Annotated Timeline Dred Scott
January 1799 -1832; Dred Scott’s birth and early life
Samuel Dred Scott was born into slavery and was owned by his master at the time Peter Blow and his wife Elizabeth, who all lived in Southampton County, Virginia. His birth date and details are roughly known and estimated. The Blows’ family and all other slaves that he owned including Scott, moved to Alabama where Scott works in a cotton plantation for 12 years. The Blows’ relocated to St. Louis Missouri giving up on farming and Dred Scott is then sold to Dr. John Emerson who was a surgeon in the United States Army.
December 1833- 1843; Dred Scott New Master – Dr. John Emerson
Dr. Emerson and Scott relocated from the Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis Missouri to Fort Armstrong, Illinois. Illinois was a free territory meaning that slavery was forbidden. Scott did not file for freedom nor live as a free man at the time. Dr. Emerson is then given new orders to relocate to Fort Snelling in Wisconsin. While living in Wisconsin, Scott met his wife Harriet Robinson who was also a slave from another army physician who he married in 1837. Dr. Emerson who was currently at the time
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Scott and his wife file for separate petitions with the court as their petitions are dismissed and their lawyer files for a new trial. Irene then hands over the Scott’s to the St. Louis County Sheriff to be their sole custody as slaves, while the case that Scott had previously filed with the court was being resolved. The court case had a ruling and the Scotts’ were freed from slavery. Mrs. Emerson was not pleased with the court’s ruling and she and her brother appealed the ruling with the Missouri Supreme court and a new trial was started and named – Dred Scott v. Irene Emerson. The Missouri supreme Court decides to reverse their own ruling and Scott and his family are no longer free but slaves again living in a free