1793-12-10 Freedom seeking: Mary

Title

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 tollerably 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

Resistance: Freedom seeking

Date

10 December 1793

Location of Event

Princeton

Rocky Hill

Griggstown

Sourland Mountain

Preceding Event

1792 Sale: Mary

Following Event

1795-07-16 Freedom seeking: Mary

Primary Participant

Mary (b. 1773)

Enslaver

Francis Blaise

Additional Participant

John Carter

Participant Details

DETAILS FOR PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS:

*** Mary (b. 1773) ***
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"

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DETAILS FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS:

Francis Blaise
Role: Enslaver - Advertiser

John Carter
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned
Comment: in Rocky Hill

Record Contributor

Larissa Jimenez Gratereaux

Princeton & Slavery Project