1818-02-13 Freedom Seeking: Elsy Murray
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-00812
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Elsy Murray, by Peter Bogart
-
Runaway ad for Elsy Murray, by Peter Bogart, "Twenty Dollar Reward," Fredonian, May 14, 1818, p. 2.
- Event Description
-
Elsy Murray, a 20-year-old black woman, ran away from her enslaver Peter Bogart of Princeton, NJ, on February 13, 1818. She could read well and had a pass for 2 days. She had a brother near Piscataway, and Peter Bogart supposed that someone harbored her around that area. The enslaver submitted a runaway ad to the New Brunswick newspaper Fredonian in April, over two months after Elsy Murray ran away from him. He offered a reward of 20 dollars for Elsy Murray's return and also announced that he was willing to sell her.
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Transcript of the source document:
"Twenty Dollars Reward.
RAN AWAY, from the subscriber, in Princeton, on the 13th February last, a female negro slave named Elsy Murray, about 20 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, of about the middle grade of blackness; reads very well, and is intelligent—Had on when she went away a red plaid gingham gown, Germantown shawl, green silk bonnet, and plum colored shoes.
She had a pass for two days only, and is believed to be in the neighborhood of Piscataway as she had a brother living in that quarter. All persons are forwarned harboring her at their peril. Any persons apprehending her and lodging her in any gaol in this state so that the subscriber may get her again, shall receive the above reward.
PETER BOGART.
April 30. tf.
N.B. The subscriber will sell the above slave for reasonable price; she is an excellent house wench." - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- February 13, 1818
- Location of Event
- Princeton
- Related Place
- Piscataway
- Primary Participants
-
Elsy Murray (b. 1798)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01971
Role: Runaway
Age: 20
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Peter Bogart
Verbatim description from source:
" a female negro slave named Elsy Murray, about 20 years of age, 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, of about the middle grade of blackness; reads very well, and is intelligent" - Additional Participants
-
Peter Bogart
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01972
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser - Record Contributor
- Xandria McKinley