Hiram Nicholson v. Jefferson Blackwell and John Gant

Item

Hiram Nicholson V. Jefferson Blackwell and John Gant. 1836, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 6, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60859

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Case Title: Hiram Nicholson v. Jefferson Blackwell and John Gant
Series: Native Americans; Fur Trade
Plaintiff: Nicholson, Hiram
Defendant: Blackwell, Jefferson; Gant, John
Date Filed: 1837
Filing Date: 1837
Defendant’s Attorney: Shaw, George D.
Court Name: St. Louis Circuit Court
Court Term: 1831-07
Clerk: Gamble, Archibald
Justice of the Peace: Garner, J. G.
Sheriff: Cooper, J.
Jury Foreman: Reed, William
Cause of Action: Debt; Breach of Contract
Case Notes: Plaintiff of Ohio; agreement to send men to Rocky Mountains as hunters or to trade with Indians; printed articles of agreement.
Disposition: Jury Verdict for Plaintiff
Identifier: ccr1837.07396.012
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: **Hiram Nicholson vs. Jefferson Blackwell and John Gant**

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**Page 1** (7396_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Evidentiary Document*

Articles Of Agreement,
made and entered into this twenty second
day of March 1831 ,
by and between
John Gantle & Jefferson Blackwell
of the one part, and Hiram Kichilson of the state of ohio
of the other part,
Witnesseth:
That, Whereas, the said Gantle &
Blackwell proposes sending a party of men to the Rocky
Mountains, to be there, or on either side thereof, employed as Hunters, or to trade with the Indians, &c. Now, Therefore, the said Hiram Kichilson
who declares himself capable of discharging, in the most efficient manner, all the duties required in the business aforesaid, promises and hereby obliges himself to
accompany said Expedition, and to be employed in the service of said Gantle & Blackwell in manner aforesaid, from the present date
until the Thirty first day of July 1832 And the said Hiram Kichilson further promises, that he will, during his
said term of service, promptly, diligently and faithfully discharge his duty, by doing all manner of things in his power of the best interest of said Gantle & Blackwell
; that he will be obedient to their orders, and to the orders of such person or persons as they shall appoint to conduct their business; that in case of
difficulty with Indians, or other persons, he will defend their property or persons, even in the most imminent danger; and the said Hiram Kichilson
further promises, not to trade, directly or indirectly, with any Indian, Indians, or other persons, without the permission of said Gantle & Blackwell
or their Agent, duly authorized to grant such permission; nor will he take with him on said Expedition, any article of trade, other than that which
may be furnished him by the said Gantle & Blackwell or may, by them be permitted; and the said Gantle & Blackwell
on their part, promises to pay to said Hiram Kichilson at the expiration of his said term of
service,the sum of one hundred and ninety two Dollars as a full compensation for his services aforesaid.
In Witness Whereof, the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day and date above written.

*Witness
Hugh M Call Hiram & Kichilson Gantle & Blackwell*

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**Page 2** (7396_002.jpg)
No 43
Hiram Kichilson
No 2
[illegible] [illegible]
Isaac Parker [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]

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**Page 3** (7396_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Subpoena for John Gant and Jefferson Blackwell*

The State Of Missouri , To the Constable of St Louis township, in the county of St St. Louis Greeting:
You are hereby commanded to summon John Patt and
Jefferson Blackwell
to appear before the undersigned, one of the justices of
the peace within and for the said county, on the second [illegible] day of August at
his office in the township of St Louis in said county, between the hours
of ten o'clock in the forenoon, and three o'clock in the afternoon of the said day, to answer to Hiram
[illegible] in an action of debt for a breech of Covenant
Damage Ninety Dollars [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
Parker & William Hall to of the certifying on the above
Given under my hand this twenty seventh day of April 1831

*J. D. Parmer Justice of the Peace.*

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**Page 4** (7396_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Caption*

No 43 May 1837
Hiram [illegible]
Part of Blackwell
summons shal
Damage $ 90.000
Justice [illegible]
Frederick [illegible] in
Iram Parker
Wm Hall
Executed by reading
the within Summons
to the within named
defendant in the
City of St. Louis
April 27th 1831
also summoned
the witnesses
J Cooper Court
Service $
Witnesses

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**Page 5** (7396_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Defendant's Notice of Appeal*

Hiram Nicholson
vs.
Jefferson Blackwell
and John Jane
Justices Court held by Joseph V
Garris Esqr one of the Justices of the
Peace in and for the Township and
County of Saint Louis and State of
Missouri Action of debt upon Covenant commenced by
Summons returnable on Wednesday the Eleventh day of May
in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred
thirty one
Hiram Nicholson the above named Plaintiff
and John Bent Aqino of the said plaintiff will please
to take Notice that the above named defendant have
appealed from the Judgment rendered by said court
in said cause to the next Circuit Court to be [illegible]
in and for the County of Saint Louis and State of Missouri
on the fourth Monday of July next

