Matilda, a free woman of color v. Charles St. Vrain
Item
Matilda, a Free Woman of Color V. Charles St. Vrain. 1830, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60638
- Case Title
- Matilda, a free woman of color v. Charles St. Vrain
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Matilda
- Defendant
- St. Vrain, Charles D.
- Date Filed
- 1830-11-04
- Filing Date
- 1830-11-04
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- Bird, Gustavus A.
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Judge
- Carr, William C.
- Clerk
- Gamble, Archibald
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- Assault
- Battery
- False Imprisonment
- Case Notes
- Plaintiff sued by Sarah, her mother & next friend, claimed she was born of a free woman on March 16, 1810, about 4 miles from Edwardsville, Illinois; sought $300 damages.
- Case Number
- 58
- Identifier
- ccr1821.06732.006
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Matilda, a free woman of color v. Charles St. Vrain**
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**Page 1** (6732_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Affidavit of Sarah, Mother of Plaintiff*
State of Missouri
St. Louis County
Sarah the mother of the
within named petilioner being Sworn[?] says thats she has heard the within Petition read & She that the facts in
the Said Petition stated are true as regards
the birth & residence of said Matilda &[?]
She knows thats said Charles holds
said Matilda in servitude & beleives that[?]
said Matilda is entitled to her freedom Sworn & Subscribed [illegible]
1830 [illegible]
*Sarah x Mark*
> *Legal Function: Order Granting Plaintiff Permission to Sue for Freedom, in Forma Pauperis*
I William C Carr Judge of the Circuits Court
for the third Judicial district and state of
Missouri do order that the above named
petitioner Matilda be permitted to sue as a
poor person to Establish her freedom [illegible] & I do asign
Gustavus a Bird as her counsel to commence & prosecute her said suit for freedom
and I do moreover order that the said
Matilda shall have reasonable liberty of
attending the court and her counsel when occasion may require, and that Said
Matilda shall not be taken or removed out of the
Jurisdiction of the court nor be subject to
any severity because of her application
for freedom November 4th 1830
*Will : C. Carr
judge of 3 Circuits -*
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**Page 2** (6732_002.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition for Leave to Sue as Poor Person to Establish her Freedom*
In the Honorable William C Carr Judge
of the Circuits Courts third Judicial Circuits & State of Missouri
Your Petitioner Matilda an
Infant under twenty one years represents that
She is a person of colour & entitled to her
freedom but She is held in Slavery by Mr Charles in the County of St louis
your Petitioner was born of a fine woman
by the name of Sarah on the 16th day of
March A D 1810- about four miles from Edwardsville[?] in the State of Illinois
in which State of Illinois your petitioner has
resided untill about Ten months past
when she was brought to the State of Missouri
by Said who now holds your
Petitioner in Slavery and in St Louis County your Petitioner prays
that she may be permitted to sue as a
poor person to Establish her freedom
that counsels may be asigned[?] to
her that her mother Sarah may
be appointed her focussed to commence & prosecute her suit & that such
order may be made for her personal
Security as her case requires & the
Law provides
*[illegible] Matilda x Mark*
---
**Page 3** (6732_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: caption*
No 58 March term 1831
Matilda
vs
Charles .
Petition
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**Page 4** (6732_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Writ and Summons for Charles St. Vrain*
County of St Louis [illegible]
The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of StLouis County Greeting-
We command you to summon Charles St. Vrain that he be and
appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court at the next-
term thereof to be here at the city of StLouis within and
for the county of StLouis on the fourth monday of March instant- then and there to answer unto Matilda a woman
of color ( who sues by Sarah a free woman, her next friend.)
of a plea of trespap[?] apault & Battery & false imprisonment
to the damage of said plaintiff of three hundred dollars. and
have you then there this writ--
*archibald clerk of our said court at office the 9th day of march 1831 Archibald Gambler [illegible]*
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**Page 5** (6732_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order Permitting Petitioner to Sue as a Poor Person to Establish her Freedom*
I William C. Carr Judge of the Circuit Court for the third Judi
-cialCircuit district and State of Missouri do order that the above
named petitioner Matilda be permitted to sue as a poor person to
establish her freedom &[?] I do asign Gustavus A Bird[?] as her counsel
to commence and prosecute her said Suit for freedom and I do
moreover order that the said Matilda shall have reasonable liberty
of attending the Court and her counsel when occasion may require
and that said Matilda shall not be taken or removed out of the Juris-diction of the court nor be subject to any severity because of her appli
-cation for freedom November 4th 1830
*Signed - Will .C. Carr
Judge of 3rd. Circuit*
> *Legal Function: Execution Memorandum*
not executed for want of time
13th March [illegible]1831
*[illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
No. 58. March Term 1831-
StLouis Circuit Court
Matilda woman of
Color by Sarah vs Charles
This is an action of
asault & Battery &[?] false
Imprisonment for
freedom to Damages
$[?]300 The Clerk of
St. Louis Circuit court summons to
*[illegible] filed 9th. March 1831-
[illegible]*
---
**Page 6** (6732_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
State of Missouri Circuit Court third Judicial
March Term 1831
St Louis County fo-[?] Matilda a woman of color who by Sarah
her mother & next friend a free woman of color complains of Charles St of a plea of
trespap asault &[?] Battery & false imprisonment for that whereas here to [illegible] on the first day
of October in the year of eighteen hundred &[?]
Thirty at St. Louis [illegible] said County the said Defendant
the force & arms made an asault upon[?] the
said plaintiff & then & there beat bruised wounded
& ill-treated the said plaintiff & then & there falsely imprisoned the said plaintiff & kept & detained
the said plaintiff in prison there for a long
space of time to from the day last aforesaid
to the time of the commencement of this said
and the said plaintiff [illegible] that before & at the
time of the committing the said grievances She was & still is a free person & the said
Defendant kept & detained & still keeps & detains her in slavery wherefrom she says
She is greatly injured & hath sustained Damages
to to Three hundred Dollars therefore she sues to
*GA Bird for [illegible]*
Matilda, a Free Woman of Color V. Charles St. Vrain. 1830, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60638