1802-07-05 Freedom Seeking: Frank
- Identifier
- NJS-EVE-01223
- Source
-
Runaway ad for Frank, by Matthias Denman
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Runaway ad for Frank, by Matthias Denman, "TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD," Centinel of Freedom, July 13, 1802, p. 4.
- Event Description
-
On July 5, 1802, a Black man named Frank ran away from enslaver Matthias Denman. Frank was about 40 years old at this time. Matthias Denman submitted a runaway advertisement to the Newark newspaper Centinel of Freedom offering a reward for Frank's capture. The advertisement did not mention Matthias Denman's place of residence. However, based on numerous other items in the same newspaper, it is evident that Matthias Denman lived in Springfield, Essex County (now in Union County), and it can be inferred that Frank ran away from Springfield.
This runaway advertisement appeared in the Centinel of Freedom newspaper weekly for over nine months from July 13, 1802, until April 26, 1803, when Denman finally stopped paying for the ad. This suggests that Frank managed to evade capture until at least April 1803. Whether he was ever caught is unknown.
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Transcript of the source document:
"TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.
RAN-AWAY from the subscriber, on the 5th of July inst., a negro man named FRANK, about forty years old, dressed in a nankeen sailor jacket and trousers, or blue short coat and homespun trousers, took with him considerable many clothes, which makes it difficult to describe his dress. Frank is a short chunky fellow, full faced big mouth, thick lips, and flat nose pock marked; he is about 5 feet high or more — Whoever will return him to his master, or confine him in any jail, so that his master may get him, shall receive the above reward and reasonable charges.
MATTHIAS DENMAN.
July 12, 1802.
2-t.f." - Event Type
- Freedom Seeking
- Date
- July 5, 1802 – April 1803
- Date Certainty
- Approximate
- Location of Event
- Springfield (Union County)
- Primary Participants
-
Frank (b. 1762)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02867
Role: Runaway
Age: 40
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Matthias Denman (1751-1841)
Verbatim description from source:
"negro man named FRANK, about forty years old...a short chunky fellow, full faced big mouth, thick lips, and flat nose pock marked, he is about 5 feet high or more" - Additional Participants
-
Matthias Denman (1751-1841)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02831
Role: Enslaver, Advertiser - Record Contributor
- Jesse Bayker