Celeste, a minor, by and through her next friend, Judy v. William Sullivan

Item

Celeste, a Minor, by and through Her Next Friend, Judy V. William Sullivan. 1837, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60851

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Case Title: Celeste, a minor, by and through her next friend, Judy v. William Sullivan
Series: Freedom Suits
Plaintiff: Celeste
Defendant: Sullivan, William
Date Filed: 1837-01-09
Next Friend: Judy
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; Creli, Franics
Cause of Action: Trespass; False Imprisonment; Assault; Battery
Case Notes: Plaintiff, age 1, through grandmother Judy, sued for freedom based on Judy's suit; daughter of Celeste; mentioned Louisville, Kentucky; William Sullivan; Robert Bunton, Vincennes, Indiana; Kaskaskia, Illinois; Ordinance of 1787; William LeCompte.
Case Number: 42
Related Court Case Number: 6826
Related Project ID: ccr1837.06826.008; ccr1839.06836.046; ccr1839.06835.014; ccr1837.06785.008
Identifier: ccr1837.06827.008
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: **Celeste, a minor, by and through her next friend, Judy v. William Sullivan**

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**Page 1** (6827_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis*

To the Honorable Lake E. Lawless Judge of the
third Judicial Circuit for the State of missouri:
The petition of Celeste a minor by her grand mother
and next friend Judy respectfully represents
that she [illegible] was born in the
city of Saint Louis about one year ago and
is the grand 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 Louisville 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 Bunton took your petitioner's
grand mother to Vincennes in the Territory aforesaid
about the year 1792[?] at which place she
was owned and kept continued to he held as a
slave by the said Bunton for the space of two
years or upwards. That after your petitioners
grand mother had been held and treated as a
slave in Vincennes aforesaid for the length of
time above set forth she was sent to Kaskaskia [illegible]
in the Territory aforesaid and some short time

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**Page 2** (6827_002.jpg)
afterwards sold to a certain William Lecompte[?] of
the town of St Louis in upper Louisiana where
she has remained as a slave ever since.
Your petitioner further represents that she is
now illegally held in slavery by a certain
Laforce Papin of St Louis contrary to the
ordinances passed by Congress on the day
of July 1787. Your petitioner [illegible]
therefore prays that she may be
permitted to sue as a poor person for
the recovery of her freedom by Judy her
grand mother and next friend that counsel
be assigned her for that purpose
and finally that your Honor may the
usual orders in such cases and as in
duty bound will ever pray & C

*Celestine by Judy
her grand mother &
next friend her mark*
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*

State of missouri
Saint Louis County
Ss.
This day Judy a woman of color
come before the undersigned and made oath that the matters
and things in the foregoing petition contained are [illegible]
as far as they depend upon her own knowledge
and those derived from the information of

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**Page 3** (6827_003.jpg)
others she belives to he true
subscribed and sworn to
before me this 9th day
of January 1837.

*J. W . Walsh Justice Celestine by Judy
her grand mother and
next friend him
mark*
> *Legal Function: Order*

1st It is hereby ordered that Celestine be
permitted to sue as a poor person for
the recovery of her freedom by her
grand mother and next friend Judy
[illegible] that J.W. Risque be assigned
her as counsel for that purpose.
2nd That the said Celestine have reasonable
liberty to attend her counsel and the court
as occasion may require that she he
not removed out of the jurisdiction
of the court, and that she be not
subjected to any severity on account
of her application for freedom.

*LE Lawless
Judge C C.C. St Louis [illegible] 9th Jany 1837*

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**Page 4** (6827_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

Celestine by &
vs
Papin
Petition to sue in
forma pauperis

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**Page 5** (6827_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*

Circuit Court March Term 1837.
Saint Louis County to wit:
Celestine by Celeste Judy her grand mother and next
friend by F.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 aforesaid with
force and arms made an assault upon the
said Celestine to wit, at &C, and then &
there beat, bruised and ill treated her the
said Celestine and then and ther imprisoned
her and kept and detained her in prison
then without any reasonable or probable cause
whatsoever for a long space of time to wit:
for the space of Then next following
contrary [illegible] to the act of the general
assembly in such case made and provided
and against the consent of the said
Celestine . And the said Celestine by Celeste
her mother and next friend avers that before
and at time of the committing of the said

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**Page 6** (6827_006.jpg)
grievances she was and still is a free person
and that the said Papin held and still
holds her in salvery to the damage of
the said plaintiff $ 300. and therefore
she brings suit &C.

*F.W.Risque
counsel for
plaintiff*
No Circuit-Court March Term 1837
Celestine by &C
vs
Papin
Declaraion
This is an action of trespass
for false imprisonment brought in forma
pauperis for the recovery
of freedom. The clerk will issue a summons. Damage $ 300.

*F.W.Risque
p.q.*

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**Page 7** (6827_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 [illegible] to answer unto Celestine who & was by her grand mother & next friend Judy a plea of Trespass
for false imprisonment, to the damage of said plaintiff
of Three hundred Dollars, and have you then there
this writ.

*Witness John Ruland Clerk
of our said Court and 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 Celestine be permitted to sue as a poor person
for the recovery of her freedom by her grand mother and next friend
Judy and that F.W.Risque be assigned her as counsel for that purposed
2nd- That the said Celestine have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel
and the Court as occasion may required that she be not removed
out of the jurisdiction of this court, and that she be not subject
to any severity on account of her application for freedom.
St. Louis 9th Jany 1837. L.E.Lawless Judge C.C. C. St. Louis .

*A true copy of the order endorsed on the petition.
Attest. Jn Ruland Clerk*

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**Page 8** (6827_008.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

No 42 S.St. Louis Circuit Court
March Term 1837
Celestine (who sues by her Grand
mother & next friend.-
vs
Laforce Papin
This is an action of trespass
for false imprisonment
Damage $ 300

*F.W.Risque Pltf filed Jany 9 1837 Jn. Ruland Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Unexecuted Summons*

Laforce Papin not found in my
county

*James Brotherton
sheriff By M Brotherton D shff monest 50 cts*

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