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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:
Race or Ethnicity
- White 121
- Unknown 45
- Black 24
- Asian 3
- Chinese 2
- Indigenous 2
- Colored 1
- Man of Color 1
- Multiracial 1
Birth Place
- United States 196
- Nebraska 31
- Oregon 19
- Illinois 15
- Pennsylvania 11
- Iowa 9
- Ohio 9
- Missouri 8
- Virginia 8
- Kentucky 5
- New York 5
- Indiana 3
- Kansas 3
- Wisconsin 3
- Maryland 2
- Massachusetts 2
- North Dakota 2
- Alaska 1
- Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana 1
- California 1
- Connecticut 1
- Delaware 1
- District of Columbia 1
- Georgia 1
- Maine 1
- Michigan 1
- Minnesota 1
- South Carolina 1
- Tennessee 1
- Unknown 1
- Vermont 1
- Washington 1
- West Virginia 1
Birth Year
- 1857 7
- 1858 5
- 1881 5
- 1884 5
- 1835 4
- 1847 4
- 1853 4
- 1861 4
- 1870 4
- 1850 3
- 1852 3
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- 1907 3
- 1818 2
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- 1898 2
- 1899 2
- 1900 2
- 1908 2
- 1911 2
- 1914 2
- 1917 2
- 1783 1
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- 1885 1
- 1892 1
- 1894 1
- 1904 1
- 1905 1
- 1906 1
- 1909 1
- 1910 1
- 1912 1
- 1916 1
- 1918 1
- 1984 1
Age Category
- Adult 149
- Unindicated 32
- Minor 28
- Unclear 1
Relationships
- judged by 146
- attorney for 78
- attorney against 66
- parent of 59
- in the disputed interpersonal custody of 29
- attorney with 27
- jailed by 23
- opposing attorney to 20
- sibling of 15
- grandparent of 13
- formerly married to 12
- presumed relative of 11
- relative of 10
- an institutional ward of 8
- married to 6
- next friend of 6
- detained by 5
- under the military command of 5
- enslaved by 4
- kidnapper of 4
- presumed inlaw of 4
- agent of 2
- inlaw of 2
- parent-appointed guardian of 2
- represented by 2
- an immigrant detainee of 1
- child of 1
- formerly enslaved by 1
- foster sibling of 1
- guardian of 1
- in legal custody of 1
- in the temporary custody of 1
- self-appointed guardian of 1
- son 1
- stepparent of 1
Cases
- In the matter of the application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Mollie A. Calhoun, a minor 6
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of John W. Donohue 5
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Nancy Martin alias Nancy Belle Miller 5
- In the matter of the application of Benjamin Wise for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 5
- In the Matter of the Petition of Aubrey Pickard for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Leonard Pickards 5
- Roy Stearns vs. R. R. Lee Steiner, Superintendent of the Oregon State Hospital 5
- Ellis M. Harrison vs. Eillen M. Harrison 4
- In re-application of Edna Lambert for Writ of Habeas Corpus vs. W. G. Seeley and Mrs. W. G. Seeley, his wife 4
- In the matter of the application for writ of Habeas Corpus for the body of Marion Lavonne Maurer 4
- In the matter of the application of Bonnie Manion for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Lera Manion and Howard Manion 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Junichi Yamamoto for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- 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 4
- In the Matter of the Application of Margaret Purdy, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for Josephine Blairb 4
- In the matter of the application of Samuel Jackson for a writ of Habeas Corpus 4
- In the matter of the Proceedings in Habeas Corpus in behalf of Evelyn E Miller, on Petition and Application of Louis B. Millerburrb 4
- Anson and Michael, persons of color, by and through their next friend, William Clark v. Elijah Mitchel 3
- City of Spokane v. Frankie Sutsinger 3
- Ex parte William Johnson 3
- Foong V. William Murphy. Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- Habeas Corpus in the Matter of Adam Marshall 3
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Adam Riley 3
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of John McMenamy 3
- In Re Application of Jane M. Williams for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In re application of Mary Harmon for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of application of William Richter, Helena Richter, his wife, and Albert Wilhelm Richter, their minor child, for writs of habeas corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Agnes Smith for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Alson B. Cole for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Alson B. Cole for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Eddy Cramer, Willie Cramer, and Clarence Cramer, by George H. A. Cramer, for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Euphemia Eastwick for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of J. J. Blevins for writ a [sic 3
- In the matter of the application of Jeremiah Mangan for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Joe Lachapell for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the application of Nina P. Robotham, a minor, by Robert G. Robotham, her next friend, for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- In the matter of the Application of Sam Harris for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Vincenzo Ubaldino for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of W. T. Gardiner for a Writ of Habeas Corpus (James Walton Jr Petitioner) 3
- In the matter of the application of William Lemke, for writ of habeas corpus for Paul Lemke 3
