SUMMARYUlzire v. Poeyfarre: Chickasaw grandmother, family freed (Louisiana, May 15, 1824) [Connections: Gulf, Louisiana, Texas & Mexico, Nov 5, 2026]
RECORD"This is an action in which the plaintiffs, who aver that they are descended from Indians, now claim their freedom." A jury found that the petitioners descended from an Indian woman "of the Chickasaw tribe" and that the defendant had shown no title. The Supreme Court (Porter, J.) held that holding them without title was illegal, so "they must be set free," and affirmed. An earlier 1820 stage of the same case, Ulzere v. Poeyfarre, 8 Mart. (o.s.) 155, names Ulzere, Francis (the mother), Mary Ann, Marie Therese and Casimer
PATTERNA whole family held as enslaved won freedom by proving Chickasaw descent
LENS (WW9)A Chickasaw bloodline, enslaved on paper, proved in court
OPENHow the family was labeled (negro or mulatto?) in sale acts and censuses
SOURCEUlzire v. Poeyfarre (hallapproved), 2 Mart. (n.s.) 504 (La. 1824); Ulzere v. Poeyfarre, 1820 (Citing Slavery).