1771-01-29 Freedom Seeking: Silas
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-01059
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Silas (listed as Say), escaped in January 1771, by Isaac Coats
-
Runaway ad for Silas (listed as Say), escaped in January 1771, by Isaac Coats, "Two Dollars Reward," Pennsylvania Journal, February 7, 1771, p. 3.
- Event Description
-
On January 29, 1771, a young Black man named Silas once again ran away from his enslaver Isaac Coats, a brickmaker living in Philadelphia on Vine Street. Silas went to New Jersey and was seen in the area of Burlington within days of his escape. His enslaver also suspected that he would go towards Princeton because, evidently, Silas knew the road to Princeton and had been there before. Isaac Coats placed a runaway advertisement for Silas offering a reward of two dollars, which was originally printed in the Philadelphia Journal newspaper on February 7, 1771, and which is transcribed below. The ad printed the runaway's name as "Say"; this may be a typographical error intended to be "Sy" as Silas was frequently called in other sources.
Subsequent sources reveal that Silas managed to evade capture in New Jersey for at least two months before he was apprehended and brought back to Philadelphia. See related events for details about Silas's movements and his many escape attempts.
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Transcript of the source document:
"TWO DOLLARS Reward.
RUN-AWAY, on the 29th of January last from the subscriber, living in Vine-Street, a Negro Boy named Say, of a yellow cast about 16 years of age, 5 Feet high, this country born, by trade a Chimney Sweeper; chews Tobacco, and loves Rum. He was seen last Saturday in Burlington and very like he may go towards Princeton as he has been that road before. Whoever takes up the above described Negro boy and secures him so that his Master may have him again, shall have the above Reward and all reasonable Charges paid by me ISAAC COATS." - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- January 29, 1771
- Related Place
- Princeton
- Preceding Event
- 1770-09 Capture: Silas
- Following Event
- 1771-02-09 Freedom Seeking: Silas
- Primary Participants
-
Silas (b. 1752) {Sy}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02502
Role: Runaway
Age: 16
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Isaac Coats
Verbatim description from source:
"a Negro Boy named Say, of a yellow cast about 16 years of age, 5 Feet high, this country born, by trade a Chimney Sweeper; chews Tobacco, and loves Rum" - Additional Participants
-
Isaac Coats
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02501
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser - Record Contributor
- Kayra Guven
- Princeton & Slavery Project
- Jesse Bayker