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The Year of Jubilee (1863)

August 1749: White Convict Thomas Winey and Slave James Escape Together

Westmoreland County, Virginia, August 17, 1749
RUN away from the subscriber, on Monday last, a convict servant, named Thomas Winey; he is a middle siz'd fellow, about five foot, seven inches high, of a swarthy complexion, has had a piece cut out of one side of the end of his nose, which is very remarkable he says it was done by the kick of a horse; he professes farming, was imported lately in the Litchfield, Capt. Johnson, and came from Maidstone goal, in the county of Kent, Great-Britain; his dress, when we went off, was a brown cloath coat, with a small cape, a pair of sailor's trowsers, a brown wig, check shirt, and dark coloured worsted stockings.

The above mentioned servant took with him a Molattoe slave, nam'd James, a well set fellow, 21 years old, about five foot seven inches high, is very apt to stutter when closely ezamin'd, having a stoppage in his speech; he has on his back a large white scar: His dress was a dowlas shirt, and a brown linnen coat and breeches, and has been us'd to drive a chariot for several years. I have been inform'd by their confederates, since they went off, that they intend to Pennsylvania, and from thence to New-England, unless they can on their way get a passage in some vessel to Great-Britain, where the Molattoe slave pretends to have an uncle, who escap'd from his master in this colony near 20 years ago, and is said to keep a coffee-house in London. Whoever apprehends the said runaways, and secures them, so that they may be had again, if taken in Maryland or Pennsylvania, shall have Ten Pounds sterling reward, besides what the law allows, or Five Pounds for either of them; and if taken in any government to the northward of Maryland and Pennsylvania, the reward shall be Twenty Pounds sterling for both, or Ten Pounds sterling for either, which shall be paid on demand, by
WILLIAM FITZHUGH.

Source: Pennsylvania Gazette, 7 September 1749.

Covering the history of African Americans in central Pennsylvania from the colonial era through the Civil War.

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The Year of Jubilee, Volume One: Men of God, Volume Two: Men of Muscle