Judge of the St Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court . The petition, of Jane M CrayJane M Cray respectfully represents that on the 15th day of April Eighteen hundred and and thirty seven at that time being
owned by her former master WilliamWilliam H. HopkinsH Hopkins since deceased did by and with the Consent
of her said master purchase her freedom from
him and his heirs, for the sum of of Six Hundred
dollars Five Hundred dollars of which were paid to her said master by your petitioner on
the day & year aforesaid upon the payment
of which the said WilliamWilliam H HopkinsH Hopkins executed
in the presence of witnesses an acknowledgment, receipt and obligation in the words and
figures as follows, to wit,

St LouisSt Louis April 15,1837

I have this day sold my servan, woman, Jane M CrayJane M Cray
to herself for the sum of six Hundred dollars of
which purchase money I have received five
Hundred dollars and obligate myself on her payment of the balance, say one hundred dollars to to execute a bill of sale to her making
herself the sole proprietor of her person.

And your petitioner, further states that afterwards
to wit, on the 1st day of January AD Eighteen Hundred and Thirty Eight, when she had paid to her
said master the full sum of One hundred dollars due as aforesaid for her freedom, the said WilliamWilliam H HopkinsH Hopkins , executed to her an
instrument in writing in the words following.

to wit:

â Whereas Jane M CrayJane M Cray , did on the fifteenth day
of April One Thousand Eight Hundrred & thirty seven
pay me the sum of Six Hundred Dollars being
the price of herself and whereas I did obligate
myself to manumit her, by an instrument of
the same date; I do hereby authorize and
permit her, the said Jane M CrayJane M Cray to go
and reside in any County in the StateIllinois
ofIllinois IllinoisIllinois there to do and act for
herself Witness my hand this first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight

And your petitioner further states that afterwards during the summer of the year 1838, the WilliamWilliam H HopkinsH Hopkins died intestate and without executing to your petitioner any deed of eman-
cipation according to the laws of the state of IllinoisIllinois or any further evidences of
her freedom than the paper aforesaid. That your petitioner before the death of the said William HopkinsWilliam Hopkins was acknowledged
a free women and suffered by him to act as such and since the death of the said Wm H HopkinsH Hopkins the heirs of said HopkinsHopkins

nonwithstanding the frequent solicitation
of your petitioner to that effect
have neglected to carry out
the intention of the said Wm Hopkins,
by giving executing to her the papers ne=
cessary to fully emancipate her under
the laws of this state:

And your petitioner further states that
failing to obtain the deed of emancipation
necessary to free her according to the laws
of this state, she did, during the year
Eighteen Hundred & forty four with the advice, con-sent,
knowledge, approbation of the
said heirs of the said Wm H HopkinsH Hopkins for
the purpose of more fully entitling her
self to her right of freedom go to the state of
IllinoisIllinois and did then, to wit
, in the town
of GalenaGalena County CountyGalena County of do
and act for herself as a free woman
from the about the 1st day of September until
the about the 1st day of October, AD Eighteen Hundred & forty four

And your petitioner further states that the heirs of the said WilliamWilliam H HopkinsH Hopkins now living are WilliamWilliam R Hopkins, R.R. Hopkins, Ashley Cass H HopkinsH Hopkins - Mary Frances Hopkins
AdelaideH. HopkinsH Hopkins , Laura G. Hopkins, and
ElizaEliza O. Miller - Children of the said WilliamWilliam
H. HopkinsH Hopkins - WilliamWilliam C. HopkinsHopkins Theresa , TheresaHopkins Theresa Hopkins & Mary F. HopkinsHopkins - children of Elliott K. Hopkins, decreased, and grand children of
this said WilliamWilliam H. HopkinsH Hopkins (decd)

And your petitioner also states that, although
she has never been disturbed in her freedom

by the said heirs of the said WilliamWilliam H. HopkinsH Hopkins , yet in asmuch as she has acquired by her
industry some property in this state, she cannot
foresee what may happen, hereafter, to
to deprive her of the fruits of her labour un
less her right to freedom be established ac
cording to law, beyond controversy

Your petitioner therefore prays that, in
consideration of the previous, she may have
leave to sue as a poor person, in order to
establish her right to freedom, and that
Counsel may be assigned to her for that
purpose, and as in duty bound those
will ever pray &.

[marginverticalPetition of Jane McCray] On reading & considering the above foregoing
petition it is ordered (if the petitioner shall
give security as required by law, satisfactory
to the Clerk of the St LouisCircuit Court Circuit CourtCircuit Court ) that she
be allowed to sue for her freedom - itis further
ordered that said petitioner have liberty to attend the counsel as occassion may
require that she be not removed from
the jurisdiction of the St. Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court &
that she be not subjected to any severity
on account of her application for
freedom.

It is ordered that Grace Esq be
appointed said
suit given this 12 day of Sept. 1845

We command you to summon William R HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins , ElizaEliza O
Miller, and her husband WilliamWilliam B Miller, R R Hopkins, Ashley
learr Hopkins, Mary Frances Hopkins, Laura G Hopkins, William
R HopkinsHopkins guardian of said Ashley, Mary Frances & Laura,
Adelaid H HopkinsH Hopkins , and her guardian WilliamWilliam OliverOliver , WilliamWilliam C
Hopkins, Theresa HopkinsHopkins , May F. Hopkins, and MaryMary A Hopkins of as guardian of WilliamWilliam C Hopkins, Theresa HopkinsHopkins and, Mary F. Hopkins,
if they be found in your county, that they be and appear before the Judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the first day of the next term thereof, to be
held the City of St. LouisCity of St Louis, wihtin and for the county of St. LouisSt Louis, on the third Mon-
day of November next, then and there to answer untoJane M CrayJane M Cray
of a plea of tresprass
to the great damageof said plaintiff
And have you then there this writ.

