Knox County Circuit Court record for Polly Strong, 1820

Description:	Documents related to the life and legal battle of Polly Strong are stored in the Knox County Public Library’s McGrady-Brockman House. These documents chronicle Polly’s quest for freedom from servitude which was eventually granted by the Indiana Supreme Court on July 22, 1820.Polly Strong was born into slavery in the Northwest Territory in Indiana. Her journey to freedom began on July 15, 1818, when Jenny, her enslaved mother and attorney Moses Tabbs petitioned the Knox County Circuit Court for a writ of habeas corpus for Polly and her brother James, directed to Hyacinthe Lasselle to whom they were indentured. Jenny stated that she was taken by Indians and held in bondage until sometime after the Treaty of Greenville when she was sold to Antoine Lasselle. While in his service she had two children James and Polly. By the treaty, all prisoners were to be given up by each of the parties to said treaty, and that Jenny ought to have been released from bondage. The judge, however, indentured Polly to 12 years of servitude for Lasselle and James for 4 years. In an undated document entitled Pleas of James and Polly people of colour to return of habeas corpus by H. Lasselle, both stated that they were threatened by Lasselle to take and carry and sell them by force and without their consent beyond the limits and out of Indiana to the city of New Orleans “and to other places beyond the high seas” unless they would sign the indentures in the return mentioned.In another document contradicting the above, Polly it seems voluntarily signs the indenture and says that since Hyacinthe Lasselle purchased her, she has remained “quietedly” and contentedly in his employment. She further comments on the care and attention he has given her in her infancy and minority and conceives “it would be the height of ingratitude not to make a just retribution and compensation by my services.” She signs this indenture agreement with her mark and seal. In 1819, numerous summonses were filed in the Knox County Circuit Court for persons to appear and testify on the behalf of Polly and James against Hyacinthe Lasselle in a plea of habeas corpus. Polly first sued for her freedom in 1820 in Polly v. Lasselle. Attorney Amory Kinney, in an undated document entitled “Explanation of Returnable Polly v. Lasselle Replication” argued that Polly was entitled to her freedom since “she the said Polly was born since the Ordinance of Congress passed in the year 1787, to wit in the year 1796, and therefore she is entitled to freedom.” On January 28th, 1820, the judge of the Knox County Circuit Court commanded Hyacinthe Lasselle to bring Polly a woman of color to the court. A succession of summonses were filed in the circuit court. The case was tried with another slave, Francois (Mulee), because they were similar. In an undated document the Knox County Circuit Court decides “that said Polly be restored to the said Hyacinthe Lasselle, her master, and that the said Francois alias Mulee be restored to the said Francis Tisdale his mistress.”Joseph Huffman paid an appeal bond of $200 for Polly’s release from Lasselle on May 12, 1820.Polly’s case against Hyacinthe Lasselle was appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court. On July 22, 1820 the Indiana Supreme Court granted Polly Strong her freedom thus reversing the judgment of the Knox County Circuit Court. It was based on the 1816 Constitution of Indiana which prohibited slavery. The Supreme Court ruled “There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this State…” On August 20, 1820 in a Declaration of Assumsit Polly sued Hyacinthe Lasselle for $500 it is assumed for back wages. The decision in this matter is not documented in these files. In March 1822, the Trespass case of Joseph Hoffman a man of colour vs. Polly Strong a woman of colour was filed in Knox Circuit Court for damages in the sum of $200. Polly was ordered to appear and bail was set at $116.17 ½. Polly’s attorney, James Farmington (?) filed a plea on her behalf. There are several small slips of paper finding for the plaintiff in amounts of $35 and $25 dollars. But not sure if this is related to this case.
Origin:	1820
Contributor(s):	Strong, Polly, Strong, James; LaSalle, Hyacinthe; LaSalle, Antoine; Jenny; Tabbs, Moses, Kinney, Amory; Mulee; Francois; Hoffman, Joseph; Huffman, Joseph;
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/kcpl/id/43455
Collection:	Knox County Public Library
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Copyright:	No Copyright - United States
Geography:	Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, United States
Subjects:	Black people -- America -- History African Americans -- History Black people -- History Slave records Slave labor Slavery Slaveholders Enslaved women Enslaved men Slavery -- Law and legislation Indentured servants Indiana -- Northwest Indiana -- History Vincennes (Ind.) Knox County (Ind.)

Further information on this record can be found at its source.