1803-08-20 Freedom Seeking: Dick, Phebe

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01127
Source
Runaway ad for Dick and Phebe, by Simon Wykoff for the estate of John Emmans

Runaway ad for Dick and Phebe, by Simon Wykoff for the estate of John Emmans, "Thirty Dollars Reward," Trenton Federalist, September 12, 1803, p. 2.
Event Description
On or about August 20, 1803, two Black siblings ran away from Readington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. They were named Dick and Phebe, and they had been enslaved by the late John Emmans, deceased. John Emmans had died just two weeks earlier, and the timing of Dick and Phebe's escape probably had something to do with the change in circumstances that Emmans's death precipitated. On September 5, 1803, the administrator of Emmans's estate, Simon Wyckoff, published a runaway ad offering a reward of $15 for each of the two runaways.

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Transcript of the source document:

"Thirty Dollars Reward.
RAN AWAY, on or about the 20th of August last, from the subscriber, a Negro Man named DICK aged about twenty-six years, his colour is quite black; he is about five feet six inches high, very much bow legged, speaks English and low Dutch very well. Also, at the same time, ran away, a Negro Wench, called PHEBE, about nineteen years of age, and sister to the above named DICK, a good looking wench-- They both belonged to John Emmans of Readington in the county of Hunterdon, now deceased. Any person lodging the said negroes in gaol or delivering them to the subscriber, shall receive the above reward, with reasonable charges, or fifteen for either.
SIMON WYCKOFF, Administrator of John Emmans,

Readington, Hunterdon county,
September 5, 1803.
37-3w"
Event Type
Freedom Seeking
Date
August 20, 1803
Location of Event
Readington (Reading)
Primary Participants

Dick (b. 1777)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02640
Role: Runaway
Age: 26
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- John Emmans (1731-1803)
Verbatim description from source:
"Negro Man named DICK aged about twenty-six years, his colour is quite black; he is about five feet six inches high, very much bow legged, speaks English and low Dutch very well"

Phebe (b. 1784)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02641
Role: Runaway
Age: 19
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- John Emmans (1731-1803)
Verbatim description from source:
"Negro Wench, called PHEBE, about nineteen years of age, and sister to the above named DICK, a good looking wench"
Additional Participants

John Emmans (1731-1803)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02642
Role: Enslaver, Deceased

Simon Wyckoff
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02643
Role: Advertiser
Comment: administrator for the estate of John Emmans
Record Contributor
Xandria McKinley
Resource class
Event