks was presented to the Court, & an motion--
Speaks was presented to the Court, & motion--
ordered to freedom.

Frt Edm:Jseue

Circuit Court . Nov: term 1845

This is a suit by the
plaintiff under the statue for freedom, and
the fact in the case agreed to be submitted
in the same are as :=

That the plaintiff was born in the State of Virginia Alexandra ,
in the of Columbia , and was living
in Alexandria there for a number of years before she was
brought to Missouri that plaintiff mother
at the time of her birth was a slave and
the trespass of me the rights summons - ; that plaintiff
was brought to Missouri & afterwards
and examined in her service of to the time of her death which took place some two
years snce thatplaintiff is claimed
that the time which said plantiff is the property of defendant
by as virtue of the writing in affidavit herewith
filed, which is agreed to be legalevidence
of defendant title and is to evidence
as the fact in this case_ that said writing
was excuted in Alexandria aforesaid
and the planitiff held and as is before
she not to this .=
now the parties agree that this case
shall be submitted to the Court
and the law on the declared
to for plaintiff in defen-
dant.

Primum & Taylor att for pltff. B E of R Lackland for for defendant

County Of St. Louis , Ss.The State Of Missouri ,To James Luisiuberry
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 sixth instant and bring with you
an indenture of apprenticeship Tetuna 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 Ann Speaks
plaintiff and Luiseuburry
defendant on the part of plaintiff
and herein you are in no wise to fail.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with
the seal therof hereto affixed, at office, in the City of St .
Louis , this 18th: day of Febuary
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fortyfsix. Mary Ann Speaks and Ann Buts John Ruland Clerk, C. C.
afore where state you have admitted and all other writing
touching your clauses of said Speaks as the property of said indenture John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Executed this writ in the County
of St. Louis on the4th febraury 1846
by sending with James S . Luisenburry
the within named writings

Fee $ 050 William Mathew Sheriff
By James L Harris

Circuit Court
Nov: Term 1845

Witness for pltff for
sixth indant
with clause of duces tecum!

James Luiseuburry Executed Wmm Mathew Sheff
fee 50 ct

County Of St. Louis , Ss.The State Of Missouri ,To Wm: L. Sherry , X
, William Lariq X
John Kean and X
-- Davidson X 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 sixth 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 Ann Speaks
plaintiff and Luispeuburry & Jamieson
defendants on the part of plaintiff
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 first day of february
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
fortyfsix John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Circuit Court
Nov: Term 1845

Witness for plaintiff
for sixth

X Henry Duncan
X Camermie Duncan &= Susan Duncan .
all live in County.
Executed Wm Mathew Shrff
fee 1.10

County Of St. Louis , Ss.The State Of Missouri ,To James Johnston and James S Luisenburry 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 Sixth day 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 Speaks
palintiff and Luisenburry admon H is
defendant on the part of defendant
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 4th day of february
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty six John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1845

for 6 Febry 1846

X James Johnston
X Jas S Luisenburry Executed Wm Willams Shrff
fee $ 1.00

Executed this writ within County
of St. Louis the5 February 1846
by Reading it to Jonus Johnston & J S Luisenburry

Fees $ 1.00 William Mllums Shf
By James L Harris Depty