1800-08-16 Freedom Seeking: Leonard Hornbeck

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01201
Source
Runaway ad for Leonard Hornbeck, by Robert Ogden

Runaway ad for Leonard Hornbeck, by Robert Ogden, "FIFTEEN DOLLARS REWARD," Centinel of Freedom, August 26, 1800, p. 3.
Event Description
On Saturday, August 16, 1800, a 27-year-old Black man named Leonard Hornbeck ran away from his enslaver Robert Ogden, living in Sparta in Hardyston township, Sussex County. The enslaver published a detailed runaway ad that provided information about Leonard Hornbeck's background and listed the names of Leonard's several previous enslavers, which included the Hornbeck or Hardenberg family, Increase Crosby and Hugh Barkly in New York, and Thompson Danch in New Jersey. The ad also noted that Leonard Hornbeck left a wife and child behind when he escaped. Robert Ogden offered a reward of $15 for the capture and return of the runaway. Additionally, Robert Ogden announced that if Leonard Hornbeck would return voluntarily, he would be forgiven and could "have a new master" in the town where he previously lived.

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Transcript of the source document:

"FIFTEEN DOLLARS REWARD.
RANAWAY from the Subscriber, in Hardiston, in the County of Sussex, in New-Jersey, on Saturday the 16th instant, a negro man, named LEONARD; he calls himself Leonard Hornbeck from his first master, whose name is Hornbeck or Hardenberg : He is twenty-seven years of age and about five feet eight inches high, middling stout bodied, but has small legs and thighs, is of a yellow complexion (something resembling a mulatto, which probably he may be ) — has short woolly hair, is very talkative, especially when a little in liquor, and has a very remarkable and uncommon way of laughing. He is an artful cunning fellow, understands making iron, and has been to sea. He took with him a short blue cloth coat, white linen jacket, nankeen overalls, one or two fine shirts ruffled in the bosom, and most of his Sunday clothes; having on when he went away, a good homespun tow and linen shirt and trousers — and also took with him another shirt and trousers of the same kind. He was formerly sold for the term of fourteen years, by Increase Crosby and Hugh Barkly, of the state of New-York, to Thompson Danch, of New-Jersey, of whose administrators. I purchased the residue of the term. Whoever takes up the said negro man, and returns him to the subscriber, or shall secure him so that the subscriber may get him again, shall receive the above reward, and all reasonable expenses; or if Leonard shall return voluntarily, he shall be forgiven and have a new master in the town I purchased him.
ROBERT OGDEN.
Sparta, August 18, 1800. 204-4w
N.B. He has left a wife and one child at home."
Event Type
Freedom Seeking
Date
August 16, 1800
Location of Event
Sparta
Related Place
New York
Primary Participants

Leonard Hornbeck (b. 1773)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02849
Role: Runaway
Age: 27
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Robert Ogden (1746-1826)
Verbatim description from source:
"negro man, named LEONARD; he calls himself Leonard Hornbeck from his first master, whose name is Hornbeck or Hardenberg : He is twenty-seven years of age and about five feet eight inches high, middling stout bodied, but has small legs and thighs, is of a yellow complexion (something resembling a mulatto, which probably he may be ) — has short woolly hair, is very talkative, especially when a little in liquor, and has a very remarkable and uncommon way of laughing. He is an artful cunning fellow, understands making iron, and has been to sea"
Additional Participants

Robert Ogden (1746-1826)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02817
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser

Increase Crosby
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02850
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned

Hugh Barkly
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02851
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned

Thompson Danch
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02848
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned
Record Contributor
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event