To the Hon John M . Krum ,

Judge of the St Louis Circuit Court . The petition, of Jane M Cray respectfully represents that, on the 15th day of April Eighteen hundred, and and thirty seven, at that time being
owned by, her former master William N. Hopkins since deceased, did by and with the Consent,
of her said master purchased her, freedom from
him and his heirs, for the sum of, of Six Hundred
dollars, Five Hundred dollars, of which were paid, to her said master, by your petitioner, on
the day year aforesaid, when, the payment,
of which the said William H Hopkins executed,
in the presence, of witnesses, and and in the and
to wit,

St Louis April 15,1837

I have, this day sold, my servant, woman, Jane M Cray ,
to herself, for the sum, of six, Hundred dollars, of
which purchase, money I have recieved five,
Hundred dollars, and allegate meself the payment, of the balance, say one hundred dollars, to to execute a bill of sale, to her making
herself, the sole proprietor, of her person.

WR Hopkins ,

D. G .

And your petitioner, further states that afterwards,
to wit, on the 1st day of January AD Eighteen Hundred and Thirty Eight, when she had, paid to her
said master, the full sum, of One hundred dollars due as aforesaid, for her freedom, the said William H Hopkins executed, to her in writing, in the words, following.

to wit,:

“ Whereas Jane M Cray , did on the fifteenth day
of April One Thousand Eight Hundrred, & thirty seven,
pay me the sum, of Six, Hundred Dollars, being
the price, of herself, and whereas, I did to her, by an of
the same, date; I do hereby authorize, and
permit, her, the said Jane M Cray to go,
and reside in any County, in the State,
of Illinois , there to do and act, for
herself Witness, my hand this first
day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight

W. H. Hopkins ,

And your petitioner further states that afterwards during the summer of, the year 1838, the William H Hopkins , died and without executing, to your petitioner, any deed, of eman,-
cipation according, to the laws, of the state of Illinois , or any, further evidences, of
her freedom than the paper aforesaid. That your petitioner, before the death of the said William Hopkins was acknowledged,
a free women, and suffered by him to act as such, and since, the death of the said W H Hopkins , the heirs, of said Hopkins ,

Whithstanding, the frequent solicitation
of your petitioner to effect, effect
have neglected to carry out
the intention of the said Wm Hopkins ,,
by giving executing to her the papers ne=
cessary, to fully emancipate, her under
the laws of this state:

And your petitioner further states that
failing to obtain the deed of emancipation,
necessary to free her according to the laws
of this state, she did, during the year
Eighteen, Hundred with the advice, con-sent, knowledge, approvation or the,
said heirs, of the said Wm H Hopkins , for
the purpose of more, fully entitling, her
self to her right of freedom go, to the state of
Illinois , and did then, to wit,
, in the town
of Galena , County of do
and act for herself as a free woman,
from the about the 1st day of September until
the about the 1st day of October, AD Eighteen,
Hundred & forty four

And your petitioner further states that the, heirs of the said William H Hopkins now living, are William R Hopkins , R.R. Hopkins , Ashley Cass H Hopkins , - Mary Hopkins
Adelaide , H. Hopkins , Laura G. Hopkins , and
Eliza O . Miller - Children of the said William ,
H. Hopkins - William C, Hopkins , Theresa , Hopkins - children of Eliott K. Hopkins decreased, and grand children of
this said William , H. Hopkins

And your petitioner also states that, although
she, has never been disturbed in her freedom

by the said heirs of the said William , H. Hopkins , yet, in asmuch, as she has acquired by her
industry some, property in this state, she cannot
foresee what may, happen, hereafter, to
to deprive, her of the fruits of her labour un
less her right to freedom be established ac
cording to law, beyond controversy

Your petitioner therefore prays that, in
consideration of the , she may have
leave to sue, as a poor person, in order to
establish her right to freedom, and that
Counsel may be assigned, to her for that,
purpose, and as in duty bound those,
will ever pray .

Jane , her M Cray ,x Mark,
Attest
Watson .

On reading & of the above foregoing
petition if the petitioner shall
give security as required, by law, satisfactory
to the Clerk of the St Louis , Circuit Court that she
be allowed to sue, for her freedom - it, is further
ordered, that said petitioner have liberty to attend the counsel as occassion,, may
require that she be not removed, from
the jurisdiction, of the St. Louis Circuit Court &
that she be not, subjected to any severity
on account of her application, for
freedom.

This that be
appointed said
suit given this 12 , 1845

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

We command you to summon William R Hopkins , Eliza O
Miller, and her husband William B Miller, R R Hopkins , Ashley
learr Hopkins , Mary Frances Hopkins , Laura G Hopkins , William
R Hopkins guardian of said Ashley, Mary Frances & Laura ,
Adelaid H Hopkins , and her guardian William Oliver, William C
Hopkins , Theresa Hopkins , May F. Hopkins , and Mary , A Hopkins of as guardian of William C Hopkins , Theresa Hopkins and, Mary F. Hopkins ,
if they be found in your county, that they be and appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the first day of the next term thereof, to be
held the City of St. Louis , wihtin and for the county of St. Louis , on the third Mon-
day of November next, then and there to answer unto Jane M Cray
of a plea of tresprass
to the great damage
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 third day of October in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty five
Jn. Ruland Clerk.

