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I guess that this then is where I'm having problems.
At common law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives or natural-born citizens, as distinguished from aliens or foreigners.
I guess I'm too literal as I don't see native born being the same as natural born. It doesn't say "These were native-born citizens or natural-born citizens...
Earlier in the decision it was stated...
In this state of things, on the 15th of October, 1872 (one of the days fixed by law for the registration of voters), Mrs. Virginia Minor, a native-born free white citizen of the United States and of the State of Missouri...
If, as you contend both are the same thing why was native-born used there instead of natural-born? It just doesn't make sense to me. They obviously have different connotations or else why use it at all?

And keep in mind that these were Judges who used their words much more carefully than many do today.

And ya know, I can't find anything, anywhere on what her maiden name was or who her parents were. I was hoping that finding that information would possibly help me in figuring out why native-born was used to describe her.
Then again, I'm not too familiar with genealogy research so perhaps I'm just missing the info that is out there.