He passed for a free man for fifteen months.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

RAN-AWAY.

From the Subscriber on the 10th day of September, a bright mulatto fellow by the name of Ralph. He is about 35 years old – a number of his fore teeth are missing – several before, so as to disqualify him from chawing any thing hard. He has a very down look. He had on when he left me cotton clothes, except his coat, which was cotton cambrick, of a brown colour, made in the present fashion. The coat had a pocket on the inside of the left lappell. – He is about five feet, eight or ten inches high – thick built. I expect he will attempt to pass for a free man, and perhaps aim for Richmond, in Virginia, where he was raised.  He left his former master, whose name was Jeffery, (lived in South Carolina,) and passed for a free man about fifteen months in the counties of Duplin, Bladen, and Jones, where he was at length taken up and committed to Wilmington Jail, where his master got him. Any person who will confine said Negro in any Jail in this state so I get him again, shall receive a reward of ten dollars, and if delivered to me in Wadesborough, 25 dollars. JOHN JENNINGS. Wadesborough, Sept. 25, 1809.

Star, Raleigh, 19 October 1809.