1794-04-18 Freedom Seeking: Cato · New Jersey Slavery Records

Identifier

NJS-EVE-00493

Source

Runaway ad for Cato, by William M'Kissick

Runaway ad for Cato, by William M'Kissick, "THREE POUNDS REWARD," Arnett's New-Jersey Federalist, July 3, 1794, p. 4. Archival location: Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Loose Newspaper Collection (Ac. 3193). Box 27, Folder 4.

Event Description

Cato, aged 33, ran away from enslaver William M'Kissick of Pluckemin, Somerset County, NJ, in 1794. William M'Kissick published a notice offering a reward of 3 pounds for Cato's capture and mentioning that Cato formerly belonged to Col. Philip Van Horne of Middle-Brook.

The runaway ad is found in the July 3, 1794, issue of the Arnett's New-Jersey Federalist, a newspaper published in New Brunswick. However, the ad probably ran in the paper for several months prior to this issue. Unlike other runaway ads published in this time period, the ad did not list the date when William M'Kissick first issued his notice. The ad mentioned that Cato ran away on "Friday the 18th ult." meaning the 18th of the previous month. The most recent "Friday the 18th" before this newspaper issue occurred in April of 1794. Thus, it is reasonable to infer that Cato ran away on April 18, 1794, and that M'Kissick first published his ad in May, then continued to pay for the ad for months while he searched for Cato.

The following is the complete transcript of the runaway ad published on June 3, 1794, in Arnett's New-Jersey Federalist:

"THREE POUNDS REWARD.

RAN-AWAY, on Friday the 18th ult. from the subscriber living near Pluckemin, Somerset county, New-Jersey, a NEGRO MAN named CATO, 33 years of age, about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, squints much and is very near sighted; had on a light coloured coatee, waistcoat and overalls of the same, but he may change his dress, having taken with him a variety of cloathing. He formerly belonged to the late Col. Philip Van-Horne, near Middle-Brook. Whoever secures said Negro, that his master may have him again, shall receive the above reward and all reasonable charges paid, by

WILLIAM M'KISSICK. 28tf"

Event Type

Freedom Seeking

Date

April 18, 1794

Date Certainty

Inferred

Location of Event

Pluckemin, Bedminster

Primary Participants

Cato (b. ca. 1761)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01314
Role: Runaway
Age: 33
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- William M'Kissick
Verbatim description from source:
"NEGRO MAN named CATO, 33 years of age, about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, squints much and is very near sighted"

Additional Participants

William M'Kissick
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01312
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser

Philip Van Horne (1719-1786)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01313
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned

Record Contributor

Jesse Bayker