1817-04-27 Freedom Seeking: Lewis, Thomas
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-00822
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Lewis and Thomas, by David Nevius and Albert Peter Voorhees
-
Runaway ad for Lewis and Thomas, by David Nevius and Albert Peter Voorhees, "80 Dollars Reward," Trenton Federalist, May 5, 1817.
- Event Description
-
On April 27, 1817, two brothers named Lewis (or Lue) and Thomas ran away from their enslavers in Somerset County. A runaway notice for the men was issued by their enslavers four days later offering a reward of $80 for their capture.
According to the ad, their enslavers were David Nevius and Albert P. Voorhees; however, the ad does not actually specify which enslaver was related to Lewis and which one to Thomas.
-----
Transcript of the source document:
"80 Dollars Reward.
RANAWAY from the subscribers, living in Somerset county, New Jersey, on Sunday the 27th of April last, two NEGRO MEN, the one named Lue or Lewis, 26 years of age, about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, rather of a yellowish cast, had on when he went away a roundabout coat and pantaloons of drab colour, somewhat worn, coarse shoes, and stockings. The other named Thomas, about 24 years of age, 5 feet 5 or 6 inches high, rather yellowish, also had on a blue coattee, swansdown vest striped, black pantaloons, black fur hat, took with him two pair of shoes, the one coarse and the other fine, and some summer clothes. These Negroes are brothers. The above reward will be given to any person that will take up the said runaways or secure them in gaol, so that the subscribers may get them again, with reasonable expenses, or 40 dollars for either of them.
DAVID NEVIUS,
ALBERT P. VOORHEES
May 1, 1817. 89-6w" - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- April 27, 1817
- Location of Event
- Somerset County
- Primary Participants
-
Lewis (b. 1791)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01992
Role: Runaway
Age: 26
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- David Nevius (1748-1825)
- Albert Peter Voorhees (1780-1861)
Verbatim description from source:
"NEGRO; Lue or Lewis, 26 years of age, about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, rather of a yellowish cast"Thomas (b. 1793)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01999
Role: Runaway
Age: 24
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- David Nevius (1748-1825)
- Albert Peter Voorhees (1780-1861)
Verbatim description from source:
"NEGRO; Thomas, about 24 years of age, 5 feet 5 or 6 inches high, rather yellowish" - Additional Participants
-
David Nevius (1748-1825)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01987
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser
Comment: enslaver of either Lewis or ThomasAlbert Peter Voorhees (1780-1861)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01988
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser
Comment: enslaver of either Lewis or Thomas - Record Contributor
- Kate Jackson