Alfred Taylor, a man of color v. Cornelius Van Houton

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Alfred Taylor, a Man of Color V. Cornelius Van Houton. 1847, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 9, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60966

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Case Title: Alfred Taylor, a man of color v. Cornelius Van Houton
Series: Freedom Suits
Plaintiff: Talyor, Alfred
Defendant: Van Houton, Cornelius
Date Filed: 1847-10-07
Filing Date: 1847-10-07
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Hudson, Thomas B.
Defendant’s Attorney: Leslie, Miron; Lord, Charles B.
Court Name: St. Louis Circuit Court
Judge: Hamilton, Alexander
Clerk: Ruland, John
Sheriff: LaBeaume, Louis T.; Shands; Brown
Cause of Action: Trespass; False Imprisonment; Assault; Battery
Case Notes: Plaintiff taken off of steamboat.
Case Number: 93
Related Court Case Number: 06883; 06884; 06885; 06886; 06887; 06888; 06889
Identifier: ccr1848.06816.012
Source: Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
Rights: Public Domain
PDF Download: Download PDF of all images
Transcription: **Alfred Taylor, a man of color v. Cornelius Van Houton**

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**Page 1** (6816_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition to Sue for Freedom and to Sue in Forma Pauperis*

To the Honorable Alexander Hamilton
Judge of the Circuit Court within and
for the County of St. Louis State of Missouri

The petition of Alfred Taylor, a free man, of color
respectfully represents to your honor that he is now confined
in the common jail, of said County and there
detained by the jailor of the County aforesaid. Your petitioner
states that ^ he was ^ seized by the Sheriff of said County
as the property of one Cornelius Van Houton at the suit
of Norman Cutter commenced in the Court of
Common Pleas of said county by attachment. Your
petitioner states, that at the present term of the said
Court of Common Pleas, the said Cutter moved the
said last mentioned court, for an order of sale in said
Cause and the Said Court of Common Pleas where the said
motion did make an order that your petitioner
should be sold as the Property of said Cornelius Van
Houton attached as aforesaid. Your petitioner states
that the said sheriff has avertised your petitioner for
sale and will doubtless sell him on this seventh day
of October 1848, unless your honor should interfere and
allow your petitioner to sue for his freedom. Your
petitioner states that at the time he was seized on the
attachment aforesaid as the property, of said Cornelius
Van Houton he was entitled to his freedom and of right
ought to have been free and absolved from involuntary
servitude. Your petitioner states that he was formerly
the slave of Isaac Van Houton &ct a resident of
St. Louis aforesaid now deceased, that said Isaac departed,
this life some time in the early part of 1847. That after the
death of said Isaac the said Cornelius claimed to
be the owner of your petitioner and held, him in slavery
up to the time he was attached as aforesaid. Your
petitioner states, that he does not know, by what right

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**Page 2** (6816_002.jpg)
or authority the said Cornelius holds or purports to
claim your petitioner as his slave. Your petitioner
states that in the lifetime of the said Isaac your petitioner
was often assured by the said Isaac that your petitioner
should be liberated and "set free" upon the payment
by your petitioner of the sum of eight hundred
dollars. Your petitioner states that he paid to the said
Isaac in his lifetime two hundred and forty six
dollars and to the widow of the said Isaac Van Houton
at the request of the said Cornelius the sum of ninety
nine dollars and to the said Cornelius the sum of
four hundred and fifty five dollars making in all
the sum of Eight hundred dollars. Your petitioner states
that the said Cornelius since the death of the said Isaac
and before the issuance of the attachment in said cause ^ cause ^ repeatedly
promised, your petitioner that he the said Cornelius
would in due time by proper and sufficient deed liberate
and emancipate your petitioner, which promises and
the said Cornelius have broken and wholly
failed to fulfill and perform. Your petitioner states that
he is in equity and good conscience entitled o his freedom
upon the ground that he has paid to those claiming him as
a slave the amount agreed that he should pay and his
value, even if he were a slave. Your petitioner further
states that in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and forty one or two the date not recollected
the said Isaac Van Houton took your petitioner to the
state of Illinois and there [toint?] at Naples and other
towns in said state the names which are not known
to your petitioner nor does he know the ^ names of the ^ counties in which
said towns are situated but he knows they are in the state of Illinois , that said Isaac Van Houton in the said town
of Naples and other towns in said state of Illinois held
your petitioner in slavery and involuntary servitude.

