Runaway Slave Assignment
Eighteenth-Century Runaway Slave Ads.
May 14, 1785 a runaway Negro slave by the name of Billy, 23 escaped from St. Mary’s County, near the Queen tree. Dressed in a striped country cloth jacket and breeches, heading towards Prince George’s County. An eight dollar reward for capture and five pounds if out of state.
Isaac 17, runaway Negro slave from New York October 27, 1763. Clothed in a lame manner. Reward 20 shillings, where about unknown. February 19, 1779. Abraham, a runaway Negro slave 25 years old with a speech impediment.
JULY 18, 1785. Samuel Johnson, 23 a runaway Negro slave from Charles County. Large axe cut on his leg, Wearing old trousers and an old short blue jacket. Last seen heading towards the Eastern shore. Twenty pound reward for his safe return.
June 18, 1777. Tom, a runaway Negro slave age 33 wearing a blue jacket without sleeves, traveling with a female dressed in a country linen hat and breeches. By the name of Milbey, 23 years of age. Both escaped from Battle Creek Forge, heading for Annapolis, near Calvert County. Five pound reward.
January 24, 1778. Sarah, 6 to 7 yrs. Old. A runaway female from Fredrick County, mulatto in color. Speaking good English and wearing a man’s coat.
February 8, 1786. A sixteen dollar reward for Matthew, a runaway Negro slave 19 or 20 years of age with a down look, escaped from Prince George County heading towards Bladensburg. Clothing uncertain.
According to this analysis of eighteen-century runaway ads, all of the runaway ads are in the years between 1775 and 1789. Most were of the male gender, but there were occasionally females who traveled with the males and sometimes a child.
A few of the runaway ads that I researched were groups of men. The ages ranged anywhere between six to fifty years old. Most of the runaway ads that I viewed were that of Negros. There were however four Mulattos, and a few East Indians.
Of the thirty plus runaway ads that I researched, race was often hard to distinguish
May 14, 1785 a runaway Negro slave by the name of Billy, 23 escaped from St. Mary’s County, near the Queen tree. Dressed in a striped country cloth jacket and breeches, heading towards Prince George’s County. An eight dollar reward for capture and five pounds if out of state.
Isaac 17, runaway Negro slave from New York October 27, 1763. Clothed in a lame manner. Reward 20 shillings, where about unknown. February 19, 1779. Abraham, a runaway Negro slave 25 years old with a speech impediment.
JULY 18, 1785. Samuel Johnson, 23 a runaway Negro slave from Charles County. Large axe cut on his leg, Wearing old trousers and an old short blue jacket. Last seen heading towards the Eastern shore. Twenty pound reward for his safe return.
June 18, 1777. Tom, a runaway Negro slave age 33 wearing a blue jacket without sleeves, traveling with a female dressed in a country linen hat and breeches. By the name of Milbey, 23 years of age. Both escaped from Battle Creek Forge, heading for Annapolis, near Calvert County. Five pound reward.
January 24, 1778. Sarah, 6 to 7 yrs. Old. A runaway female from Fredrick County, mulatto in color. Speaking good English and wearing a man’s coat.
February 8, 1786. A sixteen dollar reward for Matthew, a runaway Negro slave 19 or 20 years of age with a down look, escaped from Prince George County heading towards Bladensburg. Clothing uncertain.
According to this analysis of eighteen-century runaway ads, all of the runaway ads are in the years between 1775 and 1789. Most were of the male gender, but there were occasionally females who traveled with the males and sometimes a child.
A few of the runaway ads that I researched were groups of men. The ages ranged anywhere between six to fifty years old. Most of the runaway ads that I viewed were that of Negros. There were however four Mulattos, and a few East Indians.
Of the thirty plus runaway ads that I researched, race was often hard to distinguish