Lurking amongst the free negroes.
Raleigh Register and North Carolina Weekly Advertiser, 22 April 1826.
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Raleigh Register and North Carolina Weekly Advertiser, 22 April 1826.
STOP THE RUNAWAY! DESERTED from the service of his employer on the 25th of December last, a Negro Man called CUPID, who belongs to Nicholas Arrington, Orphan of Gen. Wm. Arrington. Cupid is about 40 years old; six feet high; well made; common yellow; rather an unpleasant countenance. The middle finger of the right or left hand is off at the first joint. His clothes not recollected. He took with him Leather, Shoes, and Tools, suitable for his trade. He is one of the first rate Shoemakers.
Cupid was persuaded off by a free woman whom he had taken up with as a wife, by the name of Eliza Turner. Sometimes says her name is Eliza Toole, in her travels. She is a small yellow wench; perhaps 25 or 30 years old; — sly, timid countenance. She tells that she has made Newbern, Washington, and Tarborough places of her residence. I am persuaded they will make for one of those places. Cupid’s intention is to pass for a free man. He may have altered his name and procured a pass to that effect from some villain.
I will give Generous Reward to any person who will deliver to me the above named Cupid and Eliza and confine them in any jail so that I get them, to place him on his former standing, and bring her to justice. LAWRENCE BATTLE, Guard’n. Nash County, Jan 7th, 1817.
Raleigh Register and North Carolina Weekly Advertiser, 17 January 1817.
$100 REWARD. RUN AWAY, or was stolen from the subscriber on the night of the eighth instant, a bright mulatto woman (slave) and her child, a girl of about four years old. This woman ran away from the subscriber, executor of John Hunt, dec’d, in the summer of 1808, and passed as a free woman by the name of Patsy Young, until about the first of June last, when she apprehended as a runaway. On the 6th of the same month I obtained possession of her in the town of Halifax; since which time, by an order of Franklin county court, she and her child Eliza have been sold, when the subscriber became the purchaser. She spent the greater part of the time she was run away (say about sixteen years,) in the neighbourhood of and in the town of Halifax; one or two summers at Rock-Landing, where I am informed she cooked for the hands employed on the Canal. She has also spent some of her time in Plymouth, her occupation while there not known. At the above places she has many acquaintances. She is a tall spare woman, thin face and lips, long sharp nose, and fore-teeth somewhat decayed. She is an excellent seamstress, can make ladies and gentlemens dresses, is a good cook and weaver, and I am informed is a good cake-baker and beer-brewer, &c. by which occupations she principally gained her living. Some time during last summer she married a free man of color named Chrael Johnson, who had been living in and about Plymouth, and followed boating on the Roanoke. Since his marriage, he leased a farm of Mr. James Cotton of Scotland-Neck, Halifax county, where he was living together with this woman, at the time she was taken up as a runaway slave in June last. I have but little doubt, that Johnson has contrived to seduce or steal her and child out of my possession, and will attempt to get them out of the State and pass a free persons. Should this be the case, I will give sixty-five dollars for his detection and conviction before the proper tribunal, in any part of this State. I will give for the apprehension of the woman and child, on their delivery to me, or so secured in jail or otherwise that I get them, thirty-five dollars; or, I will give twenty-five dollars for the woman alone, and ten dollars for the child alone. The proper name of the woman is PIETY, but she will no doubt change it as she did before.
I forward all owners of boats, captains and owners of vessels, from taking on board their vessels, or carrying away this woman and her child Eliza, under the penalty of the law. NAT. HUNT. August 15.
Raleigh Register and North Carolina Weekly Advertiser, 20 August 1824.
$20 REWARD. – RAN AWAY from the subscriber on the 6th instant, a negro man by the name of CAGE. Said negro is about twenty-seven years old, about five feet ten inches high, quick spoken and rather black – weighs some hundred and seventy pounds. It is my opinion that he intends to leave this State, with a free negro by the name of Nicholas Williams. The above reward will be given to any person, who will confine said negro in any jail or deliver him to me at my house about three miles above Toisnot Depot, Edgecombe County, N.C. – Josiah Jordan.
Tarboro Press, 13 March 1847.
BROAD CREEK, on Neuse River, April 9. On Saturday night, April the 4th, broke into the house of the subscriber at the head of Green’s Creek, where I had some small property under the care of Ann Driggus, a free negro woman, two men in disguise, who with masks on their faces, and clubs in their hands, beat and wounded her terribly and carried away four of her children, three girls and a boy, the biggest of said girls got off in the dark and made her escape, one of the girl’s name is Becca, and the other Charita, the boy is named Shadrack; she says the men were William Munday and Charles Towzer, a sailor lately from Newbern, these men were on board of a boat belonging to Kelly Cason, and was with him in the boat about the middle of the day. Fifty dollars reward will be given to any person who will stop the children and apprehend the robbers so that they may be brought to justice. JOHN CARUTHERS.
