Henry v. William Dallam
Item
Henry V. William Dallam. 1831, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60752
- Case Title
- Henry v. William Dallam
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Henry
- Defendant
- Dallam, William
- Date Filed
- 1831-07-26
- Next Friend
- Brown, George
- Filing Date
- 1831-07-26
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- Newman, John
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Court Term
- 1831-11
- Judge
- Carr, William C.
- Clerk
- Gamble, Archibald
- Sheriff
- Walker, John
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- Assault and Battery
- False Imprisonment
- Case Notes
- Plaintiff under age 21; filed plea of trespass, assault & battery, false imprisonment by next friend George Brown; included copy of judge's permission to sue, mentioned siblings Margaret & Sally.
- Case Number
- 8
- Related Court Case Number
- 6741
- 6742
- Related Project ID
- ccr1831.06741.007
- ccr1831.06742.003
- Identifier
- ccr1831.06743.003
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Henry vs. William Dallam**
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**Page 1** (6743_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
William Dallam not found in
my County 12th Nov 1831
*[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Caption*
No 8 St St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1831
Hennry (by next friend)
vs
William Dallam
Declaration
*Filed 26th July 1831 Archibald Gamble Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Caption Part 2*
This is an action of trespass
assault battery of false
imprisonment Damage
$ 500
Issue or
summons
[illegible]
*[illegible]*
---
**Page 2** (6743_002.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
In the St St. Louis Circuit Court
County of St Louis , Set, November Term 1831
Henry a boy of colour and an infant
under the age of twenty one years by George Brown
his next friend complains of William Dallam
of a plea of trespass assault battery false
imprisonment, for that heretofore, to wit,
on the second day of July in the year Eighteen
hundred thirty one at the county of aforesaid,
the said Defendant with force and arms made an
assault upon the said plaintiff then there
beat wounded ill treated the said plaintiff
and there there with force arms falsely and unlawfully
imprisoned the said plaintiff Kept him
detained him in prison there without any lawful
authority or cause for a long space of time,
to wit for the space of ten days there next resuming
\- and said plaintiff further says that
before at the time of the committing of the
said several grievances he was still is a free
person that said Defendant held and detained still holds
detains him in slavery wherefore the said
plaintiff says he is greatly injured hath
sustained damage to five hundred Dollars
and therefore he sues etc[?]
*John Newman Esq [illegible]*
---
**Page 3** (6743_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*
The State of Missouri
County of Saint Louis . ss To the Sheriff of the county of Saint Louis
Greeting
We Command you to summon William Dallam 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 Saint
Louis on the fourth Monday of November next then and there to answer
unto Henry a boy of color and infant under the age of twenty one years
by George Brown his next friend of a plea of trespass assault and battery
of false imprisonment to the damage of the said plaintiff of Five hundred dollars and have you then there this writ
*Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said Circuit
Court at Office this Twenty Sixth day of July One
thousand Eight Hundred and thirty one Archibald Gamble Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Summons Part 2*
copy of the order of the Judge permitting plaintiff to sue
State of Missouri - Third Judicial Circuit to wit; It is hereby ordered that
on the foregoing petition that the subscribers thereto Henry Sally and Margaret
be permitted to sue as poor persons by George Brown their next friend to establish
their right to freedom and John Newman Esq is assigned as their counsel it
is also ordered moreover that said Henry Sally and Margaret shall have
reasonable liberty to attend their counsel and the court when occasion may
require that said Henry Sally and Margaret shall not be removed out of
the Jurisdiction of the Circuit court of St Louis County nor be subjected to any
severity because of their application for freedom- Swon under my hand
this 22 day of July A,D, 1831
*Will C Carr*
Henry V. William Dallam. 1831, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60752