Friday, December 12, 2008

Never Seen One Like This Before!

I love reading old documents.

I've read all sorts of things including posters for escaped slaves, but I've never read one like this before, from the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, VA, dated March 7, 1750-1:






Virginia Gazette
(Hunter), Williamsburg ,
March 7, 1750-1.

RAN away from the Subscriber, in Charles County, on Patowmack, Maryland, Two white Servant Men, a white Servant Woman, and a Negroe Man; viz., Thomas Long, about 5 Feet 9 Inches high, has a Scar on one of his Hands, black Hair, sandy Beard; had on when he went away a Cotton Jacket and Breeches, and a Felt Hat, but it is thought he has other Cloaths with him: He was a Scotch Rebel. Patrick Donahow, an Irish Man, about 5 Feet 7 Inches high, has black Hair and black Beard, and a little bald; had on when he went away, a brown colour'd Coat, two blue Jackets, one Camblet the other Cloth, without Sleeves, and both lin'd with red, a Pair of Pumps, Silver Buckles, and a fine Hat. Anne Harris, about 30 Years of Age, big with Chile, she has a long Face, with a Scar on the right Side of it near her Eye; she took away with her a fine Chintz [?] gown with red Flowers, a Dungear ditto, with red and green stripes, a Velvet Cap, and a Pair of fine Holland Sheets, with other Things of Value. Cooper, the Negroe Fellow, is about 26 Years of Age, and about 6 Feet high, has a Scar on one side of his Face near his Eye, has remarkably thick legs, and has lost one of his Toes; had on when he went away a Cotton Jacket, and a Pair of wide Trousers. Whoever takes up the said Run-aways, so that I may have them again, shall have Ten Pistoles Reward.
Jacob Andrew Minitree.


(all emphasis mine).

I've always known that not all slaves were black, but never before have a seen a poster for runaway "servants" in which one is described as "a Scotch rebel"!

To view the above (and other postings) in it's original (reproduction) form, go to longhunters.com.
Thanks, Long hunters, for keeping history interesting!

2 comments:

  1. The white servants were probably indentured servants. Basically, slaves for a prescribed amount of time.

    About the longhunters.com. Those are the Chasseurs du Datchurat, the guys who run the Les Pays De Illinois Colonial Trade Faire and Musket and Rifle Frolic, a.k.a. Fort de Chartres that Wil, Dragonfly, Contagion, and most of the rest of the River Scum go to in April. Some of the coolest guys you could ever want to meet. I actually talked to one of them tonight about the Trade Faire. Real hardcore reenactors.

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  2. I just couldn't believe someone wanted his "Scotchman" BACK! ;-)

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