*Saint Louis May 21st 1831 Jefferson Blackwell
John Gant
Per Geo. D Shaw
agent for defendants*

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**Page 6** (7396_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Caption*

St. Louis Circuit
Jefferson Blackwell
& John [illegible]
[illegible]
Hiram [illegible]
Notice of [illegible]

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**Page 7** (7396_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Defendant's Appeal*

[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] a justice of the peace in and further
[illegible] of St Louis
Hiram Nicholson
Grant [illegible] Blackwell
covenant Damage $ 90[illegible] 00
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] on the [illegible]
Wednesday in [illegible] 1831
may 11th 1831 the defendants appear in their proper persons and
the plaintiff being [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] he further [illegible] [illegible]
by and aforesaid against the said defendants [illegible] when it is [illegible]
by that justice that the said plaintiff take nothing by his said [illegible] [illegible]
be in mercy for his false [illegible] and that the defendant [illegible] hereof
without day and afterwards on the same day and year aforesaid before
the justice aforesaid [illegible] the said plaintiff in his our [illegible] [illegible]
and on motion of the said plaintiff supported by the path of said plaintiff
and bycovenant of the defendants the judgement if [illegible] suit rendered as
aforesaid is set aside and [illegible] Sixteenth day of the same month is [illegible]
upon for the trail aforesaid cause the same day is given the [illegible]
aforesaid thereto at which said day before the justice aforesaid
the parties aforesaid by their [illegible] and other when also at the [illegible]
of the plaintiff [illegible] a [illegible] to writ James F [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] good and lawful were of the township of St Louis [illegible] [illegible]
well and duly to try the matter in dispute between the parties aforesaid
upon their oaths do say that they find for the plaintiff and apell
his damages [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] dollars, where [illegible] it is considered by
the justice that the said plaintiff recover of the defendants his damages
aforesaid in form aforesaid [illegible] together with his costs
by him of out his suit [illegible] and afterward to writ or
the twenty first day of the same month [illegible] Jefferson Blackwell
one of the defendants aforesaid, and prayed an affect to the [illegible]

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**Page 8** (7396_008.jpg)
upon the judgment aforesaid and a [illegible] at the same time
[illegible] the [illegible] and to [illegible] the oath prescribed by law, the
same is granted where
I certify the aforegoing be true transcript [illegible] of a [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] in the action aforesaid between the party aforesaid
as the same [illegible] on [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]

*[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Defendant's Appeal Part 2*

[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
oath [illegible]
[illegible] 25
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] 31 [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] 122
[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
$ [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible]
$ 10..48 [illegible]

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**Page 9** (7396_009.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Defendant's Appeal*

Hiram Nicholson
[illegible] of Blackwell
Before Joseph V . [illegible] a Justice
of the peace in and for the County of
St Louis
We the undersigned Jefferson Blackwell one of the defendants -
aforesaid and Joseph White , acknowledge [illegible] to be indebted
to Hiram Nicholson in the sum of thirty dollars the levied of
our [illegible] your and chattels lands [illegible] when
[illegible] Nevertheless then there the said defendants John
Gant and Blackwell have appealed from the Judgment of [illegible]
V Parmer a Justice of the peace in a certain action where
the above named Hiram Nicholson
is Plaintiff and the said
Gant Blackwell are defendants, none of the said [illegible]
Blackwell the appellant Shall prosecute their said appeal
with effect, pay [illegible] sets by the [illegible] money and
all costs, or otherwise divide the Judgment of the Circuit Court
[illegible] said appeal; then they the said, otherwise
to remain false force to virtue

*John acknowledged stated
by
J [illegible] Parry Jefferson Blackwell
Joseph Whites*
Hiram Nicholson
Gant F Blackwell
On Appeal
Jefferson Blackwell one of the
defendants being duly sworn his oath saith that the
application of the said defendants for an appeal is not made

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**Page 10** (7396_010.jpg)
for the purpose of vexation on delay, but because [illegible]
reply believes the applicants agreed by the said [illegible] of the justice when which
the said appeal is [illegible]

*Sworn to and subscribed
[illegible] of [illegible] 1837
Before J. G. Parmer [illegible] G Jefferson Blackwell*
> *Legal Function: Caption*

No. 123 Saint Louis Circuit Court
July Term 1831
Hiram Nicholson
vs
Jefferson Blackwell
and John Gant

*Filed 25th July 1831 Archibald Gamble Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Caption Part 2*

Hiram Nicholson
Gant Blackwell
transcript an
appeal
> *Legal Function: Caption Part 3*

No Notice of appeal & Judgment affirmed Book 6 page 192

*Archd Gamble Clerk*

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**Page 11** (7396_011.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Jury Verdict*

[illegible] the Jury finds for the Plaintiff
and say that he receive Five dollars
damages

*Wm B Reed
Foreman*

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**Page 12** (7396_012.jpg)

Item sets: All Circuit Court Records; Circuit Court Cases; Native American Case Files, 1800-1848; St. Louis Fur Trade Cases, 1800 - 1834