State of Missouri
St. Louis TerritoryTo the Hon the Circuit
Court Nov Term 1844G:

The petition of Jenny Brown
Respectfully sheweth. that the your petitioner is
at the present time held in slavery in the county
aforesaid by F . Steigers that she your
Petitioner has good and fair grounds on
which she claims her right to freedom viz
that she your petitioners was brought into the
state of Virginia in the Year 1813 for the purpose
of labor and that afterwards she your
petitioner was sent to Missouri and there
hired out as a slave contrary to the laws
in case made and provided

Shall your petitioner has
been held in slavery in the State of Missouri
about twenty two years when infact
and in truth from the violation of the
laws of the State of Virginia Your
petitioner all the twenty two years aforesaid
was a free woman

Now therefore your
Petitioner prays your Honor to allow
her to sue as a poor person to establish her
freedom so wrongfully taken from her and
as is duty bound she will ever pray

Elias B Smith
for Petitioner

State of Missouri
St. Louis County

Personally appeared
Before the undersigned
Jenny Brown and maketh oath and saith
that the Matters and things set fourth in
the above petition are true to the best
of her knowledge and belief

St. Louis 26th September 1844her Jenny Brown
Mark Taken and Sworn to before
the undersigned Justice of the
Peace the date above writtenM Batten Justice

State of Missouri
St. Louis CountyIn the St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844

Jenny Brown Complains of F
Steigers of a plea of Trespass, for that whereas
the said defendant on the tenth day of
September in the year Eighteen hundred
and forty four with force and arms at the
County aforesaid, Beat Bruised injured and
ill treated her the said plaintiff and then
and there imprisoned her the said plaintiff
and kept and detained her in prison there
without any probable cause whatsoever
for a long space of time, to wit, twelve hours
then and there following, contrary to the laws
of the said State and against the will
of the said Plaintiff and the said plaintiff
further avers that she the said plaintiff
before and at the time of the said grievances
was and still is a free person and that the
said defendant, held and still Holds the
said Plaintiff in slavery and other wrongs
to the said Plaintiff did the said defendant
then and there do contrary to the peace and
dignity of the State and to the damages
of the said Plaintiff of five hundred
dollars and therefore the said Plaintiff
brings suit &c

Elias B. Smith
PerQuen

Petition filed leave to sue as a poor person B 15 p 257.

No.
In the St. Louis Circuit
Court Nov Term 1844

Jenny Brown
vs
F. Steigers
Trespass

Application to Judge
to sue as a poor

Filed September 30th 1844 John Ruland Clerk Smith
for plff

State of Missouri
St. Louis County

County of St. Louis, ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis County—Greeting:

We command you to Summon F. Steigers, if
he be found in your County, that he
be and 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 St. Louis , on the third Mon-
day of November next, then and there to answer unto Jenny
Brown of a Plea of Trespass & false
imprisonment,
to the damage of said plaintiff five hundred
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 Seventh 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 15 p 297 Dismissed July 2, 1846 17p72

No. 173 St Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844

Jenny Brown
vs
F . Steigers
Summons
8th Oct.

Trespass in false imprisonment
Damages $ 500 E B. Smith P. Q.

It is ordered that said petition-
er have leave to sue as a poor
person & the court assigns E B .
Smith esquire as Counsel for said
petitioner it is further ordered
that said petitioner have reason
ble liberty to attend her counsel
& the Court as occasion may require
that she be not removed without
the juridiction of this court and
that she be not subjected to any
severity on account of her ap-
plication for freedom.

filed October 7th 1844 Jn Ruland Clerk free (131)

Executed this wit in the County
of St Louis on the 8th day of October 1844
by reading it and the declaration to Francis
Steigers, the defendant Also by reading to the
said Francis Steigers, the orders of the
Judge endorsed upon this wit

William Milburn SheriffBy A. C. Osburn Deputy Fees $ 2.00

In the St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844

And the said defendant by
R. S. Blennerhassett his attorney comes & defends
the force & injury when &c & says that he is not
guilty of the said supposed trespasses above laid
to his charge or any or either of them or any
part thereof in manner & form as the said
plaintff hath above thereof complained against
him, & of this he the said defendant puts himself
upon the Country. &c

R. S. Blennerhassett
Defts atty.

In the St Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844

Jane a woman of color
vs
Francis I. Sturges

Plea.
R. S. Blennerhafseth
Dfts. Atty

Filed Nov 19th 1844 Jn Ruland Clerk

County Of St. Louis , Ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To
John Bobby, William K. Rule , William A.
Head, Oliver Cromwell
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 18th day of June instant at 9 o' clock
in the forenoon of this day at the City of St. Louis , then and there to
testify and the truth to say in an certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein JaneBrown is
plaintiff and Steiger is
defendant on the part of the 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 6th day of June
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty- five John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

In Circuit Court

Jenny Brown
vs
Francis J. Steigers

sub for deft

John Bobbs William K. Rule Oliver Cromwell William A. Head

L. L.

Executed Wn Milburn Shrff

fee $ 2.00

County Of St. Louis , Ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To
John Bobbs, William K. Rule Oliver
Cromwell William Head Isaac Letcher
Charles Bobbs Greeting:

You are hereby commanded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on theforthwith
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 Jane Brown is
plaintiff and F. J. Steigers 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 21st day of January
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight haundred and
forty- six John Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Brown
vs
Steigers

sub

O John BobbsO William K. Rule O Oliver Cromwell William Head Isaac LetcherCharles Bobbs

Executed Wm Milburn Sheff

fee $ 2.60