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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.
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.
Filter by:
Birth Place
- Unknown 675
- United States 23
- Nebraska 8
- Illinois 5
- Missouri 5
- Pennsylvania 4
- Virginia 4
- Germany 3
- Iowa 3
- Ireland 3
- Indiana 2
- Oregon 2
- Alaska 1
- District of Columbia 1
- Kansas 1
- Mexico 1
- Mississippi 1
- Sweden 1
- Vermont 1
- Washington Territory 1
- Wisconsin 1
Age Category
- Adult 500
- Unindicated 250
- Minor 11
- Unclear 9
- Unindicated, Adult 6
Relationships
- jailed by 779
- judged by 719
- attorney for 558
- attorney against 296
- detained by 41
- married to 29
- represented by 26
- parent of 18
- presumed relative of 17
- sibling of 8
- next friend of 6
- attorney with 5
- in the disputed interpersonal custody of 5
- kidnapper of 5
- opposing attorney to 5
- relative of 5
- formerly married to 4
- an institutional ward of 3
- enslaved by 3
- friend of 3
- grandparent of 3
- child of 2
- formerly enslaved by 2
- Indian Agent of 2
- agent of 1
- business relation of 1
- cohabitating with 1
- colleague of 1
- employer of 1
- in the temporary custody of 1
- inlaw of 1
- son 1
- stepparent of 1
Cases
- In the matter of the Application of Ma-chu-nah-zha (Standing Bear) for a writ of Habeas Corpus 26
- In Re Petition of Gus Bendjus et al for Writ of Habeas Corpus 13
- Peter Nelson et al. v. Lewis V. Wycoff 9
- In the matter of the application of Thomas S. Brown et al for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 7
- Habeas Corpus of O. R. Blystone against Robert Hodge, Sheriff 6
- In the Matter of the Application of C. V. Stortz et. al. 5
- In the Matter of the Application of Susie Blue and Mary Woods, for a writ of Habeas Corpus 5
- Habeas Corpus of Joseph H. Abbott against A. E. Griffiths Chief Police 4
- Habeas Corpus of N. S. Randall against Chief of Police of City of Seattle 4
- Habeas Corpus of Tony Sullivan et al against Claude Bannick Chf. of Pol. 4
- Habeas Corpus of Vernon Lee Goldy + Lucille Goldy against L. M. Lang et al 4
- Habeas Corpus To the Jailor of S Louis County. P. Chouteau Sr. B. Pratte & A. Amelin 4
- In re application of Williams Alfredo for writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the application of Annie Nelson and Daisy Williams for a writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In The Matter of the Application of C. Larson for Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Charlie Giarratano, for a writ of habeas corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Claus Hubbard for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the matter of the application of Frank Williams for a writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the application of Fred L. Smith for a writ of Habeas Corpus for Annie Brown 4
- In the Matter of the Application of George M. Roe for writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Harry Ferguson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the matter of the application of Henry Neal for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Martin Von Schlosser for Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Nicholas Dick for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Ole Jackson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Patrick Martin for a writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the matter of the application of William Warden for writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the matter of the petition of Swan Larson for writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the Matter of the Petition of William Jones, William H. Doyle, Fred Williams and Alfred Woods for a Writ of Habeas Corpuswa 4
- Habeas Corpus of Schoenbeck against A. E. Griffiths Chief of Police et al 3
- Anson and Michael, persons of color, by and through their next friend, William Clark v. Elijah Mitchel 3
- Habeas Corpus for John Plackett & May his wife 3
- Habeas Corpus in the Matter of William Jones & William Barclay 3
- Habeas Corpus of A. H. Hubbard against Claude Bannick Chief of Police 3
- Habeas Corpus of C. J. Vollmer et. al. against Claude Bannick 3
- Habeas Corpus of Esther Crandell against Robert Hodge, Sheriff 3
- Habeas Corpus of George Parrish against Capt. Charles Tennant 3
- Habeas Corpus of Glenn E. Hoover et al. against Edward Cudihee as Sheriff 3
- Habeas Corpus of Hugh Bronson against Edw. Cudihee Shf. 3
- Habeas Corpus of Jack Sommer for Dave Rubenstein against Claude Bannick 3
- Habeas Corpus of John Schmidt against Claude Bannick (C of P) 3
- Habeas Corpus of M. H. Crawford against Claude Bannick (Chief of Police) 3
- Habeas Corpus of Mrs Orlando Terrell Byington against Chief of Police of Seattle 3
- In re application of Adam Treger for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In re: application of C.P. Bishop and N. H. McLean for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In re application of F. J. Curtis for writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In re application of John Snyder and Charles Rhoades for writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In re application of John Webber and Henry J. Busch for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- In re-Application of George Compton for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of Application for Robert Dewar for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of Application of Edgar Bunnell and Arthur Bunnell for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of James Sanford for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of John Bellamy 3
- In the Matter of John W. Hall for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of Matt Puryear for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application and Petition of C. H. Paul for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application and Petition of Donald Warner and Floyd Warner for Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application and petition of George Schriner for Habeas Corpus 3
- In The Matter Of The Application Of Hayward For A Writ Of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of A. B. Burks for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Abraham Jacobs for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Ah Sam and Ah Who for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Ah Sing for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Albert Sykes for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Antonia Bojar for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Arthur B. Carter, for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Arthur Frost for a Writ of Habeas Corp. 3
