Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-04-16
From the st, Louis News, April g..
The Original Dred Scott a Resi-
dent Of ST. LOuis-..Sketch of
= His History.


: 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
Compromise and other great subjects
Dred Scots a resident, not 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.
Dred Scott was born in Virginia, where
he belonged 10 Captain Peter Blow, the
father of Henry c.. Blow and Taylor Blow
Of this city. He was brought by his master
to ST. Louis about thirty years ago, and in
the course Of time became the property of
DR.. Emerson, surgeon in the army, whom
he accompanied on that trip to Rock Is
land and Fort Smelling, on the ground of
which he based his claim TO freedom. The
wife of DR.. Emerson was formerly Miss
Sanford, and is now Mrs. Chaffee, wife of
the Hon. Mr.. Chaffee 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. Dred was at
Corpus Christi at the breaking out of the
Mixican war, as the servant of Captain
Bainbridge, whom he speaks of as a good
man."
On his return from Mexico, he applied
to his mistress, Mrs. Emerson, then living
near St. Louis, for the purchase of himself
and family, offering to pay part of the mo-
ney down, and give an eminent citizen of
st. Louis, an officer in the army, as securi
ty for the payment of the remainder. His
mistress refused his proposition, and Dred
being informed that he was entitled to his
freedom by the operation Of the laws regu-
lating the North West Territory, forthwith
brought suit forit. The suit was commenc
ed about ten years ago, and has cost Dred
$500 in cash, besides labor TO nearly equal
amount. 1t has given him cheap o
trouble" he says, and if he had known that
'it was gwine to last so long," he would
not have brought it. The suit was defend
ed by Mr.. John Sanford, as executor Of DR..
Emerson's will.
Dred 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 It'll
giant, though not exactly in technical Ian
guage, and is hugely tickled at the idea of
finding himself parsonage of shch impor-
tance. He does not take ON airs. however,
but laughs heartily when talking of ''de
fuss dey make 'dar in Washington bout de
ole Niger"
He is about fifty-fve years old, we should
think, though he does not know his own
age. He is of unmixed African blood, and
as black as piece Of charcoal. For two
or three years past lie has been running al
large, no one exercising ownership over him,
or putting any restraint upon his move
ments. 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
that he will stick to his mistress as long as
he lives. His daughters, Eliza and Lucy,
less conscientious about the matter, took
advantage of the absence of restraint on
their movements, year or two since, to
disappear, and their whereabouts remain
mystery.
Dred though illiterate, is not ignorant
He has travelled considerable, and has i'm
prove 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 prop
crty of Miss Chaffee or Mr. Sanford, though,
we presume, there is no doubt that the for
mer is his reallegal owner. He seems tired
drumming about, with no one to look af-
ter Lin, while at the same time hs is a
slave. He says, grinningly, that he could
make thousands of dollars, if allowed, by
travelling over the country aud telling who
he is.