James v. Charles Haskin
Item
James V. Charles Haskin. 1837, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60863
- Case Title
- James v. Charles Haskin
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- James
- Defendant
- Haskin, Charles
- Date Filed
- 1837-01-09
- Filing Date
- 1837-01-09
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- Bowlin, James B.
- Court Name
- St. Louis County Court
- Court Term
- 1837-01
- Clerk
- Ruland, John
- Justice of the Peace
- Lawless, Luke E.
- Sworn Declarant
- Sullivan, William
- Creli, Franics
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- False Imprisonment
- Assault
- Battery
- Case Notes
- Whitset also known as Whitesides; plaintiff brought to Illinois when 12 - 14 years old (1792), held her as slave, then moved back to Missouri 1796; Whitset died & gave her to son Thomas; court allows Winny's children to sue for their freedom.
- Case Number
- 169
- Identifier
- ccr1837.27210.010
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**James v. Charles Haskin**
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**Page 1** (27210_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
No 169 S St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1837
James , alias James Haskins
vs
Charles Haskins
Trespass [illegible] [illegible] $ 500.
*Rowlin[?] Atty for Plff Filed Sept 14. 1837. Jn Ruland Clerk [illegible]*
Dismissed Book 10 page 64
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**Page 2** (27210_002.jpg)
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**Page 3** (27210_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
To The Hon. Luke E. Lawless Judge of the
Circuit Court of St Louis County-
Humbly complaining sheweth
unto your Honor your petitioner James alias James & Has
kins that he entitled to his freedom, and is
now held in slavery by Charles Haskins
of St Clair County Illinois, who is now, in
St Louis And is entitled to his freedom
from the following causes- That about
fourteen years ago your Petitioner was brought
to the State of Illinois from Kentucky by
Philimron Haskins the father of Charles
Haskins - and was kept and detained in
slavery in said state of Illinouis about
one year when Philimron Haskins brought
your petitioner to Missouri and hired him
out at the mines where he remained about
Two years, that since that period your
petitioner has been hired out in and
about St Louis by Philimron Haskins
until his death, which happened about
eight years ago- It being the wish of
old [illegible] Haskins that your peitioner should
go free after his death, a fact will
known in the family, and it being under
stood, that your petitioner had a right
to his freedom from having been detained
in slavery in Illinois - Upon the death of
of his old Master your petitioner demanded
his freedom, when it was agreed by Charles
Haskins the present claimant of your
peitioner, that if your peitioner would
serve six years longer, in St Louis , that
he should name his freedom- your peitioner
States that he served out the six years
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**Page 4** (27210_004.jpg)
with honesty and fidelity- and the said
Charles Haskins has received all the
benefits of said Hire, and still refuses
to set your petitioner free- And for as
much as your petitioner is entitled
to his freedom from having been kept
in involuntary servidtude in the state
of Illinois - he prays your Honor to make
an order, securing to him reasonable
liberty to attend his counsel and the Court
as occasion may require, and that
your petitioner be not removed out of
the jurisdiction of the Court and that
he be not subject to any severity
on account of his application for
freedom- and such the order as
your honor may deem proper in the
[illegible] -
*St Louis Sept 14th 1837 James his mark Haskins [illegible]
Jos B Bowlin*
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**Page 5** (27210_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
Ss St St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1837
James alias James Haskins plaintiff
complains of Charles Haskins of a
plea of trespass assault and Battery
and false imprisonment for this, that
the said Charles Haskins on the first
day of august in the year of our Lord
One thousand Eight hundred and thirty seven
at the County aforesaid with force and
armes[?] to wit with [illegible] fists and [illegible]
an assault and make, and then and there
beat bruised wounded and ill treated the
said plaintiff, and then and there in
prisoned him and kept and detained
him in prison for a long time "to wit"
for the space of thirty days, then next following
without any reasonable or [illegible]
cause whatsoever and holds and still detains him as a slave contrary to the laws
and authorities of this state, and against
the will of the said plaintiff -[?] And
the said plaintiff in fact [illegible], that before
and at the time of the committing of the said
several grievances he was and still is
a free person, and not legally subject to be reading [illegible]
and that the defendant
held and still holds him in slavery- and other
outrages to the said plaintiff then and there
did, to the to the great danger of the said
plaintiff of five hundred dollars, therefore
he brings this suit :-
*Bowlin p.q.*
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**Page 6** (27210_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*
County of St. Louis Ss
The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of the County of St. Louis
Greeting:
We commanded you to Summon Charles Has
kins 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 [illegible] there of that he
be and appears before the Judge of our Circuit
Court to be held at the City of St.Louis , within &
for the County of St. Louis on the second monday
of [illegible] next - then and there to [illegible]
[illegible] to James alias James Haskins of a plea of trespass
assault and Battery and false imprisonmnent
to the damage of said plaintiff of Five
hundred Dollars- and hand you then
there this wit.
*Witness John Ruland Clerk aforesaid court and
the seal there of here to affixed
at office in the City of S. Louis
this fourteenth day of
September Eighteen hund
red and thirty one. Jn. Ruland Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Executed this wit on the 14th day of september 1837 in
the County of St Louis by reading it and the petitions
order & complaint to Charles Haskins the defendant [illegible]
*James Brotherton Sheriff
By J Gordon Depty Sheriff Service $ 1.00*
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**Page 7** (27210_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Order*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
Upon due examination of
the above petition of James alias James Has
kins[?] and believing it presents sufficient
grounds- it is therefore ordered, that the said
James be and he is hereby permitted and
allowed to sue as a poor person, to establish
his right to freedom -- and further that
he have reasonable liberty to attend
his Counsel in the court as occasion
may require, and that he be not removed
out of the jursdiction of the Court and that
he be not subject to any severity on
account of his application for freedom
and James B Bowlin is hereby appointed
counsel to prosecute his cause
*Sept 14th 1837. [illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
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**Page 8** (27210_008.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Cover Page*
James Haskins
vs
Chas. Haskins
Petition
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**Page 9** (27210_009.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons*
County of St. Louis , Sct.
State Of Missouri , To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to summon Sylvester Labidie[?]
and Patrick Walsh Esq.
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, he be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the twenty ninth day of
april (inst) at the City of St. Louis , then and there to testify,
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
Wherein James Haskin [illegible]
plaintiff and Charles Haskins is
defendent on the part of plaintiff
and have you then and there this writ.
*Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit
Court , at the City of St. Louis , this 27th
day of april in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty thirty nine. John Ruland Clerk C. C.*
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**Page 10** (27210_010.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Excuted this writ in the county of St Louis
by reading it to the with in named witnesses
on the 29th day april 1839
*Marshall Brotherton
Sheriff
By Benjamin Lary [illegible] Sheriff [illegible] $ 1.00*
> *Legal Function: Cover Page*
Jas Haskins
vs
Charles Haskins
Subpoena
*Witness Sylvester Labidie[?]
P Walsh Esq.*
James V. Charles Haskin. 1837, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60863