Nancy Ligan, a woman of color v. Daniel Ligan and William Myers

Item

Nancy Ligan, a Woman of Color V. Daniel Ligan and William Myers. 1835, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60828

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Case Title: Nancy Ligan, a woman of color v. Daniel Ligan and William Myers
Series: Freedom Suits
Plaintiff: Ligan, Nancy
Defendant: Ligan, Daniel; Myers, William
Date Filed: 1835-03-07
Filing Date: 1835-03-07
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Bird, Gustavus A.
Court Name: St. Louis County Court
Court Term: 1835-03
Clerk: Gamble, Archibald
Justice of the Peace: Lawless, Luke E.
Cause of Action: Trespass; False Imprisonment; Assault; Battery
Case Notes: Daniel Ligon held plaintiff as slave in Galena, Illinois; plaintiff now held in slavery by William Myers, who pretended to act as the agent of Daniel Ligon.
Case Number: 67
Identifier: ccr1835.27216.004
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: **Nancy Ligan, a woman of color v. Daniel Ligan and William Myers**

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**Page 1** (27216_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*

County of S Louis Sct
The State of Missouri
To the Sheriff of St Louis County
Greeting

We command you to summon Daniel
Ligan and William Myers that they, 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 March instant then and there to answer
unto Nancy Ligan a woman of color of a plea
of trespass, assault and battery and false imprisonment
to the damage of said plaintiff of two hundred
dollars. And have you then there this Writ

Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of
our said Court at office this seventh
day of March in the year 1835

Archibald Gamble
Clerk

> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*

Executed this writ by reading it the order of the Judge and the declaration to
Daniel Ligan and William Myers on the 7th day of March
1835, in the County of St Louis

*J Brotherton Shff
by G Hammond Dept Service $ 2100*

> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

No 67 March Term 1835
Nancy Ligan,
woman of color
vs
Daniel Ligan &
William Myers
Suit for freedom
in the form prescribed by
Statue Damage $ 200
The Clerk will file
upon as a summon to

*Bird atty for
Pltf Filed March 7th 1835 A Gamble Clk*
Discond[?] as to [illegible] & [illegible] by default [illegible] [illegible]- Book 7 - page 352
Damage [illegible] for $ 0.01
fee bill 176

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**Page 2** (27216_002.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*

State of Missouri
Circuit Court St Louis County
March Term AD 1835

Nancy Ligan a woman of color complains
against Daniel Ligan & William Myers of a
plea of trespass assault & Battery & false
imprisonment for that heretofore trial on
the tenth day of November in the year of
grace eighteen hundred & thirty four the said
Daniel & William with force & arms & assault
did make upon her said Nancy and did
then & there beat wound & ill treat her
& her the said Mary did then & there imprison
& hath from thence hitherto kept & detained
her in prison there without any legal or
probable cause & other wrongs to the said
Nancy then & there did against the peace
& dignity of said State.

And the said Mary avers that before &
at the time of the said Several grievances
she was and still is a poor person & that
said defendant held & detained & still hold
& detain here in slavery wherefore said Mary
says she as gravely injured & hath sustained
Damages to two hundred Dollars & therefore
she sues &C

*G A Bird Plffs atty*

> *Legal Function: Order*

(Copy of Judges order)
And I do further order
that said Petitioner shall have reasonable liberty, of
attending the court & her counsel when occasion may
require and that the petitioner shall not be taken or
removed out of the Jurisdiction of the St Louis Circuit
Court nor be subject to any severity because of her
application for freedom

S E Lawless
Judge of JudCourt
A true copy
A Gamble Clerk

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**Page 3** (27216_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition to Proceed in Forma Pauperis*

To the Honorable Luke E . Lawless Judge of the
Third Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri
Nancy Ligan a woman of color represents to
your honor that she is now held in slavery in
the city of St Louis by William Myers who pretends
to act as the agent of Daniel Ligan who claims your
petitioner as his slave. Your petitioner states that
she is justly intitled to her freedom She states as
the ground of her freedom that in the summer
of 1893 Daniel Ligan who then owned your petitioner
as a slave & then resided at Galina in the state
of Illinois caused your petitioner to be taken to
Galina in the State of Illinois where he kept &
detained your petitioner for one year or more
during all of which time he used & claimed her
as his slave & execused such continued & required such
service of her as Masters usually execused own &
require of their Slaves. your petitioner prays that
she may be permitted to a suit institute for her freedom
as a poor person that counsel may be assigned
to her to bring & conduct such suit and that
such order or orders may be made as her
present security regenes & the law [illegible]

*Nancy her mark Ligan*

> *Legal Function: Affidavit*

[illegible] [illegible] on her oath
says that the facts in the above petition stated
are true

*Nancy her mark Ligan*
Sworn & Subscribed to
before me this 24th day of
February AD 1835 Patrick Marshl Justice of the peace*

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**Page 4** (27216_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order*

[illegible] of opinion that the [illegible] petition contains
sufficient matter to authorize the commencement of
a suit I Luke E Lawless Judge of the Third
Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri do order
that the within named petitioner Nancy Ligan
he permitted to sue as a poor person to establish
her freedom & for the purpose of commencing
& conducting said suit I assign Gustavus A
Bird as her counsel and I do further [illegible]
order that said Petitioner shall have
reasonable liberty of attending the court & her
counsel when occasion may require and
that the petitioner shall not be taken or removed
out of the juridiction of the St Louis Circuit
Court nor be subject to any severity because
of her application for freedom

*L Lawless
Judge*
Petition of Nancy
Ligan

Item sets: All Circuit Court Records; Freedom Suits Case Files, 1814-1860; Circuit Court Cases