1811-11-01 Freedom Seeking: Ben, Aaron
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-01033
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Ben and Aaron, by Elijah Blackwell
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Runaway ad for Ben and Aaron, by Elijah Blackwell, "180 Dollars Reward," Trenton Federalist, November 11, 1811.
- Event Description
-
On November 1, 1811, two Black men named Aaron and Ben ran away from their enslaver Elijah Blackwell of Princeton, NJ. Aaron was accompanied by a white woman and her mixed-race child, who may have been Aaron's child. It appears the escape was well planned, and the group had a lot of money with them. Aaron was 19 at the time of this escape (which was at least his second escape), and Ben was 24. At the time of this escape, Aaron had 12 years remaining to serve and Ben had 10 and a half years remaining, apparently per some prior agreement with Blackwell. The enslaver published an ad offering a reward of $80 for Aaron's capture and an additional $100 for the capture of Ben.
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Transcript of the source document:
"180 Dollars Reward.
RANAWAY from the subscriber, near Princeton, state of New-Jersey, about the first of November, TWO NEGRO MEN, one a mulatto, rather white, called Ben, who has ten years and six months to serve, about twenty-four years old, of a middle size ; takes a great deal of care to keep his hair straight, as it curls in his neck ; had on a new roram hat, a long dark coating coat, and pantaloons of the same, a striped yellow and black vest, and took with him a variety of vestcoats and pantaloons, two pairs of shoes, one thick pair, the other thin, foxed all round ; he is a great professor of religion. The other is about nineteen years old, tall and stout built for his age, called Aaron, of a dark complexion, has near twelve years to serve ; had on a roram hat, a new roundabout light grey linsey coat, and pantaloons of the same ; took with him two pair of pantaloons, one deep blue cotton, the other brown tow and linen. It is likely they will change their clothes, and perhaps their names; they have considerable of money with them. Said Aaron runaway from Asher Borden, of Allentown, last August, and was taken in New York. It is thought that a white woman, who has a mulatto child, has followed him.
Whoever takes up said runaways, and delivers them to the subscriber, shall receive the above reward, one hundred dollars for the former and eighty for the latter.
ELIJAH BLACKWELL.
Nov. 9, 1811." - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- November 1, 1811
- Location of Event
- Princeton
- Preceding Event
- 1810-09 Capture: Aaron
- Primary Participants
-
Ben (b. 1787)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02453
Role: Runaway
Age: 24
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Elijah Blackwell (1775-1855)
Verbatim description from source:
"NEGRO; a mulatto, rather white, called Ben, who has ten years and six months to serve, about twenty-four years old, of a middle size; takes a great deal of care to keep his hair straight, as it curls in his neck... he is a great professor of religion"Aaron (b. 1792)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02454
Role: Runaway
Age: 19
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Elijah Blackwell (1775-1855)
Verbatim description from source:
"NEGRO; about nineteen years old, tall and stout built for his age, called Aaron, of a dark complexion, has near twelve years to serve" - Additional Participants
-
Elijah Blackwell (1775-1855)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02438
Role: Enslaver, AdvertiserName Unrecorded - Female {Aaron's partner}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02456
Role: Mentioned PersonName Unrecorded {Aaron's child}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02457
Role: Mentioned PersonAsher Borden (1773-1846)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02455
Role: Enslaver, Former Enslaver Mentioned - Record Contributor
- Indy Davis
- Princeton & Slavery Project