Milly, a woman of color v. Wiley Williams
Item
Milly, a Woman of Color V. Wiley Williams. 1829, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60721
- Case Title
- Milly, a woman of color v. Wiley Williams
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Milly
- Defendant
- Williams, Wiley
- Date Filed
- 1829-06-26
- Filing Date
- 1829-06-26
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- Edwards, John C.
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Court Term
- 1829-07
- Judge
- Carr, William C.
- Clerk
- Gamble, Archibald
- Sheriff
- Simpson, Robert
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- Assault and Battery
- False Imprisonment
- Case Notes
- Plaintiff born in state of Maryland; property of one Lee sold to Moses Bigsby and taken to Ohio for 15 months.
- Case Number
- 39
- Identifier
- ccr1829.05553.006
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Milly, a woman of color vs. Wiley Williams**
---
**Page 1** (5553_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
State of Missouri ,
County of St. Louis Circuit Court July Term. 1829.
Milly , by her attorney, Jno. C. Edwards ,
complains of Wiley Williams of a plea of
trespass: For that the said Wiley Williams ,
on the 23rd. day of June, 1829, with force
and arms, made an assault upon the said
Miley[?], to wit, at the county of St. Louis & State of Missouri , and then and there beat bruised, and iii treated her, the said Milly ,
and kept and detained her in prison there,
without any reasonable or probable cause,
for a long time, to wit for the space
of twelve hours then next following, &
nevertheless the said Milly overs that before
and at the time of committing the grievance
[illegible] she was and still is a free person, and
that the defendant held and detained
her and still holds and detains her in
slavery, countrary to the law of the land
and against the will of the said Milly .
And other wrongs to the said Milly then
and there did to the great damage of
the said Milly ; wherefore the said
Milly saith she is injured and hath
sustained damages the amount of
five hundred dollars; and there
fore she brings her suit [illegible].
*Filed 26th June 1829
Arch Gamble Clerk Jno. C.. Edwards .
Att. for pltff.[?]*
---
**Page 2** (5553_002.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Caption*
Milly
vs
Williams
Declaration
> *Legal Function: Summons*
County of St. Louis Ss. The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of the county of St. Louis
Greeting
We command you to summon Wiley Williams that he 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 July next then
and there to answer unto Milly of a plea of trespass to the
damagewherefore the said Milly saith she is injured and
hath sustained damages_ the amount of five hundred dollars
and have you then there this writ.
*Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said
Court at office this Twenty sixth day of June
in the Year One thousand Eight Hundred and twenty nine. Archibald Gamble Clerk.*
---
**Page 3** (5553_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition to Sue as a Poor Person*
The hon. Wm. C. Carr Judge of the Circuit
Court of the County of St. Louis and State of
Missouri . June 23rd, 1829.
Your petitioner, Milly , represents to
your honour that she was born in the State
of Maryland the property of one Lee; that
she was sold to Moses Bigsby,[?] and by him
taken to the State of Ohio about fifteen years
ago: that she was by the said Moses Bigsby[?], de
tained in the State of Ohio about fifteen months: that she is now hold in sloavery by Wi_
ley Williams in the county of St. Louis , and
State of Mossouri, when she is advised and be_
lieves she is entitled to her freedom. Therefore
your petitioner prays that she may be permitted
to sue as a poor person to establish her right
thereto, and that such other and further orders
may be made in the premises as the law di_
rects
and as may seem meet and proper to
your honour.
*Milly*
> *Legal Function: Petition to Sue as a Poor Person Part 2*
County of St.Louis , State of Missouri , Sct. This day
personally appeared before me [illegible] a
Justice of the Peace for the County and State
aforesaid, Milly , the above petitioner, who, being
duly sworn, says that the fact set out in the fore_
giving petion[?] are true to the best of her knowledge.
*Milly*
> *Legal Function: Petition to Sue as a Poor Person Part 3*
Sworn to and subscribed this 23rd June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and twenty nine.
*[illegible]*
---
**Page 4** (5553_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order*
State of Missouri
Third Judicial Circuit Towit[?]
The within named Milly is permitted to sue
as poor person on the within petition to establish
her freedom & the clerk of the Circuit Court
of St. Louis County is hereby directed to hear
the trespass herein for that pur[?]
-pose -and John C. Edwards Esquire
is hereby asigned as her counsel. It is
moreover ordered that the petitionee have
reasonable [illegible] to allow her counsel
and the court when occures may require
and that the petitioner 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.
*Given under my hand at My
chambers this 25 of June 1829. Will . C. Carr
Judge of 3. Circuit*
> *Legal Function: Caption*
No 39
St.St. Louis Circuit Court
July Term 1829
Milly
vs
Williams
Petition to sue in forma pauperis
*Filed 26th June 1829 Archibald Gamble Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Wiley Williams not found in my county
*R Simpson Shf next _50*
---
**Page 5** (5553_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*
The State of Missouri County of Saint Louis , Ss. To the Sheriff of the County of St.Louis
Greeting
We command you to summon Wiley Williams that he 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 November next then and there to answer
unto Milly of a plea of trepass[?] whereafore the said Milly saith she
is injured and hath sustained damages to the amount of Five
Hundred Dollars and have you then there this writ.
*Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said Court
at office this Twenty second day of October One
Thousand Eight Hundred and twenty nine. Archibald Gamble Clerk.*
> *Legal Function: Summons Part 2*
The State of Missouri County of Saint Louis . ss. To the Sheriff of Saint Louis County
Greeting
We Command you as we have often heretofore commanded
you to summon Wiley Williams that he be and appear befor
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 next then and there to answer
unto Milly of a plea of trespasswherefore the said Milly saith
she is injured and hath sustained damages to the amount of
Five Hundred dollars and have you then there this writ.
*Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said
Court at office this Twentieth day of February
One Thousand Eight hundred and Thirty Archibald Gamble Clerk.*
---
**Page 6** (5553_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Willy Williams not found in my County
and [illegible] not rumor within the town
[illegible] 50
*R Simpson Sff[?] .*
> *Legal Function: Caption*
No 39 - 73
St.St. Louis Circuit Court
July Term 1829
Milly
vs
Wiley Williams
alias summons
[illegible] summoned
February 20th 1830
Returnable to month Term
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Wiley Williams not found in my county
Nov 7. 1829
*next - 50
R Simpson Sff[?]*
Milly, a Woman of Color V. Wiley Williams. 1829, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60721