1822-09-01 Freedom Seeking: Dick
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-01109
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Dick and John, by Daniel Woodmansee
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Runaway ad for Dick and John, by Daniel Woodmansee, "Seventy Dollars Reward," Fredonian, October 24, 1822, p. 1.
- Event Description
-
Dick, a 16-year-old Black boy, left the house of his enslaver Daniel Woodmansee, near Princeton, on September 1, 1822, in the company of a man named John. Woodmansee published a runaway ad in a New Brunswick newspaper saying that Dick was "stolen away" by John. The notice described Dick as a "mulatto boy" and John as a man of "sandy complexion" with "blue eyes." It is not entirely clear whether Dick ran away to escape bondage with John's help or was kidnapped by John. Daniel Woodmansee offered a reward of $50 for Dick's capture and return and an additional reward of $20 for the capture of John, presumably with the intention of pursuing criminal charges against John.
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Transcript of the source document:
"Seventy Dollars Reward.
STOLEN away from the subscriber on the first instant by a man who calls himself John, a mullatto boy by the name of DICK, about five feet five inches high, sixteen years old, his hair cut close to his head—Had on when he went away a mixt roundabout roram hat, patched shirt, tow trowsers, good shoes—Whoever shall take up said boy and confine him in jail so that the owner can get him again, or convey him home shall receive fifty dollars.—A further reward of twenty dollars will be paid for the man who stole the boy. The man is about five feet ten inches high, sandy complexion, blue eyes deep in his head, his left hand somewhat withered—Had on when in this neighborhood working clothes.
Daniel Woodmansee.
Near Princeton,
Sept. 12, 1822" - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- September 1, 1822
- Location of Event
- Princeton
- Primary Participants
-
Dick (b. 1806)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02600
Role: Runaway
Age: 16
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Daniel Woodmansee
Verbatim description from source:
"a mullatto boy by the name of DICK, about five feet five inches high, sixteen years old, his hair cut close to his head" - Additional Participants
-
Daniel Woodmansee
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02601
Role: Enslaver, AdvertiserJohn
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02602
Role: Additional Participant
Comment: accomplice to Dick's escape - Record Contributor
- Xandria McKinley