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**Page 3** (6816_003.jpg)
and compelled your petitioner to labor for him the said
Isaac Van Houton as a Slave for a long space of
time to wit for the space of ten days. Your petitioner
therefore prays that he may be permitted to sue as a
poor person to establish his right to his freedom that
your Honor may make an order allowing your petitioner
to sue an giving security satisfactory to the Clerk of the
St. Louis Circuit Court And also that your petitioner
have reasonable liberty to attend his Counsel and the Hon
the Circuit Court as occasion may require. And that he 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 pursuant to the form of the
statute in such case made and [unclear] and finally
that your Hon. may grant unto your petitioner such other
and further relief in the presence as the law may warrant
and to your honor the nature of his case requires
and in duty bound he will ever pray &ct

Alfred Taylor By
J.B. Hudson his
atty

> *Legal Function: Notarization*

State of Missouri
County of St Louis

Alfred Taylor
The above named petitioner
being duly sworn on his oath states there the foregoing petition
has been read to him that he understands the contents
thereof and he further states that the matters and things
are true, to the best of his Knowledge and belief.

*Alfred his X mark Taylor*

Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 7th day
of October AD 1848
and affixed my official seal
Benj'n Chamberlain
Notary Public - St Louis Co. Mo.

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**Page 4** (6816_004.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Filing*

No 93
In St St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1848
Filed Oct 7th 1848
Jno. Ruland Clk

> *Legal Function: Caption*

Alfred Taylor of color
vs. }
Cornelius Van Houton
Petition to sue for freedom
Hudson [sol pr?] pet'r

> *Legal Function: Order*

It is hereby ordered that the within
named petitioner be allowed to sue
on giving security satisfactory to the
Clerk of the St St. Louis Circuit Court for
all costs that may be adjudged
against him.

Second,, It is further ordered that the
said petitioner have reasonable
liberty to attend his Counsel and
the Court as occasion may require
and that he be not removed out of
the State or Jurisdiction of the St.
Louis Circuit Court and that he be
not subject to any severity on account
of his application for freedom
Given under my hand & seal October
7th 1848

Oct. 7. 1848 A. Hamilton
[unclear] Judicial
Circuit. Mo

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**Page 5** (6816_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Complaint of Alfred Taylor*

State of Missouri
County of St :ouis
In the St Louis Circuit Court
November term 1848

Alfred Taylor , a free man, of color,
the plaintiff, in this case, by [illegible] his attorny complains,[?] of Cornelius Vanhouton Lewis Moutin,[?] and Samuel Conway defendants,
of a pleas, of trespass for, that the said defendants on, the first day, of August in, the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and forty eight at St Louis , in the County of St Louis aforesaid with, [illegible]
and [illegible] the said
plaintiff, to [illegible] at the county aforesaid, and then and,
there seized, and laid hold, of the said plaintiff, and with great force, and violence,-
[illegible] the said plaintiff, and [illegible] the said plaintiff a great many violent blows, and strikes, and also, then and forced, and compelled, the said plaintiff, to [illegible]
and off of a [illegible] then [illegible] and [illegible]
at the county aforesaid, [illegible] to go in and [illegible] to the Common Jail, of said County situated,
in the county aforesaid, and there then imprisoned, the said plaintiff, and kept and detained him,
in person, there without any reasonable, or probably cause, [illegible] for a long space of time, to wit from, that day witherto,[?]
and still holds detains and imprisons, the said plaintiff in the jail aforesaid,
to wit, at the at the county aforesaid against the law of,
our said state and against the will of the said plaintiff,
[illegible] the said plaintiff, was greatly hurt and injured,
to wit, at the at the county aforesaid, [illegible] the said plaintiff,
[illegible] at [illegible] of the [illegible]
above stated he, was and still is, [illegible]a free person,