- In the matter of the Application of William Spears and James McGough for a writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Application of Wu Kao (Ng Go) for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the matter of the Petition of Ardula M. Porter on behalf of Clara Barnes for writ of habeas corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Petition of Charles Houghton for Writ of Habeas Corpus 3
- In the Matter of the Petition of Edwin L. Cady for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, in behalf of William L. Gardner vs Dr. R. E. Lee Steiner, Sup’t. of the Oregon State Hospital for the Insane 3
- In the matter of the petition of F. W. G. Muller for a writ of habeas corpus 3
- Marianne, a person of color vs. Elijah Mitchel, Alexander J. Fields 3
- Patrick Holland vs. Dr. R. E. Lee Steiner 3
- Anson, a boy of color v. Henry G. Mitchel and Henry C. Russel 2
- Aspasia Petition for Habeas Corpus 2
- Bertha Crader vs. F. W. Durbin and State of Oregon 2
- Charles M. Helmore v. United States 2
- Charles Sitzman vs. L. C. Oberlies, A. E. Allyn, Catherine Worley, as the Board of Commissioners of State Institutions of the State of Nebraska and Doctor S. J. Stewart, Superintendent Institution for Feeble Minded Youth 2
- Ex Parte Joseph Scheiber 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Alexander S. Butler 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Alfred Conrad 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Benjamin Sweaner 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Charles Dorsey 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Ellen Ryan 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Henry Freeman 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Henry Ideker 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Henry J. Leonari 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Henry M Stall 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Jacob Dahr 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of James McAlvoy 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of John Meierco 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of John Meisher 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Moses G. Bishops 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Patrick McDonald 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Philip Lowry 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of Taylor Clarke 2
- Habeas Corpus in the Matter of William Jones & William Barclay 2
- Habeas Corpus in the matter of William Ryan 2
- Habeas Corpus in the Matter of Wm Rotenback 2
- Habeas Corpus of Theodore Mazzine for Martha Mazzine against Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart 2
- Harriet O'Grady, on behalf of Myrtle O'Grady, vs. Doctor J. N. Smith, Superintendent of the State Institution for Feeble Minded 2
- In matter of the application of Carol Williams for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In re application of Daisy Hartman for Habeas Corpus 2
- In Re Application of Russell and Nettie Watson for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In Re Habeas Corpus of D. B. Davidson 2
- In Re Mac Fock v. State of Washington 2
- In Re: Petition of Ham Hung Wah by Tom Sing for Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the Matter of a Petition of Harry Thompson, for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the Matter of Application for writ of Habeas Corpus for Harry Carr and Herbert Carr minor children of Sam'l L. Carr 2
- In the Matter of Application of Henry Huckfeldt for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of application of M. O. Ricketts for a Writ of Habeas Corpus for the body of ‘Till’ 2
- In the matter of application of Margaret Grundy by Mrs. Roy Davis her mother and next friend for writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of application of Wade Gregory and Clarence J. Burress for writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of Elihu Schooner 2
- In the matter of George Leib on Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of George W. Turley upon a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of Henri Dachez on Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of Jerome C. Corbin for the Writ of Habeas Corpus of Frank E. Corbin, a minor. 2
- In the Matter of Joseph Williams On Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application for Ruth Mathews for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application of A. A. DeMueles for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application of Agnes Marshall for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application of Ah Sam and Ah Who for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application of Ah Young for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the Matter of the Application of Albert Rhude for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the matter of the application of Alberto Sichofsky for a writ of Habeas Corpus 2
- In the Matter of the Application of Alfonso Gagliardi for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2
196 results
Download JSON Download CSVAdams, Jennie Belle (Jennie Belle Scott)
- Birth date: January 1, 1884
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Allen, Jr., Jay Cooke
- Birth date: July 7, 1900
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Anderson, Cecil
- Birth date: January 1, 1910
- Birth place: Kansas, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party
Anderson, Ross P.
