County of S Louis Sct
The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of St Louis County
Greeting

We command you to summon Daniel
Ligan and William Myers that they, be and
appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court at the
next term thereof to be held at the city of St Louis
within and for the county of St Louis on the fourth
monday of March instant then and there to answer
unto Nancy Ligan a woman of color of a plea
of trespass, assault and battery and false imprisonment
to the damage of said plaintiff of two hundred
dollars. And have you then there this Writ

Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of
our said Court at office this seventh
day of March in the year 1835 Archibald Gamble
Clerk

Executed this writ by reading it the order of the Judge and the decleration to
Daniel and William Myers on the 7th day of March
1835, in the County of St Louis

J Brotherton Shff
by G Hammond Dept Service $ 2100

No 67 March Term 1835

Nancy Liagn a
woman of color
vs
Daniel Ligan &
William Myers

Suit for freedom
in the form prescribed by
Statue Damage $ 200
The Clerk willfile
upon as a summon to

Bird atty for
PltfFiled March 7th 1835 A Gamble Clk

Discond as to & by default - Book 7 - page 352

Damage for $ 0.01
fee bill 176

State of Missouri
Circuit Court St Louis County
March Term AD 1835

Mary Ligan a woman of color complains
against Daniel Ligan & William Myers of a
plea of trespass assault & Battery & false
imprisonment for that heretofore trial on
the tenth day of November in the year of
grace eighteen hundred & thirty four the said
Daniel & William with force & arms & assault
did make upon her said Nancy and did
then & there beatwound & ill treat her & her the said Mary did then & there imprison
& from he kept & detained
her in prison there without any legal or
probable cause & other wrongs to the said
Nancy then & there did against the peace
& dignity of said State.

And the said Mary that before &
at thetime of the said Several grieavences
she was and still is a poor person & that
said defendant held & detained & still hold
& detain here in slavery wherefore said Mary
says she as & hath
Damages to hundred Dollars & therefore
she sues &C

G A Bird Plffs atty

(Copy of Judges order)

And I do further order
that said Petitioner shall have reasonable liberty, of
attending the court & her counsel when occasion may
require and that the petitioner shall not be taken or
removed out of the Jurisdiction of the St Louis Circuit
Court nor be subject to any severity because of her
application for freedom

S E Lawless Judge A true copy A Gamble Clerk

To the Honorable Luke E . Lawless Judge of the
Third Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri

Nancy Ligan a woman of color represents to
your honor that she is now held in slavery in
the city of St Louis by William Myers who pretends
to act as the agent of Daniel Ligan who claims your
petitioner as his slave. Your petitioner states that
she is justly intitled to her freedom She states as
the ground of her freedom that in the summer
of 1893 Daniel Ligan who then owned your petitioner
as a slave & then resided at Galina in the state
of Illinois caused your petitioner to be taken to
Galina in the State of Illinois where he kept &
detained your petitioner for one year or more
during all of which time he used & claimed her
as his slave & execused such continued & required such
service of her as Masters usually execused own &
require of their Slaves. your petitioner prays that
she may be permitted to a suit institute for her freedom
as a poor person that counsel may be assigned
to her to bring & conduct such suit and that
such order or orders may be made as her
present security regenes & the law

Nancy her Ligan
Mark

on her oath
says that the facts in the above petition stated
are true

Nancy her Ligab
MarkSworn & Subscribed to
before me this 24th day of
February AD 1835 Patrick Marshl Justice of the peace

of opinion that the petition contains
sufficient matter to authorize the commencement of
a suit I Luke E Lawless Judge of the Third
Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri do order
that the within named petitioner Nancy Ligan
he permitted to sue as a poor person to establish
her freedom & for the purpose of commencing
& conducting said suit I assign Gustavus A
Bird as her counsel and I do further
order that said Petitioner shall have
reasonable liberty of attending the court & her
counsel when occasion may require and
that the petitioner shall not be taken or removed
out of the juridiction of the St Louis Circuit
Court nor be subject to any severity because
of her application for freedom

L Lawless
Judge

Petition of Nancy
Ligan