- In the matter of the Application of Auton Hauser for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Camille Renger for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Carl W. Sandberg and James Johnson on Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Charles F. Ireland, For a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Charles Lind of King County Washington Territory for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Charles Philbert for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Donald Fallon and Frank Rogers for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Dora Foster for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the Application of Edward Shelmidine and Mrs. Edward Shelmidine, for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Elmer Buchanan for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Eugene W. Way for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Frances Palmer for writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the application of Frank Delbridge and Edward Porter for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Frank Krebs and Pat Daugherty for a Writ of Habeas Corpus. 3
- In the matter of the application of Fred Harris and Charles Eick for Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Fred L. Smith for a writ of Habeas Corpus on behalf of Minnie Tarlton 3
- In the Matter of the application of George Harlow for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the application of George Harris for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of George Kai for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of George W. Davis for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of George W. Loomis for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of H. A. Reese for a writ of Habeas Corpus for & on behalf of Grant Willoby 3
- In the matter of the application of Harry Brooks for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Helen J. Holman for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Himan Klimax for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Ike Zemansky for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Irwin A. Medlar for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of J. Martin - Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the Application of James O'Donnell for writ Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of James Plymate for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of James Walsh for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Jesse Fowler and Mamie Cole for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Joe Gorden for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
779 results
Thomas, George F.
- Birth date: January 1, 1814
- Birth place: Virginia
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
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
Sullivan, John M.
- Birth date: May 1, 1822
- Birth place: Ireland
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White, Irish
- Case role(s): Respondent, responding party, holding party
Billings, William
- Birth date: October 27, 1827
- Birth place: Vermont
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
McAuliff, James
- Birth date: January 1, 1828
- Birth place: Ireland
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White, Irish
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
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
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
Marshall, Adam
- Birth date: January 1, 1834
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party
Bellamy, John
- Birth date: January 1, 1835
- Birth place: Missouri, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party
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
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
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
Steen, Richard Perry
- Birth date: January 1, 1840
- Birth place: Illinois
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
Martin, Nancy (Nancy Belle Miller)
- Birth date: February 29, 1840
- Birth place: Virginia, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party
Berry, Lewis P.
- Birth date: November 5, 1842
- Birth place: Indiana
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
Cochran, William (Cochrane)
- Birth date: December 15, 1846
- Birth place: Ireland
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Irish
- Case role(s): Respondent, responding party, holding 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
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
Ford, John T.
- Birth date: November 1, 1847
- Birth place: Oregon, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, responding party, holding party
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
McGraw, John Harte (J. A. McGraw)
- Birth date: October 4, 1850
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
Sigman, William
- Birth date: January 1, 1857
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner
Tinkham, William W.
- Birth date: January 1, 1861
- Birth place: Wisconsin
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Dunn, Henry W.
- Birth date: January 1, 1863
- Birth place: Illinois
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Holding party, responding party, respondent
Oo-Mod-ah (Good Provision)
- Birth date: January 1, 1863
- Birth place: Nebraska
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Maloney, Stephen (Steve)
- Birth date: May 3, 1865
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
Dugan, John
- Birth date: January 1, 1866
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party, interested party
Primo, Laura (Primeau)
- Birth date: January 1, 1869
- Birth place: Nebraska
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
McPhay, William (William Richards, Homer Walker)
- Birth date: January 1, 1872
- Birth place: Mississippi
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Petosky, Alex (Petoskey)
- Birth date: January 1, 1874
- Birth place: Germany
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Bannick, Claude George (Claud)
- Birth date: January 1, 1877
- Birth place: Iowa
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Responding party, respondent, holding party
Jackson, Samuel
- Birth date: January 1, 1880
- Birth place: Alaska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Indigenous
- Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner
Switzer, Ervin E.
- Birth date: January 1, 1883
- Birth place: Missouri, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Gielday, Naomi A.
- Birth date: September 6, 1883
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party
Columbia, Robert
- Birth date: January 1, 1891
- Birth place: Kansas
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Warner, Floyd
- Birth date: January 1, 1904
- Birth place: Iowa
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown, White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Warner, Donald
- Birth date: January 1, 1905
- Birth place: Iowa
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Alton, R. J.
- Birth date: N.D.
- Sex: Male
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Price, John P.
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Sykes, Albert
- Birth date: N.D.
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party
Fuller, Edward B.
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: Unknown
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner
