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Dred Scott born in 1795
Born into slavery of the Peter Blow family sometime in 1795, in Southampton County, Virginia. -
Dred Scott relocates with Blow family
The Blow family moves to St. Louis, part of the wholesale migration of people from the southern states of the eastern seaboard to the newer slave states of the Mississippi Valley. The Blows sell Scott to Dr. John Emerson, a military surgeon stationed at Jefferson Barracks just south of St. Louis. -
Sold to Dr. Emerson
Dr. Emerson moved to Illinois and the Wisconsin Territories, both of which prohibited slavery. Emerison later in in 1846. After his death, scott tried to buy his freedom from Emersons widow. -
Dred Scott marries
Scott marries Harriet Robinson, also a slave. The Scotts later have two children. -
Slave life for Scott family
John Emerson dies. Mrs. Emerson hires out Dred, Harriet, and their children to work for other families in St. Louis. -
Dred & Harriet Scott sue for freedom
In his first attempt he lost in a local court. Scott won his second attempt but got turned down by the US Supreme Court. This got Scott noticed by people who would help him. -
Dred Scott returned to slavery
Mrs. Emerson, not wanting to lose such valuable property, appeals the decision to the Missouri Supreme Court. Lawyers on both sides agree that from now on appeals will be based on Dred's case alone, with findings applied equally to Harriet. The state Supreme Court overrules the Circuit Court decision and returns Scott to slavery. -
Abolitionist help Scott in his case
With the help of abolitionist he has another trial. Scott filed another suit against his slave owner, John Sanford. After losing he turned to the U.S. Supreme Court. -
Supreme court denied Dred Scott
The Dred Scott case went on for 11 years. The majority agreed with Dred Scott not counting as a US citizen. This helped spark the civil war. -
Dred Scott and his family freed.
Too controversial to keep the Scotts as slave. Mrs. Emerson remarried and gave them back to the Blows. In May 1857, the Scott family were freed. -
Dred Scott has a taste of freedom
Dred Scott truley freed dies about a year later. But before his death he was a bellboy. This showed how slaves could finally live a free life. -
Dred Scott dies
Scott died from tuberculosis on September 17, 1858. Today he is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, MO. Its common to place a penny on top of his tombstone displaying president Lincoln.
