Petition #20882103

• St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. January 27, 1821. - February 6, 1822.
• Court: District
• Salutation: To the Hon. Seth Lewis judge of the District Court of St. Landry

Abstract

Robert Colston, a free man of color, claims to be illegally detained as a slave by John D. S. Arden. Colston represents that three years ago he "was taken Possession of" by Dr. Moses Littell and then delivered to Arden. He fears that he might be removed from the court's jurisdiction or "treated in a cruel manner." He therefore prays for an order removing him "from the illegal and forcible possession of those who now hold him" and upholding his right to freedom. As evidence of his free status, Colston offers the transcript of a trial brought against him for the theft of a Congressman's gold watch, for which he was convicted, and a subsequent pardon document signed by President James Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Testimony reveals, however, that he and his family, although allowed to live as free people, had never been officially emancipated by their owner, Robert Oliver.

Result: Permission to sue granted; request for hearing of opposing testimony granted.

• Number of petition pages: 5
• Related documents: Affidavit, Brent and Kennedy, 13 January 1821; Order, 27 January 1821; Answer, Moses Littell, 16 October 1821; Counter-Suit, Moses Littell, 26 October 1821; Order, 26 October 1821; Supplemental Countersuit, 6 February 1822; Order, 6 February 1822; Testimony, Tench Ringold, and al., 21 September 1821; District of Columbia Court Record, 15 April 1822; Extract from United States vs. Robert Colston Court Proceedings, 1 June 1818, certified 11 August 1821; Presidential Pardon, James Monroe, 15 January 1819, certified 21 September 1821; Testimony, Henry Thomspson, et al., 26 February 1822; Copy of Testimony, Henry Thompson, et al., 26 February 1822; Testimony, James Biscoe, 23 April 1822
• Pages of related documents: 34

7 people are documented within petition 20882103

• 3 Enslaved
• 2 Defendants
• 1 Petitioner
• 2 Others

Or you may view all people.

Citation information

Repository: St. Landry Parish Courthouse, Opelousas, Louisiana

• Records of the Fifth Judicial District Court

Subjects

• Freedom papers
• Sues for freedom (enslaved)
• Virtually free (enslaved)
• Occupation (FPOC)
• Jails/Workhouses
• Apprenticeship/Indenture (FPOC)
• Theft by enslaved
• Whipping
• Family separated (Black)
• Family kept together (Black)