Anderson Steward, a colored man v. John M. Jamison
Item
Anderson Steward, a Colored Man V. John M. Jamison. 1844, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60929
- Case Title
- Anderson Steward, a colored man v. John M. Jamison
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Steward, Anderson
- Defendant
- Jamison, John M.
- Date Filed
- 1844-07-01
- Filing Date
- 1844-07-01
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Court Term
- 1844-04
- Judge
- Krum, John M.
- Justice of the Peace
- , Alphons
- Cause of Action
- False Imprisonment
- Case Notes
- Plaintiff Stewart was servant at Fort Smith, Arkansas & at Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.
- Case Number
- 390
- Related Court Case Number
- 6861
- Related Project ID
- ccr1844.06861.004
- Identifier
- ccr1844.06860.004
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Anderson Steward, a colored man v. John M. Jamison**
---
**Page 1** (6860_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Plaintiff's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus*
To the Hon. the Judge of the St. Louis Circuit Court
Anderson Steward , a free colored man
respectfully represents to your honor, that he is
confined and restrained of his reasonable liberty by
one John M . Jamison jailor of the County of St Louis ,
aforesaid, in the said jail - that said confinement is
not by virtue of any warrant, order or process.
Petitioner does not know with certainty the true cause
of his imprisonment, but believes that it is owing
wholly to his color - he states that prior to the
22 June 1844, he had been in the service of Lt Col
Loomis 6th infantry U.S. Army at Fort Smith & also at Fort Gibson
as a
hireling, that on that day he left the service of said
Loomis, intending to go up the upon Mississippi, and
there hire himself as a servant to some officer of
the U.S. at a government fort, and with that
view recieved from said Loomis a certificate of
character &c, which will be shown your honor,
that he got on board of the steamer Jm. White
on her passage up from New Orleans to St Louis
with the purpose of proceeding up the said river
to Praire Du Chien[?] or St Peters , but that on the
landing of said boat at St Louis on yesterday, he
was taken by the officers of said boat and
committed to the custody of the said Jamison .
Petitioner states that said imprisonment is illegal
in as much as it is made, without warrant order or
process of law, and he prays for the benefit of the writ
of Habeas Corpus, and that he may be discharged.
*Andrew his mark Steward*
> *Legal Function: Jurat*
State of Missouri
St. Louis County Ss.
Anderson Steward being sworn says
that the facts set forth in the forgoing petition are true.
*Sworn to & subscribed the
1 July 1844 before
Alphons[?] [illegible]
Justice of the peace Anderson his mark Steward*
---
**Page 2** (6860_002.jpg)
---
**Page 3** (6860_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Writ of Habeas Corpus*
State of Missouri
St. Louis County Ss
The State of Missouri to John
M . Jamison , jailor of St Louis County Greeting
You are hereby commanded to have the body of
Anderson Steward , imprisoned as it is alledged by
you, before the Circuit Court of St. Louis, County at the
hour of ten o'clock A.M. of this day, together
with the time and cause of said imprisonment
and have you then there this writ - Herein fail
not.
*Witness the hand of the [illegible]
John M . Krum[?] judge of the said St. Louis
Circuit Court , this 1st day of July 1844 John M . Krum[?]
Judge 8th Judicial Cir MO[?]*
---
**Page 4** (6860_004.jpg)
Petitioner brought into Court & discharged Bk 15 p 174. (July 1st
1844.). [illegible] fee bill vs Petitioner
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*
No. 390. St St. Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1844
Anderson Steward
vs
John M . Jamison
``By the Habeas Corpus act''
*Filed July 1st 1844 John Ruland Clerk*
> *Legal Function: Return of Writ*
To the Hon. the Circuit Court of St. Louis County.
I herewith return this writ, and state that I
have the body of Anderson Steward before said Court
as herein I am commanded, and further state that
said Anderson Steward was not committed to my custody
by virtue of any warrant order or proofs of law but
was delivered into my said Anderson Steward was not committed to my custody by of any warrant, order, or process of law, but was delivered into my hands, by the officers of the Steam
boat J. M. White , for safe keeping, until satisfactory
proof should be had of his freedom, he said Anderson
being a passenger up the said river Mississippi on
said boat; said commitment was made to the
jail of said county on the 30th day of [illegible] June 1844.
*July 1st 1844 J M Jamison Jailor*
Anderson Steward, a Colored Man V. John M. Jamison. 1844, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60929