Squire Brown, a man of color v. Charles Anderson
Item
Squire Brown, a Man of Color V. Charles Anderson. 1843, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60914
- Case Title
- Squire Brown, a man of color v. Charles Anderson
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Brown, Squire
- Defendant
- Anderson, Charles R.
- Date Filed
- 1843-07-31
- Filing Date
- 1843-07-31
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Court Term
- 1843-11
- Judge
- Mullanphy, Bryan
- Clerk
- Ruland, John
- Sheriff
- Milburn, William
- Cause of Action
- Trespass
- False Imprisonment
- Assault
- Battery
- Case Notes
- Owned by William Anderson, sold to Charles Anderson; plaintiff claimed Anderson did not provide him with clothing, would hire him out and keep all the wages and threatened to send him away.
- Case Number
- 432
- Identifier
- ccr1843.06856.008
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Squire Brown, a man of color v. Charles Anderson**
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**Page 1** (6856_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition*
To the Honorable Bryan Mullanphy Judge
of the Circuit Court of St Louis County
The petition of Squire
Brown a man of color respectfully [illegible]
[illegible]. That at the July Term of the
St Louis Cricut Court for the year
eighteen hundred forty one. Your petitioner
institutes a suit for freedom in order
to establish his right to freedom and
one William [illegible] who then claimed
to be owner of your petitioner, that previous
to the instituion of said your [illegible] had
made an order granting leave to your
petitioner to sue as a poor person for an
above purpose. also an order that your
petitioner have [illegible] reasonable
liberty to leture his Counsel & the Court as
occassion[?] might require that he be
not removed out of the jurisdiction
of said Court- & be not subject to any severity on account of his application for
freedom. That the same term your
[illegible] assigned [illegible] Davis Dayton
as counsel for your petitioner in the above
mentioned suit.
Your petitioner final his repre[?]
sents that. [illegible] the institution of said
suit the said William [illegible] anderson has
as your petitioner his been informed &[?]
believes sold your petitioner to one Charles
anderson who now claims to be the owner
of or is exercising acts of ownership over your
petitioner. That the said Charles anderson
has threatened to sell your petitioner & have
him removed from the State beyond the
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**Page 2** (6856_002.jpg)
jurisdiction of said Court & your petitioner
verily believes that [illegible] prevented by
the interference of your [illegible] the said
Anderson will [illegible] of your petitioner
& have him removed beyond the juris
diction of this Court. Your petitioner
further represents that said Anderson
has for some time past up to the
thirty-first day of July instant hired out
your petitioner & received the whole of his
wages. refused to furnish your petition
er with a single article of clothing al
though your petitioner has frequently re
quested & stands in great need clothing
& the said Anderson has repeatedly told
your petitiioner that he would not
furnish him with any clothing un[?]
[illegible] less. Your petitioner would con
sent to a dismissal of said suit. [illegible]
and your petitioner [illegible] represents
that the said Anderson he is now
confined in the jail of St Louis County
by the said Anderson without any
good cause whatever that your petitioner
is aware of, but your petitioner believes
that he is thus confined for the purpose
of being [illegible] to dismiss the said suit
your petitioner therefore prays that your
Honor will grant such relief as the
motion of the Court requires.
*Squire his Brown
mark*
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
Squire Brown this day
sworn deposes [illegible]
that the facts set forth
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**Page 3** (6856_003.jpg)
in the [illegible] petition an [illegible] as
he verily believes
*Subscribed & sworn to this
31st day of July 1843 Squire his mark Brown Jn Ruland Clerk By [illegible] [illegible] Milbourne[?] Depty.*
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**Page 4** (6856_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Cover Page*
In the matter of
Petition [illegible]
Charles Anderson present- Wm Anderson
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**Page 5** (6856_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Capias Summons*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
ss The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of St Louis
County Greeting
It having been alleged to our
Circuit Judge of the Eighth
Jud. Cir.[?]. (in the annexed aff
davit that one Squire Brown
(a man of color to whom hereto-
fore leave hath been granted
to sue for his freedom in the
St Louis County Circuit Court ),
is about to be removed out
of the jurisdiction of said
Court and is harshly treated
with undue severity on account
of his application for freedom,
therefore you will take the
said Brown & have, his body he-
fore me at the [illegible] [illegible] the Sheriff office in the city of
St Louis at 3'o clock P. M. this
day and summon Charles Anderson
& William Anderson and any
person in whose possession said
Brown may be forced to appear be-
fore me at the same time & place I have then there this writ
As witness the hand of our said, Judge this 3d Aug 1843
*Bryan Mccleanffs Judge 8th Jud Cir.[?] [illegible] [illegible]*
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**Page 6** (6856_006.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
no. 232 St. Louis Circuit Court August Term 1843
Brown
[illegible]
Anderson
Brand Le
*Filed August 3. 1843 J.Ruland Clk*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Executed the within order in the
County of St. Louis as the 3d Augt 1843
by Summoning Charles Anderson &
the jailor of St. Louis the County Benjamin to appear at [illegible] Sheriffs office at 3
O' Clock P. M. this day before the Judge of the
Circuit Court . William Anderson [illegible] said
and by having the body of the negroe before the judge as directed
[illegible]
*Service $ 3.00 Mon est ''.13 $ 3.13 William Milburn Shff. By Danl. Murphy Depty.*
The Sheriff is directed to [illegible] there
papers & annex[?]ed receiving and to the
Clerk of the Circuit Count and surrender
negroe to Charles R Anderson 3 Aug 1843
*Bryan[illegible] Murphy Judge 8th Jud. Cir.[?]
of Mo.*
Papers & the annexed recognisazion on [illegible] -
them to the clerk of the Circuit Count as directed above
this 3 of [illegible]day august — 1843
*William Milburn
Sheriff*
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**Page 7** (6856_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Bond*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
ss
The writ having been returned as witness
the return here to annexed, & the time limited
having expired & Charles Anderson having
been duly called at the door of the Sheriffs office
[illegible] appeared and offered to
enter into the recognizance as required by 7th.
Dec. of an act to enable persons held in Slavery to
sue for their freedom approved Jan 27 - 1835.
We the undersigned do in presence of &
before [illegible] in [illegible] Mullanphy Judge of the Eighth
Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri
acknowledge ourselves held & firmly bound & in
debted to the State of Missouri in the sum
of six hundred dollars to be levied of our res-
pective land; & tenements goods & [illegible], never-
theless upon the following condition that whereas
Squire Brown hath sued William C. Anderson
in the the Circuit Court of aforesaid Circuit for
the County of St Louis , for his said Brown , freedom,
and hath [illegible] been hold to Charles K. Anderson,
now if said Brown shall during the pendency of
said suit have reasonable liberty of attending his counsel
& the Court & shall not be removed out of the
Jurisdiction of Said Court or any any other
Court to [illegible] said suit may be removed
or in which it may be pending & shall not be subjected to
any severity on account of his application
for freedom then this recognizance shall
be void, otherwise the same shall be and
remain in full force as witness our hands this
third August A.D. one thousand Eigh hundred &
forty three.
*Certified this day & year aforesaid
[illegible] Mullanphy Judge 8th Jud.
Cir.[?] of Mo. Chas. R Anderson
Ely. Anderson*
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**Page 8** (6856_008.jpg)
Squire Brown, a Man of Color V. Charles Anderson. 1843, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60914