- Birth date: January 1, 1853
- Birth place: Ohio, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney
Anderton, Albert L.
- Birth date: March 15, 1893
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party
Anson
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner
Aspasia
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: Illinois, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner
Atkins, Nellie
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Baily, Jacob
- Birth date: September 5, 1847
- Birth place: Pennsylvania, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Judge
Ballinger, Richard A.
- Birth date: July 9, 1858
- Birth place: Iowa, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Bassett, Alma May
- Birth date: January 1, 1907
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Bassett, Wilber
- Birth date: January 1, 1904
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- 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
Berger, Alta (Alta Burger)
- Birth date: January 1, 1884
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, holding party, responding party
Bishop, John S.
- Birth date: January 1, 1861
- Birth place: New York, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Authority ordering detention, petitioner attorney
Blair, Albert A.
- Birth date: January 1, 1876
- Birth place: Iowa, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent, responding party, holding party
Blair, Josephine
- Birth date: January 1, 1917
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Blevins, Thomas H. S.
- Birth date: January 1, 1863
- Birth place: Oregon, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Bound party
Boise, Reuben Patrick
- Birth date: June 9, 1818
- Birth place: Massachusetts, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Judge
Bowen, Adna H.
- Birth date: July 21, 1842
- Birth place: Michigan, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney, judge
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
Burleigh, Andrew Faulk
- Birth date: January 7, 1858
- Birth place: United States, Pennsylvania
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Burnham, Horace Blois
- Birth date: September 10, 1824
- Birth place: New York, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney
Burress, Clarence J. (Buris)
- Birth date: January 1, 1890
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
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
Butler, Edward Mann
- Birth date: July 13, 1784
- Birth place: Maryland, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Authority ordering detention
Button, William F.
- Birth date: March 31, 1869
- Birth place: Illinois, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Judge
Cannon, Anderson M.
- Birth date: November 22, 1871
- Birth place: Oregon, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Carr, Samuel L.
- Birth date: January 1, 1857
- Birth place: Missouri, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Petitioner
Carr, William C.
- Birth date: April 15, 1783
- Birth place: Virginia, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Judge, authority ordering detention
Carson, John H.
- Birth date: November 2, 1984
- Birth place: Oregon, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney
Chambliss, William Parham
- Birth date: March 20, 1823
- Birth place: Virginia, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Responding party, holding party
Chandler, George
- Birth date: January 6, 1835
- Birth place: Vermont, United States
- Sex: Unknown
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Coad, Edward F.
- Birth date: January 1, 1856
- Birth place: Iowa, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Judge
Colvin, John W.
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: Virginia, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Judge
Conrad, Alfred
- Birth date: N.D.
- Birth place: Pennsylvania, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Petitioner, bound party
Cramer, Clarence
- Birth date: January 1, 1900
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Cramer, Eddy
- Birth date: January 1, 1895
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Cramer, Willie
- Birth date: January 1, 1897
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Crawford, Andrew Murray
- Birth date: January 29, 1853
- Birth place: New York, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney
Crowder, Enoch Herbert
- Birth date: April 11, 1859
- Birth place: Missouri, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Unknown
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Cushman, Edward E.
- Birth date: November 26, 1865
- Birth place: Iowa, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Judge, respondent attorney
Davis, Clarence Alba
- Birth date: November 29, 1892
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Respondent attorney
Dawson, Lucile
- Birth date: July 1, 1916
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Dawson, Lulu
- Birth date: January 1, 1898
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Female
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner
de Graff, Lawrence
- Birth date: June 24, 1871
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Authority ordering detention
Deles Dernier, Chester
- Birth date: July 11, 1884
- Birth place: Nebraska, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Donohue, John W.
- Birth date: November 3, 1835
- Birth place: Kentucky, United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Bound party
Dore, John Francis
- Birth date: December 11, 1881
- Birth place: United States, Massachusetts
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: White
- Case role(s): Petitioner attorney
Dorsey, Charles
- Birth date: January 1, 1818
- Birth place: United States
- Sex: Male
- Race or ethnicity: Black
- Case role(s): Bound party, petitioner
