Eliza Briscoe v. William Anderson

Item

Eliza Briscoe V. William Anderson. 1839, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60862

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Case Title: Eliza Briscoe v. William Anderson
Series: Freedom Suits
Plaintiff: Briscoe, Eliza
Defendant: Anderson, William C.
Date Filed: 1839-10-16
Filing Date: 1839-10-16
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Risque, Ferdinand W.
Court Name: St. Louis County Court
Court Term: 1839-10-16
Clerk: Ruland, John
Justice of the Peace: Lawless, Luke E.
Cause of Action: Trespass; False Imprisonment; Assault; Battery
Case Notes: Plaintiff was moved from District of Columbia to Illinois by her master Milton Walker in 1838; later moved to St. Louis & kept in the possession of William Anderson.
Case Number: 40
Identifier: ccr1837.27209.008
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: **Eliza Briscoe v. William Anderson**

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**Page 1** (27209_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis*

To the Hon Luke E Lawless Judge of the Circuit
Court of St Louis County The petition of Eliza
Briscoe respectfully represents
That some time in
the month of July 1838 your petitioner removed
with her master Melton Walker [illegible] the [illegible]
of [illegible] where she had always before lived
to [illegible] court County in the State of Illinois where
they [illegible] some time in the month of August
in the year 1838. That her said master removed
to the place last mentioned for the purpose of
residing & has ever since continued to reside there
that sometime in the month of April
1839. some persons in the place last afore-
said having [illegible] there [illegible] to [illegible]
[illegible] to procue the freedom of you [illegible]
[illegible] your petitioner was thereupon immediately
sent by her master to the city of St Louis
where she has [illegible] since been kept his still
kept in the propession [illegible] the [illegible]
of [illegible] [illegible] of the said City of
St Louis
Your petitioner therefore prays that
she may be permitted to sue as a poor person
in order to establish her right to freedom

*Eliza Briscoe*
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*

State of Missouri
County of St Louis :
Eliza Briscoe this day personally
appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace and [illegible]
for the County aforesaid made oath that the facts stated in the fore
going petition are true to the best of her knowledge & hereby

*subscribed [illegible] to before [illegible]
16th day of october 1839 Geo A Hyde Justice of the peace. Eliza her mark Briscoe*

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**Page 2** (27209_002.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order*

I hereby order that the within named Eliza Briscoe
have been to sue in the Circuit Court of St Louis
County as a poor person in order to established her
right to freedom & I assign her as counsel [illegible]
Risque & [illegible]. St Louis October 16th 1889

*[illegible] [illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Order*

I hereby order that the within named Eliza Briscoe
been reasonable liberty to attend her counsel ofthe Court
as occasion may require that she 'be not received
out of the Jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of St.
Louis County & that she be not subject to any
severity on account of her application for freedom
St Louis October 16th 1899

*[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
In St Louis Cir Court
Eliza Briscoe
vs
Petition & Orders
William Anderson

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**Page 3** (27209_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*

In St St. Louis Circuit Court November term 1839
St Louis County Eliza Briscoe plaintiff in this
suit by Resquie & [illegible] her attornies[?] complains of
William Anderson defendant in this suit of a plea of
trespass. If that the said defendant hereupon
to [illegible] on the fifteenth day of October in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thiry nine
in the city of St Louis & County aforesaid with force &
arms made an assault on the said plaintiff house.
at the county aforesaid & then & there heat bruised &
ill treated her & then & there imprisoned her & kept
her in prison then without any reasonable or [illegible]
[illegible] cause whatsoever for a long space of time to
wit for the space of five months next before the
said fifteenth day of October in the year aforesaid
coutrary to the laws of the State of Missouri and
against the will of the said plaintiff. & other
wrongs to the said plaintiff then & there did
against the place of the State of Missouri & to the
damage of the said plaintiff of five hundred dollars
And the said plaintiff was that before [illegible] the [illegible]
of the committing of the grievances aforesaid by the
said defendant the said plaintiff was & still is a
free person & that the said defendant held & still
holds her in slavery Therefore she brings suit [illegible]

*Risque [illegible] [illegible]
Plff Atty*

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**Page 4** (27209_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

In St St. Louis Circuit Court
Eliza Briscoe
vs
William Anderson
Man in trespass for false
imprisonment
Clerk will issue summons

*Risquie [illegible] [illegible]
Atty for Plff Click will [illegible] summons*

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**Page 5** (27209_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*

County Of St. Louis , Ss. The State Of Missouri , To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting:
We command you to Summon William Anderson if he
be found in your county that he be and appear
before the judge of our Circuit Court , on the firt 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 third Monday
of November next, then and there to answer unto Eliza Briscoe
of a plea of trespass
to the damage of said plaintiff of five hundred
dollars: And have you then there this write.

*Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court,
with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the
City of St. Louis , this Seventeenth day of
October in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and thirty-nine. Jn. Ruland Clerk.*
I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.
Witness my hand and seal, at St. Louis , this day of 18

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**Page 6** (27209_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

I hereby order that the within named Eliza Briscoe
has leave to [illegible] in the Circuit Court of St Louis County
as a poor person in order to establish her right
to freedom &[?] I assign her as counsel [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] St Louis October 16th 1895.
([illegible])

*"[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]"*
"I hereby order that the within named Eliza Briscoe
have [illegible] [illegible] to attend [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] us [illegible] may [illegible]: that stube not
[illegible] out is the [illegible] of the Circuit Court
of St Louis County & that she be not subject
to any severity on account of her application
for freedom St Louis October 16th 1899
(Copy)

*[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
No 219 St Louis Circuit court
November Term 1839
Eliza Briscoe
vs
William Anderson
summons
Trespass Dam $ 500
Suit for Freedom

*Risque & Hayt[?]
P.q Filed October 17th 1839 Jn Ruland [illegible] V
Free*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*

Excuted this writ by offering to read it and the declaration, and
petition and orders of the Hon. Judge to William Anderson
all of which he refused to hear read, on the 17th day
of October, 1839, in the County of St. Louis

*Marshall Brotherton Sheriff
By Joseph W M [illegible] D Shff Service $ 1.00 Dismisud Book 10 page 213*

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**Page 7** (27209_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Answer*

St. Louis Circuit Court Nov. T. 1830
Eliza Briscoe
vs
William Anderson
and the said Anderson
by his attorney comes & defends the force and
injury when & and protesting that he hath
not been quilty of the assault & battery &
false imprisonment for plea to the said declara[?]
tion[?] says he [illegible] disclaims to hold
the said plaintiff in slavery & that he hath
ever done so wherefore he prays judgment
L.C. & that he may be discharged herefrom
L.C.

*[illegible] & [illegible]
attys for deft*

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**Page 8** (27209_008.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

No 219 November Term 1839
St St. Louis Circuit Court
Eliza Briscoe
vs
Wm Anderson
plea

*[illegible] & [illegible]
attys Filed Nov 18 1839 Jn Ruland Clerk*

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

Eliza Briscoe V. William Anderson. 1839, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60862