Cases
Habeas petitions described a broad range of carceral, institutional, and interpersonal confinement over the long nineteenth century, including those used to demand due process, resist enslavement, challenge child removal and reservation confinement, avoid deportation, present child custody claims and protest child marriage, and to challenge institutionalization and detention in private and state institutions. As a legal mechanism borrowed from British common law and guaranteed as a civil right in US federal and state constitutions, habeas provides a lens on a diverse community of legal actors.
Our encoding practice allows us to identify petitions in these three categories and to indicate where those categories overlap. In addition to these three general categories, our team has identified the specific carceral charge being challenged as well as the particular forms of institutional and interpersonal confinements being questioned.
You may also browse or search petitions by location and/or jurisdiction to learn more about the myriad complaints petitioners brought before judges in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington between 1812 and 1924. Each case entry includes a full citation, a summary, links to people with a role in the case, a list of other people named, and any sites of significance. Visitors wanting access to full case files can contact the cited repository for information about obtaining copies. Those without institutional affiliations may request image scans from Dr. Jagodinsky directly. The Glossary defines the attributes used to structure data from the habeas petitions. The Code Book explains the relational structure of the data and functionality of the database website.
Featured story: The Habeas Corpus and Divorce Proceedings of Katie Mayes
Basic Search
Simply enter the word you wish to find and the search engine will search for every instance of the word in the journals. For example: Fight. All instances of the use of the word fight will show up on the results page.
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Using an asterisk (*) will increase the odds of finding the results you are seeking. For example: Fight*. The search results will display every instance of fight, fights, fighting, etc. More than one wildcard may be used. For example: *ricar*. This search will return most references to the Aricara tribe, including Ricara, Ricares, Aricaris, Ricaries, Ricaree, Ricareis, and Ricarra. Using a question mark (?) instead of an asterisk (*) will allow you to search for a single character. For example, r?n will find all instances of ran and run, but will not find rain or ruin.
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Phrase Search
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Subsequent Searches
Because of the creative spellings used by the journalists, it may be necessary to try your search multiple times. For example: P?ro*. This search brings up numerous variant spellings of the French word pirogue, "a large dugout canoe or open boat." Searching for P?*r*og?* will bring up other variant spellings. Searching for canoe or boat also may be helpful.
Filter by:
Petition Subtype
- Interpersonal: child custody 12
- Carceral: cause unspecified 11
- Institutional: child custody 3
- Interpersonal 2
- Carceral: adultery 1
- Carceral: contempt of court 1
- Carceral: embezzlement 1
- Carceral: failure to provide for spouse 1
- Carceral: fraud 1
- Carceral: prostitution 1
- Carceral: rape 1
- Carceral: selling liquor without a license 1
- Institutional 1
- Institutional: insanity 1
- Institutional: medical debt 1
- Interpersonal: kidnapping 1
Age of Bound Party
- Adult 15
- Minor 13
- Unindicated 5
- Unclear 1
Type of Source
- Journal 38
- Docket 37
- Complete Record 3
People
- Morning, William McClellen 38
- Miller, Ira (sheriff) 14
- Stewart, Willard E. 10
- Hughart, Charles A. (deputy sheriff) 7
- Greene, Robert J. 6
- Hyers, Gus A. (sheriff) 6
- Hensel, Claude B. (deputy sheriff) 5
- Ledwith, John J. (Ledwich) 4
- Berge, George W. 3
- Cosgrave, P. James 3
- Hyers, Gus A. 3
- Miller, Ira 3
- Peterson, Frank A. 3
- Tyrrell, Frank M. 3
- Adams, George A. 2
- Allen, Thomas S. 2
- Anderson, Bert (deputy sheriff) 2
- Antles, Howard W. (deputy sheriff) 2
- Branson, Z. S. (sheriff) 2
- Brown, Elmer W. 2
- Brown, James L. 2
- Burkett, Elmer J. 2
- Crandall, W. L. (deputy clerk) 2
- Fenton, William D. 2
- Flansburg, Claude C. 2
- Foreman, E. C. (deputy sheriff) 2
- Gable, R. C. (deputy sheriff) 2
- Greene, Philip F. (deputy clerk) 2
- Hagelin, Richard H. 2
- Hager, George E. 2
- Holmes, Edward P. 2
- Lindsay, Harry C. (clerk) 2
- Maggi, Edward G. 2
- Mann, George R. 2
- McCarty, John S. 2
- Morrissey, Andrew Marcus 2
- Risser, George H. 2
- Shepherd, Frederick 2
- Towle, Maxwell G. 2
- Towle, Wilbur W. 2
- Walker, J. H. 2
- Wilson, Henry H. 2
- Wolfenberger, Andrew G. 2
- , (Larsen) 1
- , (Sister Superior of the Saint Thomas Orphanage) 1
- Walsh, Mrs. A. M. (witness) 1
- Abbott, Goldie 1
- Allen, Marie 1
- Allen, Walter H. Pilger 1
- Anderson, R. G. (deputy sheriff) 1
- Anderson, Ross P. 1
- Ankeny, Harry R. 1
- Anthony, Perry 1
- Antles, H. H. (witness) 1
- Armitage, Ada (deponent) 1
- Arrigo, Nick 1
- Ayers, George W. 1
- Bacon, Minor S. 1
- Baer, Jacob S. (clerk) 1
- Baer, Jacob S. (deputy clerk) 1
- Balch, Henry G. (deponent) 1
- Barrett, Dexter T. 1
- Bassett, Alma May 1
- Bassett, Horton E. 1
- Bassett, Olive 1
- Bassett, Wilber 1
- Bassett, William E. 1
- Bateman, Anna 1
- Baylor, Fahy B. 1
- Becker, J. H. (witness) 1
- Beltz, Elmer T. (deponent) 1
- Beltz, Mary (deponent) 1
- Berge, 1
- Best, Mabel Sanderson 1
- Bevans, Frank G. 1
- Bevans, Gussie 1
- Bishop, John S. 1
- Black, Joseph (deponent) 1
- Blair, Albert A. 1
- Blair, Cornelia 1
- Blair, Josephine 1
- Bramel, Charles W. (deponent) 1
- Brown, Norris 1
- Brown, Roscoe 1
- Burr, Lionel C. 1
- Butler, H. J. (witness) 1
- Cain, Jesse 1
- Carpenter, Charles E. (deponent) 1
- Chandler, Charles 1
- Chesney, T. B. (deputy sheriff) 1
- Clark, Oscar B. 1
- Clements, Elliot J. 1
- Coffield, Thomas (witness) 1
- Comstock, Wilmer B. 1
- Cornish, Albert J. 1
- Cox, Guy Harris 1
- Crandall, W.H. [Winnie Crandall's husband and Gussie's stepfather] 1
- Crandall, William (husband of respondent) 1
- Crandall, Winnie 1
- Crooks, Ella (deponent) 1
38 results
Download JSON Download CSVIn the Matter of the application of O. J. Vallicott for a writ of Habeas Corpus, for the body of Benjamin D. Mills
- Earliest record date: May 15, 1897
- Petition type(s): Carceral: embezzlement
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Frank G. Bevans for a writ of Habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: April 5, 1900
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Custody transferred to third party
In the matter of the application of Thomas Walton for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 15, 1901
