Rosetta Armstead court transcript

Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas transcript in the 1855 case of Rosetta Armstead (sometimes written Armistead), a sixteen year old slave who was brought to Ohio by an agent of her master. As Ohio was a free state, Rosetta sued for her freedom in the Court of Common Pleas at Columbus. The judge in the lower court declared her to be free and the case was then moved to the U.S. Circuit Court in Cincinnati, and presided over by future Justice of the Supreme Court Judge John McClean. Rosetta was defended in court by Salmon Chase, who would later become governor of Ohio; Timothy Walker, a prominent lawyer and co-founder of the Cincinnati Law School; and future president Rutherford B. Hayes. According to Hayes' closing argument, and finally ruled so by the judge after a week of deliberation, Rosetta was free upon the master's agent bringing her to the free state of Ohio