North Carolina Gazette, New Bern, 10 April 1778.
Five cents Reward.
RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on the 5th inst. An indented mulatto boy named WHITMEL Anderson, about 15 or 16 years old, very bright complexion, and has a large scar across the right hand. It is supposed that he is lurking about Col. Joshua Pender’s mill in Conetoe, where his connexions reside. The above reward will be given for the apprehension and delivery of said boy to me in Edgecombe county. All persons are forbid harboring, employing, or carrying off said boy under penalty of the law. BURREL DUNN. Oct. 7, 1834.
Tarboro Press, 10 Oct 1835.
Kidnapping. – We learn from the Greensborough Patriot that a gentleman from Patrick county, Va. lately offered for sale, in Salisbury, a free mulatto child! On discovering an acquaintance, as he was parading the streets in the notable character of a speculator, he made his bow, retired, so fast as not to be heard from when looked after. – Ral. Reg.
Tarboro’ Press, 13 June 1835.
Thirty Dollars Reward.
RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on Sunday night, the 12th of March last, a negro woman, named POLLY, about 28 years old, nearly five feet high, yellow complexion, spare made, has a mild look and genteel appearance, (for a negro,) when well dressed, and is well calculated to deceive unless tightly and closely examined. She was seduced away by a black free negro, Carter Newsom by name, a shoemaker by trade, who is about 30 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 8 inches high, thick set, has a pleasant countenance and very white teeth, which he shews very much when speaking and laughing: he is strongly suspected of being a runaway slave. In my fomer advertisement, I stated that from threats which the wench made prior to her elopement, they would, by changing their names, and getting forged free papers, endeavor to make their escape to some free state: since that time, they have been lurking about Halifax town, in the vicinity of which, they probably are at this time. All persons are forwarned from harboring or carrying off said negro under the penalty of the law. The above reward, will reasonable charges, will be paid for securing said woman in any jail, so that I get her again, or for her delivery to me. Lunsford W. Scott, Halifax co N.C. August 15, 1826.
Tarboro Free Press, 26 Sept 1826.
The Superior Court for this county is in session – Judge Ellis presiding. We are happy to be able to say, that there is no capital case before it.
At Sampson Court, last week, Wm. Boon, alias Wm. Hussey, a free mulatto, was convicted of Burglary with intent to commit a Rape. Solicitor Strange and Hon. J.C. Dobbin for the State; C.G. Wright, Esq. for the prisoner.
Fayetteville Observer, 4 May 1852.
In the 1850 census of Southern Division, Sampson County: Comfort Boon, 50, with Kadar, 22, Ann, 24, Beckey, 23, Elizabeth, 20, Caty, 19, Evaline, 18, William, 15, and Almira Boon, 10; all described as black.
STOP THE RUNAWAY. $75 REWARD. – Runaway from the subscriber on the 17th day of September last, a negro fellow by the name of JOLLY. He is about 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high; broad shouldered, speaks a little slow, dish faced, and has a trembling in his hands when holding any thing; rather bow legged. I think he can read print. I had another fellow who started off Jolly to Ohio with free passes. Jolly’s was a pass belonging to a free negro by the name of Wilson Smith, who had a genuine certificate signed W. Dismukes, clerk county court of Anson county, and certified by Wm. Johnson, Chairman of said County, certified by the then Governor Edward B. Dudley. Said pass was found on Jolly in Moore county, and the man thought he was a free negro, and let him go on. About the 18th March last, a friend of mine knowing all about my negroes, pursued Jolly, and came up with him within three miles of Greensboro’, in company with three Virginia Wagoners, and took him. On his way back, Jolly made his escape, and no doubt he will try and get another free pass from the same scoundrel that furnished this with the first.
The other negro was committed to Moore county jail, and I have since got him. His free pass was written, and signed C.Q. Cooley, clerk county court of Montgomery, O. Willie, Chairman – a old paper, entirely counterfeit, though it bore the impress of something resembling a County Seal. No doubt now remains but Simeon D. Pemberton, of Anson County, is the rascal who procured these passes for my negroes. It may be that the counterfeiter, Geasling, of Rockingham County, who was whipped and imprisoned at Wadesborough, wrote one of the passes. When he was discharged, he visited his particular friend, Simeon D. Pemberton, and laid at his house for more than a week, fixing a plan to get my negroes off into the hands of this counterfeiting gang.
I will give $25 for the confinement of Jolly and $50 for proof to convict the rascal who took him off. Simeon D. Pemberton is about the Height of Jolly, (not higher,) large white eyes, black beard, and will weigh from 140 to 150 pounds, a whining voice, very dark complected, and a very ingenuous and cunning fellow. I would warn the public to keep an eye upon him. THOMAS TOMLINSON, Norwood’s P.O., Stanly Co., N.C.
Carolina Watchman, 18 April 1850.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 