1780-05-20 Freedom seeking: Michael Hoy

Title

1780-05-20 Freedom seeking: Michael Hoy

Identifier

NJS-EVE-01038

Source

Runaway ad for Michael Hoy, by George Morgan

Runaway ad for Michael Hoy, by George Morgan, Pennsylvania Gazette, and Weekly Advertiser, May 31, 1780, p. 3.

Event Description

On the night of May 20, 1780, during the Revolutionary War, a Black man named Michael Hoy escaped from his enslaver Colonel George Morgan. Hoy was in his 40s. He escaped from Morgan's estate called the Prospect Farm, which was adjacent to Princeton University (then called the College of New Jersey) and which is now part of the Princeton campus. Michael Hoy took a horse from his enslaver, and Morgan supposed that Hoy was acting as an informant and carrying letters or intelligence to the British troops in New York. Morgan also believed that Michael Hoy was traveling with a white accomplice and that they also stole a second horse from the "Rev. Mr. Smith" of Princeton, which appears to refer to Princeton professor (and later president) Samuel Stanhope Smith. Morgan and Smith posted rewards for the return of Michael Hoy and the two stolen horses.

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Transcript of the source document:

"Princeton, May 23, 1780.
A MULATTO SLAVE, who it is supposed has been seduced to undertake to carry letters or intelligence into New-York, ran away from the subscriber, and took off with him a dark bay horse, 6 years old, 14 and an half hands high, with two white feet and a blaze, and is a natural trotter. The Slave is near 6 feet high, strong and well made; had on, and took with him, a variety of cloaths, but those he will most probably wear are, a suit of super fine mixt broad cloth, a new great coat, white stockings, half boots, a black velvet frock and a beaver hat, but little worn. He appears to be 40 odd years of age, speaks good English, reads and writes a tolerable hand, and is a decent and well-behaved ingenious fellow, capable of a variety of works. His name is Michael Hoy, but may go by some other, and it is probable he may travel as a servant to a white man who is supposed to have gone off with him; and as such may change his dress. He went off in the night of the 20th instant. Five Hundred Dollars will be given, and all charges paid for securing the slave and the horse, or Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars for either, paid by
GEORGE MORGAN.

P.S. A deep blood bay mare, with a black mane and tail, was stolen the same night the above mentioned slave went off, supposed by him or his accomplice. She has a short dock and a lump, that looks like a wind gall or small wen, on the hindermost part of one of her thighs. She is half blooded, pretty old, trots, and is with foal. Six Hundred Dollars will be paid by the Rev. Mr. Smith of this town, to the person who shall return the mare and convict the thief, or Three Hundred Dollars for the mare alone."

Event Type

Resistance: Freedom seeking

Date

20 May 1780

Location of Event

Prospect Farm (Prospect House at Princeton University)

Related Place

New York City, New York

Primary Participant

Michael Hoy (b. 1740)

Enslaver

George Morgan (1743-1810)

Additional Participant

Samuel Stanhope Smith (1751-1819)

Participant Details

DETAILS FOR PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS:

*** Michael Hoy (b. 1740) ***
Role: Runaway
Age category: Older Person
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- George Morgan (1743-1810)
Verbatim description from source:
"MULATTO SLAVE; near 6 feet high, strong and well made; He appears to be 40 odd years of age, speaks good English, reads and writes a tolerable hand, and is a decent and well-behaved ingenious fellow, capable of a variety of works"

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DETAILS FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS:

George Morgan (1743-1810)
Role: Enslaver - Advertiser

Samuel Stanhope Smith (1751-1819)
Role: Advertiser
Comment: owner of horse taken by Michael Hoy or his accomplice

Related Resource

Joseph Yannielli, "Princeton’s Fugitive Slaves," Princeton & Slavery Project.

Record Contributor

Larissa Jimenez Gratereaux

Princeton & Slavery Project