The petition of Pelagie a
female of colour and an infant
under the age of twenty one years
by DavidDavid a free man of colour
her next friend (her father being
a slave and her mother being
dead). respectfully represents to your
honour that, same time in the year
eighteen hundred and two she
was born in the town of StSt Louis. LouisSt Louis
as the property of AntoineAntoine Laulard
and that while an
infant perhaps less than a year old was sold by said Laulard to one FrancoisFrancois Vallois
who and claimed your
petitioner in the said town of
StSt Louis LouisSt Louisuntil about the year of
our Lord One Thousand eight
hundred and Ten or Eleven, when
the said FrancoisFrancois Vallois removed
from the said town into the state
of IllinoisIllinois taking your petitioner
with him as his slave, to a place
called the French Village in
said state, where he continued
to reside with his family and
with your petitioner holding
her as his slave for the space
of two years or upwards next after the
time of said removal
that after which time the said

in the year $13 as she believes
ValoisValois remained with your
petitioner into the the said Town of
St. LouisSt Louis in the said county of
StSt Louis. LouisSt Louis, where he has since
continued to reside with your
petitioner and where he and claiming
her as slave and your petitioner
claiming her freedom in virtue
of said removal
to the said state of IllinoisIllinois and
residence there under the circum-
stances he fore mentioned and
prays your honour to be per-
mitted to sue as a poor person
and that your honour will
further make an order directing
an action to be brought and
such other orders as from time to
time to your honour shall deem
merit and your petitioner as in duty
bound will ever pray -