she believes herself entitled to freedom on the following
grounds-

1.That she is the child of a negro woman
who was a slave for life in the StateDelaware ofDelaware DelawareDelaware and subsequently sold to a person, who took her or caused her to be removed to
the state of MarylandMarylandsometime in the year 1820- 21 or 22Contrary to the statues of that state, which as your petitioneris formed liberate all slaves emported therein for for sale. or to residesaid Chanty was taken to MarylandMaryland about that time to reside & ever since and is
now a free woman of that State of :

2. That Chanty was a slave for life is Delawarian, and
was sold for a limited period of service then to be free..
and that during that serivce she was removed to MarylandMaryland
from Delaware- after which your petitioner was born..

3. That she is the child of Chanty, now a free woman of State of MarylandMaryland under said contract of , and your petitioner was born during the residence of the mother in while the said Chanty was serving her term of service after which to be free.

Your petitioner further states that she is now a confinement in the County jail by John H FergusonJohn H Ferguson of the Estate of Deceased and for no other reasonable cause petitioner believes, an unreasonable Seventy
viewof sale and removal.

Your petitioner therefore that the State Court will grant her liberty to live as a free
person under the Statutes of this state and such orders be to enable her to sustain her freedom by legal and that the court will protect

On this24 day of December 1845personally appear before Ms. CarolineCaroline the party named she is informed and believes of her knowledge-

appeared Caleb Lockwood
of the city of S LouisS Louis who states,that he was, a resident
of the StateDelaware ofDelaware DelawareDelaware and after was removed to the State of MarylandMaryland and that he knew Chanty woman petitioner and that she was the mother of the petitioner, and that the facts state him to the best of his knowledge thereof and that the statements in reference to the the laws of MarylandMaryland and Delaware and the operations thereof is not in this attendant

On readings considering the above foregoing petition it is ordered (if the said petitioner
shall securing for satisfactory)
1st that the said petitioner be allowed to
her for freedom.-

2. That said petitioner shall be allowed reasonable liberty and allowed her counsel of the Court as
and that she be
not removed the of the St. Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court and be not subjected to any severity on account of her application for freedom.

Given 26th day of December A.D. 1845

The Clerk of St. LouisCircuit Court Circuit CourtCircuit Court will and as

CarolineCaroline Borcum; a free mulatto woman of the County of S LouisS Louis, State of MissouriMissouri
complains of JohnJohn H Ferguson HJohn H Ferguson FergusonJohn H Ferguson of a plea
of that the said FergusonFerguson ; defendant, with force of at the County aforementioned on the twenty second day
of of December Eighteen hundreed and forty five and maltreated her, said plaintiff and that the said defendant of that said flaintiff and her kept and detained in confinement and prison in the County Jail of S LouisS Louis County in said County without any reasonable cause whatever a long four hours,
following, and the plaintiff further that before him the
that the of the of the grievor as was and State is a free person and that the defendant holds her in slavery contrary to law
and the statutes of MissouriMissouri in that case to of in that Care the of the in sum of five hundred dollars and therefore she

We command you to summon John MJohn M . Furguson, if he
be found in your County, that he be and appear before the Judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the first day of next term thereof, to be
held at the City of St. LouisCity of St Louis, within and for the County of St. LouisCounty of St Louis, on the third Mon-
day of April next, then and there to answer unto CarolineCaroline Bascom,
a mulatto woman
of a plea of trespass to the damage of said plaintiff five hundred dollars: And have you then there this writ

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

Witness my hand and seal, at St. LouisSt Louis, this twenty sixth day of December 18455security approvedJnJohn Ruland RulandJohn Ruland Clerk,
On reading & considering the above aforegoing petition, It is ordered (if the said
petitioner shall give security for costs, satisfactory to the clerk,

1. That the said Petitioner be allowed to institute her suit for freedom.

2. That said Petitioner shall be allowed reasonable liberty to attend her
Counsel & the as occasion may require, & that she be not removed
beyond the jurisdiction of the St. Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court not subjected
to any severity on account of her application for freedom. Given under
any hand this 26th day of December AD 1845.JohnJohn M Krum M KrumJohn M Krum ,
Judge St. Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court. a line copy of the order,

Executed this wit in the County of St. LouisCounty of St Louis
on the 31st day of December 1845 by offering
to read it and the declaration to the defendant, which he refused to
hear-Also by reading the said FergusonFerguson
the orders of the Judge written

Summons
31st
Suit for freedom in $ 500.00

Dec. 17. 1846. 17p 437.

him to Caleb Lockwood 26 dec 1845

and the said defendant by
his attorney comes and defends the force when and says that he is not guilty of the above to his ways carry or or any part thereof in manner and and has of as said plaintiff has above of complained against him. of this the said defendant himself upon the