Deposition of Miles H. Clark

Item

“Deposition of Miles H. Clark”. First Circuit Court Trial, 1846-1847, 1847, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 3, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/108479

Full Text: See images and transcription side by side
Filing Name: Deposition of Miles H. Clark
Description: Deposition of Miles H. Clark by Charles Drake, filed May 13, 1847; Clark had been stationed at Fort Snelling with Dr. Emerson
Date: 1847-05-13
Is Part Of: First Circuit Court Trial, 1846-1847
Identifier: dre1847.0016.016
Case ID: ccr1847.0000.034
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: > Legal Function: deposition

Depositions of witnesses, produced, sworn, and examined at the office of Charles D. Drake, in the City of St. Louis, County of St. Louis & State of Missouri, before me, the undersigned, John N. Colvin, a justice of the peace within & for the county of St. Louis aforesaid, in two certain causes now pending in the Circuit Court, within & for the said County of St. Louis, State of Missouri, in one of which causes Dred Scott is plaintiff and Irene Emerson is defendant, and in the other of said causes Harriet (of color) is plaintiff & the said Irene Emerson is defendant, on the part of the plaintiffs.

^ c x ^ Miles H. Clark of lawful age, being produced, sworn & examined on the part of the plaintiffs, deposes & says:—
I know the negro man named Dred, who is the plaintiff in this suit. I first knew Dred some time in the year 1834 , at Rock Island, ~~Illino~~ in the State of Illinois.
He was then a servant belonging to Doctor Emerson, who was there an Assistant Surgeon in the Army of the United States, and was stationed at Rock Island.
He was held in service there by Doctor Emerson as a slave from the time I first knew him, until April or May 1836.
At that time, Rock Island was evacu ^ a ^ ted by the troops, to which Doctor Emerson was attached, and the troops with Doctor Emerson went from Rock Island to Fort Snelling, which is situated at the junction of the St. Peters river with the Mississippi river, on the west side of the Mississippi, within the Territorial limits of the United States and North of the State of Missouri. From the time the troops arrived at Fort Snelling until the 7th day of July 1837. I knew Dred to be held by Doctor Emerson, as a slave, at Fort Snelling.
At the last mentioned date I left that place. During all the time I knew Dred at Rock Island

---

**Item Page 2**

> Image file: ds16back.jpg
> Document: Deposition of Miles H. Clark

and Fort Snelling, he was claimed by Doctor Emerson as a slave and used by him as such.
During the time I have mentioned, I was in the Army of the United States, and attached to the same troops, to which Doctor Emerson was attached.

I am now Second Lieutenant in Captain McNair’s Company of Volunteers known as the “Missouri Guards,” raised for service in New Mexico, and expect, probably some time next week the Company will leave for its destination. Further he saith not.

Miles H. Clark

X

> Legal Function: notarization

State of Missouri

County of St. Louis illegible abbreviation[?] I. John N. Colvin, a Justice of the Peace within and for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify that Miles H. Clark, the above named deponent was by me sworn to testify the whole truth of his knowledge, touching the matter in controversy in the causes aforesaid; And that his deposition was reduced to writing and subscribed by him in my presence, on the thirteenth day of May, 1847, between the hours of eight o’clock in the forenoon And Six o’clock in the afternoon, at the Office of Charles D. Drake in the City of St. Louis, in the County of St. Louis and State of Missouri.

Given under my hand May 13th 1847.

John N. Colvin,

Justice of the Peace

Fee $ 1.00 pd. by Dred Scott, plff.

> Legal Function: file record

---

**Item Page 3**

> Image file: ds17front.jpg

Opened & filed on May 13th. 1847

Jno. Ruland Clerk.

^ 2 ^

Dred Scott

vs.

Irene Emerson

Harriet of Color

vs.

Irene Emerson

Miles H. Clark

Depositions for plaintiff

Item sets: Dred Scott Collection; First Circuit Court Trial, 1846-1847