1793-12-10 Freedom Seeking: Mary
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-01024
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Mary, by Francis Blaise
-
Runaway ad for Mary, by Francis Blaise, "EIGHT DOLLARS REWARD," Guardian, Or, New-Brunswick Advertiser, December 31, 1793, p. 3.
- Event Description
-
On December 10, 1793, a 20-year-old Black woman named Mary ran away from her enslaver Francis Blaise who resided in Princeton, NJ. The next morning Mary was seen at Rocky Hill, Somerset County, at the household of her previous enslaver, John Carter, where she had breakfast before she departed. Mary then went to the Sourland Mountain area by way of Griggstown. Ten days after Mary escaped, Francis Blaise offered a reward of $8 for Mary's return.
Mary continued to evade capture, and a second runaway ad was published for her a year and a half later. See related event in 1795.
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Transcript of the source document:
"EIGHT DOLLARS REWARD.
RUN away from the Subscriber, a Negro Woman named Mary, about 20 years of age, of a rather short but thick person and tolerably handsome face; having lived some time in a French family, she has acquired a little smattering of their language. Had on when she went away, a short gown and petticoat of grey coating, somewhat threadbare, and much soiled with grease and dirt, the short gown is not cut but plaited in the back to accommodate the shape, she also took with her a petticoat or skirt of India callico, blue ground with round white spots. She was seen at the house of John Carter of Rocky Hill, (of whom the subscriber purchased her) at a very early hour on the morning of the 11th inst. and there received her breakfast, from thence she went by Griggstown towards Sourland mountain, where she was also seen. Whoever apprehends the said Negro Woman and delivers her to her master near Princeton, or to David Hamilton, inn-keeper in Princeton, shall receive the above reward from
FRANCIS BLAISE.
Princeton, Dec. 20, 1793. 9tf" - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- December 10, 1793
- Preceding Event
- 1792 Sale: Mary
- Following Event
- 1795-07-16 Freedom Seeking: Mary
- Primary Participants
-
Mary (b. 1773)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02432
Role: Runaway
Age: 20
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Francis Blaise
Verbatim description from source:
"Negro Woman named Mary, about 20 years of age, of a rather short but thick person and tollerably handsome face; having lived some time in a French family, she has acquired a little smattering of their language" - Additional Participants
-
Francis Blaise
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02428
Role: Enslaver, AdvertiserJohn Carter
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02472
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned
Comment: in Rocky Hill - Record Contributor
- Larissa Jimenez Gratereaux
- Princeton & Slavery Project