The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-04-21
From the st. Louis News, April 8.
The Original Dred Scott Resident Of st.
Louise Sketch OF his History.

The distinguished colored individual who
has made such noise in the world in the
case of Scott against Sanford, and who has
become SO tangled up with the Missouri Com
promise and other great subjects--Dred Scott
is a resident, not a citizen, of st. Louis. He
is well known to many of our citizens, and
may frequently be seen passing along Third
street He is an old inhabitant, having come
to this city thirty years ago.
Drcd Scott was bor, in Virginia, where he
belonged to Capt. Peter Blow, the father of
Henry G. Blow and Taylor Blow, of this city.
lie was brought by his master to st. Louis
about thirty years ago, and in the course of
time became the property Of Dr. Emerson, a
surgeon in the srmy. whom he accompanied
on that trip to Rock Island and Port Smelling,
on the ground of which he based his claim to
freedom The wife of DR.. Emerson was for
nerly Miss Sanford, and is now Mrs. Chaffee,
wife of Hon. Mr. Chatfec, of Massachusetts.
He has been married twice. his first wife, by
whom he had no children, having been sold
from him. He has had four children by his
present wife--two boys, both dead and two
girls, both living. Drcd was at Corpus Chris.
ii at the breaking out Of the Mexican war, as
the servant of Capt. cambridge, whom he
speaks Of as d "good man."
On his return from Mexico he applied TO
lris mistress, Mrs. Emerson, then living near
St. Louis, for the purchase of himself and
family, offering to pay part of tho money
down, and give an eminent citizen OF st.
Louis, an officer in the army, as security for
the payment Of the remainder. His mistress
refused his proposition, and bred being in
formed that he was entitled TO his freedom by
the operation Of the laws regulating the
North west Territory, forthwith brought suit
for it. The suit was commenced about ten
years ago, and has cost Dred $500 in cash,
besides labor 10 nearly equal amount. II
has given him "heap of trouble" he says,
and if he had known "it was gwine to last so
long, he would not have brought it. The
suit was defended by Mr. John Sanford, as
executor of DR.. Emerson's will.
Drcd does not appear at all discouraged by
the issue of the celebrated case, although it
dooms him TO slavery. He talks about the
affair with the ease of a veteran litigant, tho
not exactly in technical language, and is
hugely tickled at the idea of finding himself
parsonage of such Importance. He does
not take on airs. however, but laughs hearth
iy wien tdIhibR vi uo iuoo, thoy ihauo uo'
in Washington bout dc ole nigger."
He is about fifty five years DID, We should
think, though he does not know his own age.
He is Of unmixcd African blood, and as black
as piece of charcoal. For two or three
years past he has been running at large, no
one exercising ownership over him, or putting
any restraint upon his movements. If he
were disposed to make the attempt, he could
gain his freedom at much less cost than
even one-tenth of the expense of the famous
suit. He Declares he will stick to bis mis-
tress as long as he lives. His daughters. Eli
"a and Lucy, less conscientious about the
matter, took advantage Of the absence Of re-
straint OH their movements, year or two
since to disappear, and their whereabouts re-
manning mystery.
Dred, though illiteratc, is not ignorant
He has travelled considerably, and has i'm
proved his stock Of strong common sense by
much information picked up in his journey
ings. He is anxious to know who owns him,
being ignorant whether he is the property Of
Mrs. Chaffee, or Mr.. Sanford, though we pre-
sumo, there is no doubt that the former is
bis real legal owner. He seems tired Of run
ming about, with no one to look after him,
while at the same time he is n slave. He
says, grinningly, that he could make thou
sands of dollars, II allowed, by travelling over
the country and telling who he is.