Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: runaway

Lurking amongst the free negroes.

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Raleigh Register and North Carolina Weekly Advertiser, 22 April 1826.

Piety — cook, seamstress, weaver, baker, brewer, runaway — passed as a free woman for 16 years.

$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.

Runaway bound boy, no. 5.

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.

She probably is with her brother and sister.

TEN DOLLARS REWARD.  Will be paid to any person who will deliver to the subscriber in Georgetown, a mustie SERVANT WOMAN NAMED Nancy Oxindine, she is a stout wench, of a light complexion, and appears to be about 30 years of age; it is uncertain what kind of clothes she may ware as she took a number with her. – It is supposed she has been entic’d away by her brother and sister, who were here in February last – she probably is with one of them: the latter lives in Fayetteville, the former in a distant part of the state. 

The above reward will be paid for her and at the rate of ten dollars for every hundred miles she may be beyond Fayetteville.   JAMES DUFFEL.  Georgetown South Carolina, June 4, 1795

North-Carolina Centinel and Fayetteville Gazette, 25 July 1795.

Sold for taxes.

RUNAWAY from the subscriber on Saturday night, the 28th of April, a free negro boy calling himself BRYANT OXYDIM.  He was sold in February last at Sheriff’s sale for his taxes, until December next for which time I purchased him.  For the last two or three years he has been living about Watkinsville.  Bryant is about 28 or 30 years of age; about 5 ½ feet high; dark mulatto; spare made; limps slightly in his left leg when walking; his eyes being set very close cause him to appear cross-eyed.  He carried several suits of clothing, made mostly of cheap goods.

Any information respecting him will be thankfully received, and a fair compensation made for arresting him.  It is probable he will make his way to Jasper county, as he came from there.  He was born in North Carolina, and came to Georgia, when very young.  Athens, May 3, 1849.  W.S. Hemphill.

Southern Whig, Athens, Georgia, May __, 1849.

He is supposed to be lurking.

$25 Reward.

RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on the 1st day of last July, my negro man JACKSON, aged about 25 years, light complected, 6 feet 3 or 4 inches in height, weighing about 165 pounds – the little toe of his right foot is off, and the middle finger on one of his hands is crooked and stiff in the first joint.  He is supposed to be lurking in Nash county, near Vicksville, with a free mulatto woman named Mary Locust.  The above reward will be given for the apprehension of Jackson, if confined in any jail so that I get him again, or if delivered to me, in Edgecombe county, near Upper Town Creek meeting house.  All persons are forbid harboring, or carrying off said negro under penalty of the law. JAMES J. TAYLOR.  August 17, 1844.

Tarboro Press, 5 Oct 1844.

His father is a free negro.

$25 REWARD.

RAN AWAY from the Subscriber, in May Court week last, a bright mulatto boy named JOHN, about 19 or 20 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, thick set and well built – he has a scar under his jaw, (I think the left jaw,) and thick ankles.  He is a shrewd fellow, and will perhaps alter his name and attempt to pass as a free man.  His father is a free negro, named Hardy Lassiter, living on Toisnot.  The above reward will be given for John’s apprehension, if delivered to me in Edgecombe county, or secured in any jail so that I can get him again.  All persons are hereby forbid harboring, employing, carrying off said boy, under the penalty of law.  SAMUEL FARMER.  Nov. 28, 1831.

North-Carolina Free Press, Tarboro, 24 January 1832.

A free mulatto man may have led her away.

Ranaway.  A mulatto woman by the name of LUCY, about 23 years old, of medium size, but now quite corpulent.

Said woman is probably in or near Town, but may have been led off in the direction of Newbern by Bill Bruinton, a free mulatto man who has been to work as a Carpenter probably on the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad at a Depot North of Warsaw.  I will pay $25 for the delivery of said girl to me or lodged in Jail in town. If found in this County, $50 is said girl is found in any other County and confined in the Jail of the same, the party arresting me early information of he same.  JNO. D. WILLIAMS, Fayetteville, Aug. 25, 1840

Fayetteville Observer, 14 November 1862.