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People

Meet the many people who argued for and against carceral, institutional, and interpersonal confinement in the petitions filed in County and District Courts throughout the American West over the long nineteenth century. Browse or search people by name, demographic characteristics, case role, and/or relationships described in each petition. Our encoding practice for people features data pulled from the available case files and in some instances additional data from supplemental sources is also included. Only people with case roles are indexed here, while all persons named in a case are listed on the case page. 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.

Clara Martínez holding her grandson, Robert Marron Romero. Links to Lucía Martínez's story.

Featured story: Lucía Martínez: Yaqui Arizona, 1854-1900

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.

Wildcard Searches

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.

Capitalization

Searches are not case sensitive. For example: george will come up with the same results as George.

Phrase Search

Searching for a specific phrase may help narrow down the results. Rather long phrases are no problem. For example: "This white pudding we all esteem".

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.

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Case Roles : petitioner

2145 results

Smith, Mary Logan

  • Birth date: April 8, 1792
  • Birth place: United States
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Holmes, Robert (Robin)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1810
  • Birth place: Virginia
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Dorsey, Charles

  • Birth date: January 1, 1818
  • Birth place: United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Wilson, Mary

  • Birth date: January 1, 1819
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Multiracial, Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Davis, Nelson

  • Birth date: January 1, 1827
  • Birth place: Tennessee
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

LaMaster, Milton

  • Birth date: January 1, 1828
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Breckinridge, Samuel Miller

  • Birth date: November 3, 1828
  • Birth place: United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, petitioner attorney, judge

Ma-chu-nah-zha (Standing Bear)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1829
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Turley, George W.

  • Birth date: October 1, 1829
  • Birth place: Virginia, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Johnson, Napoleon

  • Birth date: January 1, 1831
  • Birth place: Missouri
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Butler, Alexander S.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1831
  • Birth place: Pennsylvania, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Ta-xha-but (Buffalo Chip)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1832
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Ahren, Philip

  • Birth date: January 1, 1832
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Kirk, George Washington (George Washington Kerr)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1834
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Multiracial, Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Harris, Coley A. D. (Chloe Ann Harris)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1834
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Lowry, Philip

  • Birth date: March 3, 1834
  • Birth place: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Leonari, Henry Joseph

  • Birth date: June 3, 1835
  • Birth place: New York, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Herckenrath, Albert

  • Birth date: December 13, 1835
  • Birth place: Germany
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Struve, Henry G.

  • Birth date: November 17, 1836
  • Birth place: Germany
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner attorney, petitioner

Marsden, Horatio Napoleon

  • Birth date: January 1, 1837
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Primo, Susette (Zazette Primeau)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1837
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Lawson, Nelson

  • Birth date: January 1, 1837
  • Birth place: Pennsylvania, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Vetter, Fred

  • Birth date: January 1, 1837
  • Birth place: Saxony-Weimar
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: German
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, interested party

Ma-shud-da-de (Feather Crazy)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1838
  • Birth place: Unknown, Nebraska
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Shan-gu-e-he-zhe (Yellow Horse)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1838
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Armstrong, Lydia

  • Birth date: January 1, 1839
  • Birth place: Indiana
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Shrek, Michael (Scherek, Schreck)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1839
  • Birth place: Germany
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White, German
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

McKay, Alice

  • Birth date: January 1, 1841
  • Birth place: Ireland
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Rosewater, Edward

  • Birth date: January 28, 1841
  • Birth place: Bukovany, Bohemia
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Jewish, White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Gardner, William L. (W. T. Gardiner, John Doe Gardiner)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1842
  • Birth place: Wisconsin, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Dobbs, Lemuel M.

  • Birth date: April 1, 1842
  • Birth place: Pennsylvania
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Sawyer, Andrew J.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1844
  • Birth place: Illinois, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Respondent attorney, petitioner attorney, petitioner

Lunkin, George W.

  • Birth date: August 1, 1844
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Nancy, Abner S.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1845
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Eastwick, Euphemia M.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1845
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Melia, Patrick

  • Birth date: January 1, 1845
  • Birth place: Ireland
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Me-tha-zhin-ga (Little Duck)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1847
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Ta-nich-ing-ah (Little Buffalo Woman)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1847
  • Birth place: Nebraska
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Donermeyer, Mathias (Donnermeyer)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1847
  • Birth place: Hungary
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

LaChappelle, Joe (Lachapell)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1847
  • Birth place: Oregon, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Vanhorn, Frances

  • Birth date: November 11, 1847
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner

Griffin, Dennis

  • Birth date: January 1, 1848
  • Birth place: Iowa
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White, Irish
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Borsheim, Louis A.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1849
  • Birth place: Norway
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Norwegian, White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

McCon, William (McConn)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1849
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Unknown
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Schuman, Jacob

  • Birth date: September 1, 1849
  • Birth place: Germany
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White, German
  • Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party

Switzer, Anvern J.

  • Birth date: January 1, 1852
  • Birth place: Illinois, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Ricketts, Matthew Oliver

  • Birth date: April 3, 1853
  • Birth place: Kentucky, United States
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: Black
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Davis, Annie

  • Birth date: January 1, 1854
  • Birth place: New York
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Cline, Moses Brown (BM, Moses)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1854
  • Birth place: Unknown
  • Sex: Male
  • Race or ethnicity: White
  • Case role(s): Petitioner

Martinez, Lucia (Lucy Woolsey)

  • Birth date: January 1, 1854
  • Birth place: Sonora, Mexico
  • Sex: Female
  • Race or ethnicity: Indigenous, Hispanic (Mexican)
  • Case role(s): Petitioner
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