When Peter and Elizabeth died Dred Scott became the property of John
Emerson. Historians are unsure about the true identity of Dred Scott, some
argue that his real name was Sam and that his name was changed when he was
sold.[i] In any case the author of the book, Slavery, Law, and Politics:
The Dred Scott Case in Historical Perspective, explains
"Whatever name he originally wore, Dred Scott had apparently been with
the Blows since his childhood or early youth. Probably born in
Virginia around the beginning of the century, he had a very dark skin
and may have been no more than five feet tall. A St. Louis newspaper
article, published in 1857 and evidently based on a personal
interview, described him as "illiterate but not ignorant," with a
"strong common sense" that had been sharpened by his many travels.
Such contemporary traces of the man Dred Scott are so scarce, however,
that he remains a very indistinct figure. Little if anything can be
said with authority about his personality, his quality as a worker, or
his relations with various owners and employers. One would especially
like to know how much of the initiative was Scott's own in the eleven-
year legal contest that began in 1846. He has usually been regarded as
a passive figure, but there are hints of a stronger spirit, determined
The book goes on to explain that Dred Scot had a very close
relationship with the remaining members of the Blow family even after he
was sold to John Emerson. Indeed, the relationship that he had with them
was so close that they supported him throughout his legal battle which took
place from 1846 until 1857. In fact, Taylor Blow (the owner's son) was
Scott's benefactor until he died.[iii]
Dred Scott v Stanford occurred as a result of the location that Dred
Scott ended u...