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**Page 6** (6816_006.jpg)
and that the said defendants held, and still holds, said plaintiff, in slavery, to wit, at
the County aforesaid, to the to the damage, of the said
plaintiff, [illegible] therefore he brings his suit,

*Hudson atty for plff,*
> *Legal Function: Caption*

no
In St louis Court, court
november term 1848
Alfred Tayloy v Corneliu VanHouton,[?]
[illegible] for freedom,

*[illegible] the [illegible]
[illegible]*

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**Page 7** (6816_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Summons of Cornelius Van Houten, Louis Martin and Samuel Conway*

County Of St. Louis , Ss. The State Of Missouri , To the Sheriff of St. Louis County, Greeting:
We command you To Summon Cornelius Van, Houton Louis , Martin , and Samuel Conway , 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 term thereof, to be
held at the City of St. Louis , within and for the County of St. Louis , on third Mon-
day of November next, then and there to answer unto Alfred Taylor , of color of, a plea
of [illegible] trespass,
to the damage of said palintiff one hundred
dollars: And have you then there this writ.

*Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court,
with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the
city of St. Louis , this 7th day of
Oct . in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty-
eight . JN Ruland ,[?] Clerk.*
> *Legal Function: Acknowledgement*

I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.

*Witness my hand and seal, at St. Louis , this seventh day of October 1848 [illegible]*

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**Page 8** (6816_008.jpg)
Plea, by Martin Conway, 18p391 [illegible] for [illegible] van [illegible] 18 p 445 ( copy order [illegible]) [illegible] at [illegible] Sep-11-1849- 19p 175
> *Legal Function: Caption*

No 93 St.Louis circuit court November term 1848
Alfred Taylor (of color vs Cornelius van Hanton nab
Sacdd. dam [illegible]:or

*Hudson p,g*
> *Legal Function: Order*

It is here by ordered that there within named
petition to be allowed to sue ongoing so-
clearly satisfactory to the clerk of the St. louis circuit Court for all costs that may be
adjudged against him. Second It is further
ordered that the said petitioner, have Rea
sonable liberty to attend his counsel and
the court as occasion may require and
that he be not removed out of the state or
jurisdiction of the st. Louis circuit court and
that he be not suffer to any severity on ac,-
count, of his application for freedom. Given under,
my hand and, seal October 7th 1848

*Oct 7th 1848 [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
july filed Oct 7th 1848 [illegible] fea \$2 nut 4 1/3 by plaintiff*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Service*

Served, this writ in the county of St.Louis on this
7th day of October 1848 by offering to read
it and this declaration to Samuel Conway which he refused to hear

*[illegible] $ 1.00 Louis T. Labeaume Shf [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*

Executed this writ in the county of St. Louis this 7th
day of October 1848 by offering to read it and the declaration
to Lewis H. Martin one of, the within named defendants which
he refused to hear Cornelius VanHouton[?] not found in my county

*Louis [illegible] [illegible]*
> *Legal Function: Bill of Costs*

|   |   |
|---|---|
| [illegible] | \$100 total $ |
| [illegible] | \$50 |
| | \$150 total $ 2,50 |

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**Page 9** (6816_009.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Plea of Louis Martin Samuel Conway and Cornelius VanHouten*

rend="bracketed">Alfred Taylor v Louis Martin Samuel Conway coupled with C. VanHouton[?]
Saint louis Circuit Court
the defendands[?] with [illegible]>
[illegible], [illegible] the plaintiff

*[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible]*

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**Page 10** (6816_010.jpg)
no. 93.
Alfred Taylor v Martin and Conway, [illegible] with VanHouton,[?]
Plea,

*[illegible]
[illegible]
Filed, Nov. 22 1848
[illegible]*

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**Page 11** (6816_011.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Bill of Costs*

Alfred Taylor of color,
vs
VanHouton and others,[?]
Suit for freedom this case [illegible]

*[illegible] [illegible]
[illegible] Filed Nov. 10th 1849*

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**Page 12** (6816_012.jpg)

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