On reading & considering the above foregoing Petition, it is ordered (if the
petitioner shall give security as requied by law satisfactory to the clerk of the
St. Louis Circut Court ) that she be allowed to sue for her freedom - it is further
ordered, that said petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel as
occassion may require, and that she be not removed from the jurisdiction
of the St. Louis Circuit Court and that she be not subject to any

severity and account of her application for freedom. It is also ordered
that P. C. Grace esq: be appointed as Cpinsel to conduct the said suit.
Given under my hand this 12th day of sept. 1845. John M Krum ,
Judge 8th Ind Cir. Mo

A true copy of the order of the Judge attest Jn. Ruland clk

Executed this writ in the County of St Louis , by offering
to read it and the declaration to William R
Hopkins , on the 25th in his own right and as guardian
for Ashley ,, Mary Laura Hopkins ,, to Eliza
Miller Mary Francis , and Laura G Hopkins
on the 27th day of October 1845 to Richand R
Hopkins , on the 10th and to William B Miller
Guardian, of the said Eliza on the 11th days of November
1845 and by reading it each of the defendants above
named the the order, of the judge in this case
Ashley Cass Hopkins - Adelaide K Hopkins , and
her guardian William Oliver- William C Hopkins ,
Theresa Hopkins , Mary G Hopkins , - and Mary
a Hopkins , guardian not found in my
county

William Milburn By N. C.
ieeer $ 10,50

No 162
St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1845

William , R Hopkins , Eliza O Miller,

and, her husband William B Miller
27th
Tuany Hopkins Ashley Cass Hopkins ,
Mary Francis Hopkins Laura G Hopkins , William R Hopkins Guardain,of
said, Ashley Mary Francis Laura ,
Adelaide H Hopkins her guardian
William Oliver William C Hopkins
Theresa Hopkins , Mary F Hopkins ,
and Mary F Hopkins gurardian of
said,, Theresa and Mary F , F ,.

Suit for freedom

grace atts
Filed October 23rd 1845
John Ruland clk

1.or1. 1.00copy per 7.753.75

Uond 17 p 448- Dismissed, for want of prosecutors, June 16 184917 p 624
set aside 1810 209 19h h200 19 puce 29 nov 1850 cont loh 1945
nov. 1851 his 235 2.

In the St Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1848

suit for freedom
The undersigned defendants in the above Enti
tilled case, understanding that the case
was determined,
in the last term of the St Louis
Circuit Court hereby signify their assent and
agreement to the reinstatement of the
same on the docket of said court they
being unwilling to take advantage of the
said dismissal in asmuch,
as the suit
is amicable,
in its character. They
waive all further notice to them and agree
that the case may proceed as if no such dismissal,
had taken place
W R Hopkins ,
signed self as Guardian for,
Mary Frances
and Laura Hopkins

In the Circuit court of St Louis County November Term, 1845
State of Missouri , County of St Louis ,ss

Jane M Cray , a Mulatto woman complains, of William , R . Hopkins ,
- Eliza , O . Miller and her husband William , B . Miller,
- R. R . Hopkins , - Ashley Cass Hopkins , - Mary Frances Hopkins and Laura G Hopkins , The
said William , R Hopkins Guardian, of the said
Ashley , - Mary Frances and Laura , - Adelaide ,
H . Hopkins ,, and her guardian William Oliver ,, - Wiliiam, L . Hopkins , - Theresa Hopkins ,, Mary F Hopkins ,, and Mary ,
A . Hopkins , as guardian, of the said William , L . - Theresa , - Mary F , - of
a plea, of Trespass,: For, that the
said William , R . Hopkins , - Eliza , O . Miller,, and
her husband William , B . Miller, - R. R . Hopkins , Ashley Cass Hopkins ,, Mary Francis Hopkins ,
- Laura G ,. Hopkins , and the said William , R
Hopkins , as guardian, of the said Ashley Cass , -
Mary Francis Laura G ,. - Adelaide H Hopkins ,, and William Oliver ,, as guardian,
of the said Adelaide , H . - William C,. Hopkins ,
- Theresa Hopkins , - Mary F Hopkins ,, and
Mary A Hopkins ,, as guardian, of the said
William , C. - Therresa, Mary F , on the
first day of july in the year AD
eighteen Hundred & forty five - at St Louis ,, to wit,-
at the County aforesaid with force, and
arms assaulted, the said Jane M Cray ,

and her,, the said Jane M Cray ,, then and
there took imprisoned, and restrained,
of her liberty,, and her, the said Jane M Cray ,
held in servitude, from the first day
of July,AD Eighteen, Hundred and, forty five until, the first, day of September,
AD Eighteen Hundred and Forty Five,, without any reasonable or probable cause against,
the law, of the land, and against, the
will, of her, the said Jane , M Cray , and
other wrongs and injustices against, the said
Jane , M Cray , then and there did:- and
she,, the said Jane , M Cray and
declares, that she, the, said Jane , M Cray
before and at the time of the Committing,
the said grievances, was and still is,
a free, person, and that the, said
defendants, - held, and still hold, her
the said Jane , M Cray in slavery,,
against the peace,c, and to the
great damage, of the said Jane , M Cray
and Therefore she brings, her suit,

Grace, Atty,

We Hereby bind ourselves, as securities, for all costs, that may be adjudged against,
the palintiff, in this

No in the St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term
1845

suit for freedom

Clerk mile please issue

Grace