On reading & considering the above foregoing Petition, it is ordered (if the
petitioner shall give security as requied by law satisfactory to the clerk of the
St. LouisSt LouisCircut CourtCircuit Court ) that she be allowed to sue for her freedom - & it is further
ordered that said petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel as
occassion may require, and that she be not removed from the jurisdiction
of the St. Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court and that she be not subject to any
I acknowledge myself bound for all costs tht may accrue in the above cause.
Witness my hand and seal, at St. LouisSt Louis, this day of 184

severity on account of her application for freedom. It is also ordered
that P. C. Grace esq: be appointed as Counsel to conduct the said suit.
Given under my hand this 12th day of sept. 1845.John M KrumJohn M Krum ,
Judge 8th Jud Cir. Mo

Executed this writ in the County ofCounty of St Louis St LouisCounty of St Louis by offering
to read it and the declaration to William RWilliam R Hopkins
HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins on the 25th in his own right and as guardian
for Ashley, Mary Laura Hopkins, to ElizaEliza
Miller Mary Francis and Laura G Hopkins
on the 27th day of October 1845 to Richand R
Hopkins on the 10th and to WilliamWilliam B Miller
Guardian of the said ElizaEliza on the 11th days of November 1845 and by reading it each of the defendants above
named the the order of the judge in this case
Ashley Cass Hopkins - Adelaide K Hopkins and
her guardian WilliamWilliam OliverOliver - WilliamWilliam C HopkinsHopkins Theresa
TheresaHopkins Theresa Hopkins, Mary G HopkinsHopkins - and Mary
Hopkins guardian &c not found in my
county

WilliamWilliam R Hopkins R HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins , ElizaEliza O Miller

Suit for freedom

Cond 17 p 448- Dismissed for want of prosecutors June 16 184917 p 624Dismissed
set aside 18 p 209contd19 p 62 cond 19 page 229nov 1850 Contd 20 p 194
nov. 1851 his 27 p 3357th Jany 1852.

The undersigned defendants in the above Enti-
tilled case, understanding that the case
was determined
in the last term of the St LouisCircuit Court
Circuit CourtCircuit Court hereby signify their assent and
agreement to the reinstatement of the
same on the docket of said court they
being unwilling to take advantage of the
said dismissal in asmuch
as the suit
is amicable
in its character. They
waive all further notice to them and agree
that the case may proceed as if no such dismissal
had taken place
W R Hopkins
signed self as Guardian for
MaryMary Frances
and Laura Hopkins

Jane M CrayJane M Cray a Mulatto woman complains of WilliamWilliam R Hopkins RWilliam R Hopkins . HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins
- ElizaEliza O. Miller and her husband WilliamWilliam B. Miller
- R. R. Hopkins - Ashley Cass Hopkins - Mary Frances Hopkins and Laura G Hopkins The
said WilliamWilliam R Hopkins RWilliam R Hopkins HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins Guardian of the said
Ashley - Mary Frances and Laura - Adelaide
HH Hopkins . HopkinsH Hopkins , and her guardian WilliamWilliam OliverOliver , - WilliamWilliam L. HopkinsHopkins Theresa - TheresaHopkins Theresa Hopkins, Mary F Hopkins, and MaryMary
A. Hopkins as guardian of the said William L. - Theresa - MaryMary F - of
a plea of Trespass: For that the
said WilliamWilliam R Hopkins RWilliam R Hopkins . HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins - ElizaEliza O. Miller, and
her husband WilliamWilliam B. Miller - R. R. Hopkins, Ashley Cass Hopkins, Mary Francis Hopkins
- Laura G. Hopkins and the said WilliamWilliam R Hopkins RWilliam R Hopkins
HopkinsWilliam R Hopkins as guardian of the said Ashley Cass -
Mary Francis Laura G. - Adelaide H HopkinsH Hopkins , and WilliamWilliam OliverOliver , as guardian
of the said Adelaide H. - WilliamWilliam C. HopkinsHopkins Theresa
- TheresaHopkins Theresa Hopkins - Mary F HopkinsHopkins , and
MaryMary A Hopkins, as guardian of the said
WilliamWilliam C. - Therresa, MaryMary F on the
first day of july in the year AD eighteen Hundred & forty five - at St LouisSt Louis, to wit-
at the County aforesaid with force and
arms assaulted the said Jane M CrayJane M Cray

and her, the said Jane M CrayJane M Cray , then and
there took imprisoned and restrained
of her liberty, and her, the said Jane M CrayJane M Cray
held in servitude from the first day
of JulyAD Eighteen Hundred and forty five until the first day of September
AD Eighteen Hundred and Forty Five, without any reasonable or probable cause against
the law of the land, and against the
will of her, the said JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray , and
other wrongs and injustices against the said
JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray , then and there did:- and
she, the said JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray and
declares that she, the said JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray
before and at the time of the Committing
the said grievances was and still is
a free person, and that the said
defendants - held and still hold her
the said JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray in slavery,
against the peacec, and to the
great damage of the said JaneJane M Cray M CrayJane M Cray
and Therefore she brings her suit

We Hereby bind ourselves as securities for all costs that may be adjudged against
the palintiff in this

suit for freedom