PA County Index

PA Enslavement FAQs

A series of pages exploring
various aspects of enslavement in Pennsylvania

Enslavement in Pennsylvania

Slaves in Cumberland County Septennial Census of 1800

Listing of Enslaved Persons

The State of Pennsylvania took an enumeration of taxable inhabitants every seven years. Known as the Septennial Census, this enumeration also listed slaves in each county, by township, for some of the years. The amount of information on the slaves varies greatly. Some townships list the names of the slaves, others give only age and sex.

Few enslaved persons younger than 20 are listed, indicating that only those born before November 1780 were enumerated, they being considered "Slaves for Life." Children of enslaved mothers born after that date were to be freed upon their 28th birthday, according to the Gradual Emancipation Act of 1780. These children, although held in bondage for 28 years, were often referred to as "servants," and were not counted in tax and census listings as slaves. Note that Perry County was not created out of Cumberland County until 1820 and those modern day Perry County Townships are included here.

Townships Listed

Enslavement Data

"A list of Slaves viz Negroes Mulattoes and people of Colour held as Slaves in the County of Cumberland."

Allen Township

1. Simon, male slave, age 40
2. Isaac, male slave, age 33
3. Alexander, male slave, age 28
4. Nancy, female slave, age 30
5. Mingo, male slave, age 30
6. Lucy, female slave, age 25
7. Jane, female slave, age 30

Buffallo Township

1. Peter, male slave, age 45

Carlisle Borough

1. Doll, female slave, age 27
2. Venus, female slave, age 20
3. Joe, male slave, age 42
4. Sue, female slave, age 40
5. Issabella, female slave, age 27
6. Doll, female slave, age 49
7. Toby, male slave, age 60
8. Myla, female slave, age 23
9. Phil, male slave, age 28
10. Nero, male slave, age 60
11. Tom, male slave, age 50
12. Alick, male slave, age 25
13. Phillis, female slave, age 20

Dickison Township

1. Jareff, male slave, age 45
2. Sall, female slave, age 50
3. Tom, male slave, age 59
4. Phillis, female slave, age 65
5. Jude, female slave, age 38
6. Hannah, female slave, age 38

East Pennsbro Township

1. No name returned, male slave, age 25
2. No name returned, male slave, age 24
3. No name returned, male slave, age 27
4. No name returned, male slave, age 28
5. No name returned, male slave, age 54
6. No name returned, male slave, age 40
7. No name returned, male slave, age 40
8. No name returned, male slave, age 28
9. No name returned, female slave, age 40
10. No name returned, female slave, age 28
11. No name returned, female slave, age 24
12. No name returned, female slave, age 28
13. No name returned, female slave, age 20
14. No name returned, female slave, age 20
15. No name returned, female slave, age 26
16. No name returned, female slave, age 36
17. No name returned, female slave, age 47
18. No name returned, female slave, age 40
19. No name returned, female slave, age 24

Frankford Township

1. No name returned, male slave, age 33
2. No name returned, female slave, age 50

Hopewell Township

1. George, male slave, age 25
2. Hannah, female slave, age 30
3. Lill, female slave, age 26

Juniatta Township

1. Finel, male slave, age 35
2. Jack, male slave, age 60
3. Bob, male slave, age 22
4. No name returned, male slave, age 25

Middleton Township

1. No name returned, male slave, age 25
2. No name returned, male slave, age 60
3. No name returned, female slave, age 60
4. No name returned, female slave, age 22
5. No name returned, female slave, age 60
6. No name returned, female slave, age 25
7. No name returned, female slave, age 60
8. No name returned, male slave, age 28
9. No name returned, female slave, age 25
10. No name returned, male slave, age 60
11. No name returned, male slave, age 35
12. No name returned, female slave, age 55
13. No name returned, male slave, age 55
14. No name returned, female slave, age 22
15. No name returned, female slave, age 20
16. No name returned, male slave, age 31
17. No name returned, female slave, age 48
18. No name returned, male slave, age 23
19. No name returned, male slave, age 40
20. No name returned, female slave, age 40
21. No name returned, male slave, age 20
22. No name returned, female slave, age 50
23. No name returned, female slave, age 60

Mifflin Township

1. Dave, male slave, age 40
2. Hall, male slave, age 26
3. Eve, female slave, age 45
4. Tom, male slave, age 45
5. Cesar, male slave, age 60
6. Phillis, female slave, age 60
7. Pomp, male slave, age 40
8. Saul, male slave, age 40

Newton Township

1. Adam, male slave, age 53
2. Bob, male slave, age 50
3. Luc, female slave, age 37
4. Prince, male slave, age 26
5. Phillis, female slave, age 50
6. Phillis, female slave, age 48
7. Sherman, male slave, age 30
8. Jonathan, male slave, age 29
9. Sall, female slave, age 37
10. Peg, female slave, age 40

Rye Township

1. Jacob, male slave, age 60

Shippensburgh

1. Silvey, female slave, age 45
2. Isaac, male slave, age 33
3. Tom, male slave, age 31
4. Nell, female slave, age 31
5. James, male slave, age 21
6. Jane, female slave, age 40
7. David, male slave, age 18 "not for life"
8. Dick, male slave, age 56
9. Jem, male slave, age 48
10. Tom, male slave, age 30
11. Rinah, female slave, age 50
12. Rachel, female slave, age 30
13. Vatt, male slave, age 29
14. Nell, female slave, age 23
15. Nell, female slave, age 30
16. Fanny, female slave, age 33

Southampton Township

1. Enos, sex not noted, age 45
2. Sam, sex not noted, age 25
3. Enes, sex not noted, age 22
4. Micky, sex not noted, age 50
5. Cesar, male slave, age 50
6. Dinah, female slave, age 50
7. Ben, male slave, age 23
8. Jack, male slave, age 23
9. Rinos, female slave, age 34
10. Levy, male slave, age 35
11. Phillis, female slave, age 25
12. Dimmore, male slave, age 26

Toboyne Township

1. Rachel, female slave, age 40
2. Scip, male slave, age 26
3. Bob, male slave, age 26

Tyrone Township

1. Rachel, female slave, age 25
2. Jacob, male slave, age 54
3. Poll, female slave, age 43
4. Lewis, male slave, age 20
5. Sam, male slave, age 56

West Pennsbro Township

1. No name returned, male slave, age 50
2. No name returned, male slave, age 21
3. No name returned, female slave, age 43
4. No name returned, male slave, age 42
5. No name returned, male slave, age 35
6. No name returned, male slave, age 23
7. No name returned, male slave, age 25
8. No name returned, male slave, age 35
9. No name returned, female slave, age 38
10. No name returned, female slave, age 30

Notes and Source

Source: Septennial Census Returns, 1779-1863; Roll No. 1, Adams County, 1800-Cumberland County, 1800. Reel No. 0242. Microfilm in the Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg Pennsylvania.