1804-09-14 Freedom Seeking: Marceline

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01116
Source
Runaway ad for Marceline, by J. A. Barbarroux (in Poulson's)
Runaway ad for Marceline, by J. A. Barbarroux

Runaway ad for Marceline, by J. A. Barbarroux (in Poulson's), "Twenty Dollars Reward," Poulson's American Daily Advertiser, September 18, 1804, p. 2.

Runaway ad for Marceline, by J. A. Barbarroux, "Twenty Dollars Reward," Trenton Federalist, September 24, 1804.
Event Description
On September 14, 1804, a young Black woman named Marceline ran away from her enslaver Madam Despinose of Burlington, NJ. A Burlington resident named Jean Andre Barbarroux (aka John Andrew Barbarroux), who was also a known enslaver, published runaway ads offering a reward of $20 for Marceline's return. Barbarroux's relationship to Madam Despinose was not clarified in the ads.

The following is a transcript of the ad as it appeared in the Philadelphia newspaper Poulson's American Daily Advertiser:

"Twenty Dollars Reward

RAN away from her mistress, residing in city of Burlington, a Negro Wench, aged about twenty years, named MARCELINE, speaks good English. Any person apprehending the said Marceline and will deliver her in Burlington goal, or secure her so that her mistress may have her again shall receive the above reward and all reasonable charged, from

J. A. Barbarroux, sen. "


The following is a transcript of the ad as it appeared in the Trenton Federalist newspaper:

"Twenty Dollars Reward

RAN away, on Friday last, 14th inst. from her mistress, Madam Despinose, residing in city of Burlington, a Negro Wench, aged about 20 years, named MARCELINE, speaks good English. Any person apprehending the said Marceline and securing her in the Burlington gaol, or so that her mistress may get her again shall receive the above reward and all reasonable charges by

A. BARBARROUX, sen.

Burlington, September 19, 1804. 91-4w"
Event Type
Freedom Seeking
Date
September 14, 1804
Location of Event
Burlington
Primary Participants

Marceline (b. 1784)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02623
Role: Runaway
Age: 20
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Madam Despinose
Verbatim description from source:
"a Negro Wench, aged about 20 years, named MARCELINE, speaks good English"
Additional Participants

Madam Despinose
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02622
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser

Jean Andre Barbarroux (d. 1825)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02612
Role: Advertiser
Record Contributor
Kate Jackson
Resource class
Event