1764-03-15 Freedom Seeking: Thomas Osburn

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01242
Source
Runaway ad for Thomas Osburn (alias Thomas Hardsburn), by George Campbell

Runaway ad for Thomas Osburn (alias Thomas Hardsburn), by George Campbell, Pennsylvania Journal, March 15, 1764, p. 2.
Event Description
Around March 1764, a servant man named Thomas Osburn (alias Thomas Hardsburn) ran away from William Nalls near Princeton, New Jersey. The exact date of his escape is not known. On March 15, 1764, a white man named George Campbell of Princeton issued a runaway notice offering a reward of 5 pounds for Thomas's capture. The referred to William Nalls as Thomas Osburn's master and noted that Thomas should be returned either to William Nalls or to George Campbell. Thomas Osburn's race was not explicitly stated in the ad, but he was described as having a brown complexion.

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Transcript of the source document:

"March 15.
RUN-away from William Nalls, near Princeton, in east New Jersey; a servant named Thomas Osburn, alias Thomas Hardsburn, about 21 or 22 years of age, thick built, smooth face, brown complexion, wears his own hair and talks pretty thick: Had on when he went away, a brown short double breasted coat, blue under jacket, buckskin breeches, with brass buckles in his shoes, and an old felt hatt; he took with him, a small parcel of silk handkerchiefs which it is supposed he will offer to sale. Whoever takes up the said servant and secures him in any of his Majesty's goals, or brings him to his said master, or to Mr. George Campbell at Princeton, shall have a reward of Five Pounds paid by
GEORGE CAMPBELL.
All persons are forbid to harbour or carry him off at their peril. All well disposed persons are requested to cut out this advertisement and put it up at the most public places."
Event Type
Freedom Seeking
Date
March 15, 1764
Date Certainty
Approximate
Location of Event
Princeton
Primary Participants

Thomas Osburn (b. 1742) {alias Hardsburn}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02904
Role: Runaway
Age: 22
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- William Nalls
- George Campbell
Verbatim description from source:
"a servant named Thomas Osburn, alias Thomas Hardsburn, about 21 or 22 years of age, thick built, smooth face, brown complexion, wears his own hair and talks pretty thick"
Additional Participants

George Campbell
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02902
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser
Comment: he signed the runaway ad and offered a reward for the runaway

William Nalls
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02903
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser
Comment: runaway escaped from his household
Record Contributor
Larissa Jimenez Gratereaux
Princeton & Slavery Project
Resource class
Event