19th Century American History Figure. Peter Blow owned the enslaved Dred Scott, who was born in Virginia, taken to Alabama and then to St. Louis, Missouri by Blow's family. After Blow's death in 1832, Scott was purchased by an army surgeon Dr. John Emerson who took him to Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was prohibited. This relocation to a free territory gave Scott a claim to freedom. Seeking his freedom from bondage, he sued for his freedom in a 10-year long court battle. With Dr. Emerson's widow, Scott had returned to Missouri. Missouri had a long-standing "once free, always free." Peter Blow's son, Taylor, helped to finance the cost of the battle. In March of 1857, the United States Supreme Court declared that all blacks, slaves as well as free blacks, were not, and could never become, citizens of the United States. This became known as the "Dred Scott Decision." Since Scott was not an American citizen, he had no right to sue another person. Although Southern slave owners claimed victory, Northern abolitionists were outraged with the decision. This led to the nomination of Abraham Lincoln as a candidate by the Republican Party for the United States Presidency and after his victory, Southern states began secession from the Union, in 1861 the American Civil War started, and ultimately by the end of the war, the freedom of all African Americans. Scott was eventually purchased by Blow's son, yet emancipated along with his wife on May 26, 1857. Scott died nine months later. Peter Blow served in the War of 1812 as a captain.
19th Century American History Figure. Peter Blow owned the enslaved Dred Scott, who was born in Virginia, taken to Alabama and then to St. Louis, Missouri by Blow's family. After Blow's death in 1832, Scott was purchased by an army surgeon Dr. John Emerson who took him to Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was prohibited. This relocation to a free territory gave Scott a claim to freedom. Seeking his freedom from bondage, he sued for his freedom in a 10-year long court battle. With Dr. Emerson's widow, Scott had returned to Missouri. Missouri had a long-standing "once free, always free." Peter Blow's son, Taylor, helped to finance the cost of the battle. In March of 1857, the United States Supreme Court declared that all blacks, slaves as well as free blacks, were not, and could never become, citizens of the United States. This became known as the "Dred Scott Decision." Since Scott was not an American citizen, he had no right to sue another person. Although Southern slave owners claimed victory, Northern abolitionists were outraged with the decision. This led to the nomination of Abraham Lincoln as a candidate by the Republican Party for the United States Presidency and after his victory, Southern states began secession from the Union, in 1861 the American Civil War started, and ultimately by the end of the war, the freedom of all African Americans. Scott was eventually purchased by Blow's son, yet emancipated along with his wife on May 26, 1857. Scott died nine months later. Peter Blow served in the War of 1812 as a captain.
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Blow memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