- Petition type(s): Institutional: insanity
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Louise Wright for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 17, 1923
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Mamie S Gipson and Cora Mafall for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: August 31, 1914
- Petition type(s): Carceral: prostitution
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Petition of Aubrey Pickard for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Leonard Pickards
- Earliest record date: January 25, 1921
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Mike Indovino, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1913
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
State of Nebraska, ex rel Averil Mocroft, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 7, 1915
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of Marie Allen, next friend of Walter H. Pilger Allen, a minor, for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: July 6, 1923
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the Application of Perry Anthony for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 26, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: fraud
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In Re Application of Jane M. Williams for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the Application of Mabel Sanderson Best, formerly Mabel Sanderson, for a writ of habeas corpus, for Isabel Sanderson, a minor, of the age of twelve years
- Earliest record date: September 1, 1920
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: New custody arrangement reached
In the matter of the application of Charles Chandler, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: March 4, 1918
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Edith Uhling, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 7, 1918
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: kidnapping
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Custody transferred to third party
In the Matter of the Application of Iva McClure for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: November 6, 1920
- Petition type(s): Carceral: adultery
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the matter of the application of Walter Wheatley For Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 26, 1915
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In re-application of Frank B. Moore, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: September 29, 1919
- Petition type(s): Carceral: rape
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of James E. Warden for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 30, 1915
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody | Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Nick Arrigo for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 31, 1913
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of Mina Evans for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: April 5, 1916
- Petition type(s): Carceral: selling liquor without a license
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Joseph Thomas Williams, by Joseph Lafayette Williams, his father and next friend for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 1, 1921
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the Matter of the Application of Margaret Purdy, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Josephine Blairb
- Earliest record date: December 14, 1920
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Unknown
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In Re application of Rosie Nichols for a Writ of Habeas Corpus vs. Addassa F. Maxson
- Earliest record date: January 30, 1919
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application of Leta Eshom, formerly Leta Bassett, for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Wilber Bassett, age 11 years, and Alma May Bassett, age 8 years
- Earliest record date: April 5, 1915
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of William H. H. Moore for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: May 14, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Released on bail
In the matter of the application of H. Ray Desch for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: August 1, 1919
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
In the matter of the application of Helen Ruth Kelley for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: June 20, 1916
- Petition type(s): Institutional
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In the Matter of the Application of George Kreutzer for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 22, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the Matter of the Application and Petition of Jesse Cain for Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 17, 1921
- Petition type(s): Carceral: contempt of court | Carceral: failure to provide for spouse
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Goldie Abbott for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: June 10, 1912
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ allowed
- Fate of bound party: Released from custody
Ellis M. Harrison vs. Eillen M. Harrison
- Earliest record date: November 12, 1919
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the Application of Sam Harris for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: December 30, 1920
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Peter Wurtz for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Robert Wurtz, a minor
- Earliest record date: June 4, 1920
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Custody transferred to third party
In the matter of the Application of Phoebe Maresch for Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: July 21, 1919
- Petition type(s): Institutional: medical debt
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In Re: Application of Frank Thompson for a writ of habeas corpus
- Earliest record date: December 21, 1923
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Petition withdrawn
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
In Re Application of Russell and Nettie Watson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 29, 1920
- Petition type(s): Institutional: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In re-application of Edna Lambert for Writ of Habeas Corpus vs. W. G. Seeley and Mrs. W. G. Seeley, his wife
- Earliest record date: June 16, 1916
- Petition type(s): Interpersonal: child custody
- Petition outcome: Writ denied
- Fate of bound party: Remained in custody
In the matter of the application of Cora Schaffer, for a writ of Habeas Corpus
- Earliest record date: October 9, 1915
- Petition type(s): Carceral: cause unspecified
- Petition outcome: Writ dismissed
- Fate of bound party: Unknown
