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Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Miscellaneous Data
The items and data on this page do not
fit into the format of other pages on this Web site, which is a listing
of slaves according to slaveholder. These items do not list a specific
slaveholder, yet contain valuable or fascinating data about individual
slaves, slave culture or life. As with the other pages, sources are
listed and a link is provided to a separate source page which provides
information about that source and where it may be found.
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Enslavement Data
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Name: Betsy, wife of Prince Frederick
Date of item: October 8, 1783
Location: Reading, Berks County
Item: Notice of imprisonment of suspected fugitive slaves
Details/Text: "Reading, September 29, 1783.
Committed this day, in the Goal of the county of Berks, The following
Negroe Men, viz. POMPEY BELL, speaks good English, about 24 years
of age, says
he lived in Newark…; the other named PRINCE FREDERICK, says he belonged
to Doctor Bonat of Newark, and became a freeman, …: A Mulattoe Woman, who
calls herself BETSY, says she was born in Paxton, Lancaster county, and
that she was free; is about 24 years of age, and married to Negroe Prince
Frederick. Any person that owns said Negroes and Mulattoe Woman, or either
of them, as slaves or servants, are desired to apply, prove their property,
in four weeks from the date hereof, pay costs, and take them away, otherwise
they will be sold to discharge the same, by
PHILIP KREMER, Sheriff."
Notes: Without papers proving their freedom, these persons
face imminent sale into slavery, regardless of their true status.
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, October 8, 1783
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Name: Bristol
("Negro Bristol")
Date of item: October 1786
Location: Harrisburg
Item: Court Order--punishment for burglary
Details/Text: "Dauphin County --October 1786
Republica vs Negro Bristol -- Convicted of Burglary
The Court do direct that the said Negro Bristol be employed in the repairing
and cleaning of the Streets of the town and in the making, and repairing
of the other highways within the County of Dauphin in the digging and quarrying
of Stones in sawing of fire wood and in digging removing or levelling Earth
and in all or any of the labors as in such manner and for such time as
shall be found convenient."
Notes: It is not known if Bristol is a free African American
or an enslaved person.
Source: Records of the (Pennsylvania)
Supreme Court, page 329.
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Name: Caton, Ned
Date of item: 27 November 1797
Location: Harrisburg / Dauphin County
Item: Court Order--pardon granted
Details/Text: "A pardon was granted to Ned Caton (a Negro),
convicted of Larceny, in Dauphin County." The pardon was listed
in the published Pennsylvania Archives, Ninth Series, 1797.
Notes: It is not known if Ned Caton is a free African American
or an enslaved person.
Source: "Pennsylvania Archives--Ninth Series--1791," at http://mhrising.com/Pardons/1797.htm,
accessed 16 October 2006.
Slavery Advertisements
From the Oracle
of Dauphin, Harrisburg, PA:
A NEGRO FOR SALE
A healthy stout negro wench, about thirty-three years
of age. She is excellent for cooking, washing, and any kind of
house or kitchen work, and understands feeding cattle, and any work
necessary on a farm. For terms apply to the Printer.
(Oracle of
Dauphin, February 1795, as transcribed
in Egle's Notes and Queries, LVIII, page 445.)
From the Pennsylvania
Republican, Harrisburg, PA:
FOR SALE
THE time of a young NEGRO WENCH, who has about five
years to serve. Inquire of the printer.
October 3, 1815.
(Pennsylvania Republican, October 24, 1815)
FOR SALE
A healthy young Black Girl.
Who has between ten and eleven years to serve and is now between 17 and 18
years of age. Enquire of the editor.
November 18, 1817.
(Harrisburg Republican, November 18, 1817)
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