Celeste, a woman of color v. LaForce Papin
Item
Celeste, a Woman of Color V. LaForce Papin. 1837, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60850
- Case Title
- Celeste, a woman of color v. LaForce Papin
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Celeste
- Defendant
- Papin, Alexander LaForce
- Date Filed
- 1837-01-09
- Filing Date
- 1837-01-09
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- Risque, Ferdinand W.
- Court Name
- St. Louis County Court
- Court Term
- 1837-01
- Clerk
- Ruland, John
- Justice of the Peace
- Lawless, Luke E.
- Sheriff
- Brotherton, Marshall
- Sworn Declarant
- Sullivan, William
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- False Imprisonment
- Assault
- Battery
- Case Notes
- Celeste was daughter of Judy; Vincennes; Ordinance of 1787; Louisville, Kentucky; Kaskaskia; William Lecompte.
- Related Court Case Number
- 6827
- Related Project ID
- ccr1837.06827.008
- ccr1839.06835.014
- ccr1839.06836.046
- Identifier
- ccr1837.06826.008
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Celeste, a woman of color v. LaForce Papin**
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**Page 1** (6826_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis*
To the Honorable Luke E . Lawlep Judge of
the third Judicial circuit for the state of missouri
The petition of Celeste a woman of color respects
fully represents that she [illegible]was born in the
town of Saint Louis about [illegible] six years ago
and is the daughter of Judy who was born in
the state of Virginia about the year 1786 and
when about 10 or 11 years old was brought to Louis
-ville Kentucky and sold to a certain William Sullivan
who kept her for a short time as a slave
and then sold her to a certain Robert Bunton[?]
a resident of the town of Vincennes in the north-
western- Territory. That the said Burton took your
petitioners mother to the town of Vincennes in the
Territory aforesaid about the year 1789 at which
place she was owned and continued to be held as
a slave by the said Burton for the space of two
years or upwards. That after your petitioners mother
had been held and treated as a slave in the
town of Vincennes and Territory aforesaid for the
length of time set forth above she was sent to
Kaskaskia in the said Territory and some short
time afterwards sold to a certain William Lecompte[?]
of the town of St Louis in upper Louisi-ana[?] where she has remained in slavery ever since.
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**Page 2** (6826_002.jpg)
Your petitioner further represents that she is now
illegally held in slavery by a certain Laforce
Papin of Saint Louis contrary to the ordi[?]
nance passed by Congress on the day of
July 1787. Your petitioner therefore prays
that she may be permitted to sue as a
poor person in order to establish her right
to freedom, that counsel be assigned her for
that purpose and finally that your
Honor may grant the usual orders in such
cases and in duty bound will we pray [illegible]
*Celeste her mark a woman of color*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
State of Missouri
Saint Louis county
ss.
This day Judy a woman of color came
before the and undersigned a justice of the peace for the
county aforesaid and made oath that the matters
and things in the foregoing petition certained so far as
they depend upon her knowledge are true and
those [illegible] from the information of others she
[illegible] to be true.
*Judy her mark x a woman of color Subscribed & sworn to
before me this 9th day of
January 1837. P W Walsh Justice*
---
**Page 3** (6826_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order*
1st. It is hereby ordered that Celeste be permitted
to sue as a poor person for the recovery of
her freedom and that J.W.Risque be
assigned as counsel for that purpose.
2d That the said Celeste have reasonable
liberty to attend her counsel and the
court as occasion may require, that
she be not removed out of the jurisdiction
of the court and that she be
not subject to any severity on account
of her application for freedom
9th Jan 1837
*[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
---
**Page 4** (6826_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
Celeste
vs
Papin
Petition to sue
forman pauperis
---
**Page 5** (6826_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
Circuit Court March Term 1837.
Saint Louis County to wit:
Celeste a woman of color by J.W.Risque
her attorney complains of Laforce Papin of a
plea of trespass for false imprisonment:
For that whereas the said Papin heretofore to
wit on the 2d day of January 1837 at the
county of Sanit Louis with force and arms
mede an assault upon the said Celeste to
wit: at &C and then & there beat, [illegible]
and illtreated her the said Celeste and then
& there imprisoned her and kept and detained
her in prison then, without any past, reasonable
or probable cause whatsoever for a
long space of time to wit for the space
of Then next following, contrary to
the act of the general assembly in such
case made and provided and against the
consent of the said Celeste , And the said
Celeste avers that before and at the time of the
committing of the said grievances she was and still is
a free person and that the said Papin held &
still holds her in slavery to the damage of
---
**Page 6** (6826_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
No Circuit Court March Term
1837.
Celeste
vs
Papin
Declaration
This is an action for
false imprisonment in
forma pauperis for the
recovery of freedom.
Damage $ 300. The Clerk will issue a
summons.
*J. W.Risque
p.[illegible]*
the said plaintiff $ 300. and therefore she
brings suit &C.
*J.W. Risque
Counsel for
plaintiff.*
---
**Page 7** (6826_007.jpg)
> *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 Laforce Papin if he be found
in Your County, that he be and appear before the Judge of our
Circuit Court on the first day of the next Term thereof, to
be held at the City of St. Louis within and for the County
of St. Louis on the second Monday of March next- then
and there to answer unto Celestee[?], of a plea of Trespass for
false imprisonment; to the damage of said plaintiff
of Three hundred [illegible] Dollars - and have you
then there this writ.
*Witness John Ruland Clerk
of our said Court and the Seal
thereof hereto affixed at Office in the
City of St. Louis this ninth day of
January Eighteen hundred and
thirty seven. Jn. Ruland Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Order*
1st. It is hereby ordered that Celeste be permitted to sue as a poor person
for the recovery of her freedom, and that J. W. Risque be assigned
as counsel for that purpose.
2nd. - That the said Celeste have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel
and the Court as occasion may require, that she be not removed
out of the jurisdiction of this court and that she be not
subject to any severity on account of application for freedom.
9th Jany 1837.
*L. E . Lawless Judge C. C. C. S Louis A true copy of the orders endorsed on the petition
Attest. Jn. Ruland Clerk*
---
**Page 8** (6826_008.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
No 41 St. Louis Circuit Court
March Term 1837.
Celeste
vs
Laforce Papin
This is an action of trespass
for false imprisonment
Dam. \$300.
*J. W. Risque for plff Filed Jany 9th. 1837. Jn. Ruland Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Unexecuted Summons*
Laforce Papin not found in my County
*James Brotherton sheriff
By M Brotherton D Sheriff Monest $ = 50*
Celeste, a Woman of Color V. LaForce Papin. 1837, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60850