He formerly followed the sea.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

Taken up and committed on the 17th Inst. to the jail of this county, a negro man by the name of John Brown, who has formerly followed the sea; he is a about twenty-four years of age, six feet high, spare made and speaks broken English; he says, on examination, that he was on board of the British merchant vessel “Canada,” bound from Trinidad to Newfoundland, as a sailor, and captured just before the restoration of peace, by the privateer Hero, commanded by capt. Waterman. Said vessel Canada, was brought into Beaufort in this state, condemned and sold at Washington. All the crew except himself returned to home, he remained at Greenville and passed for a freeman, until a few days past he was sold to a Mr. MacLeod of Richmond county, by whom he is not certain; on his way he absconded with an intention of returning to Greenville. It is hoped that the Marshal of this state will make enquiries into the above circumstances, and a permit will be required from his hand before the purchaser will be permitted to pay charges and take him away. Also committed on the same day, a negro man who answers to the name of Joe, about twenty one years old, five feet and a half high and remarkably black, says he was sold by William Beaton of Lenoir county, to a speculator, whose name he does not remember, and that he deserted this dealer in human flesh on Deep river. The owner of this negro is requested to prove property, pay charges and take him away.  ROBT. GULLY, jun. Shff., Smithfield, Johnston county, June 20, 1816.

Star, Raleigh, 25 June 1816.