Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Enslavement

Cumberland County Miscellaneous Enslavement Data

The items and data on this page do not list a specific slaveholder, yet contain valuable information about individual enslaved persons.

Enslavement Items

• Name: Suckey ("Negroe Suckey")
  Date of item: May 1780, May 1781
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Court Order--punishment for arson
  Details/Text: "Cumberland County --May 1780
  Republica vs Negroe Suckey -- Arson
  Judgement that Negroe Suckey be hanged by the Neck till she be dead."
  "Cumberland County --May 1781
  Republica vs Negroe Suckey -- Convicted of Arson
  Sentenced to death."
  Notes: This item was reported in the Philadelphia newspaper Freeman's Journal:

  At the court of oyer and terminer at Carlisle, May 28, 1781, before the hon. Thomas McKean, and William Augustus Atlee, esps. &c. ...Negro Sukey, who had been convicted at the precedent session of arson, in burning the barn of John Johnson, was likewise sentenced to die.

  Sources: Records of the (Pennsylvania) Supreme Court, pages 67, 108.; The Freeman's Journal or The North-American Intelligencer, 20 June 1781.
• Date of item: 30 November 1785
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: To be Sold,
  A Healthy young NEGRO WENCH, with a child at her breast, who can be well recommended for her honesty and sobriety. Enquire of the printers.
  Notes: This female is most likely a slave for life, but the infant would be a term slave for 28 years, per the Gradual Abolition Act of 1780.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette, 30 November 1785
• Date of item: 29 November 1785
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "TO BE SOLD, A likely, healthy, negro wench, is used to do kitchen work, she has four children, the eldest a girl about 8 years of age; the second a boy about five years old; they are Registered, have had the small-pox and measles; the third a boy 3 years old; the youngest a girl about 18 months old; they are healthy and thriving, will be sold together for cash public securities at their current value, or bar-iron. Enquire of the Printers. Nov. 29th, 1785."
  Notes: The mother and two oldest children are all slaves for life, but the two youngest would be term slaves for 28 years, per the Gradual Abolition Act of 1780. Note that the enslaver mentions registration only for the mother and two oldest children, all of whom were born 1780 or earlier. Registration of the children of enslaved women, born after March 1, 1780, would not begin until 1788.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 14 December 1785.
• Date of item: 08 October 1788
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: To be Sold.
  A LIKELY Mulatto BOY, about 19 years of age, duly registered -- He understands taking care of horses, is an active waiter, and a tolerable good cook. -- Enquire of the Printers.
  Notes: With an estimated birth year of 1769, this person is most likely a slave for life. The duties described indicate his role was probably a house servant to a wealthy family, working as a groom, a waiter and a cook.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette, 08 October 1788.
• Date of item: 30 August 1791
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "For Sale, A likely young Mulatto Boy, A slave for life, and registered according to law. Enquire of the Printer. August 30, 1791."
  Notes: Age of this young person at the time of sale would be eleven or slightly older. The description "young boy" typically indicated younger than 15, and being a slave for life meant he was born in 1780 or earlier. The note "registered according to law" appears in many advertisements from Cumberland County for enslaved persons after 1780. There was a strong resistance by many enslavers in this county to the registration process, with more than a few including notes of protest along with their registration paperwork. The advertiser's guarantee that the child had been registered hints at the existence of illegally un-registered enslaved persons in the county.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 23 November 1791.
• Date of items: September 12 and 28, 1791.
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Jailer's notices
  Details/Text: The following jailer's notices give details of two men captured weeks apart in Cumberland County and imprisoned in the county jail at Carlisle. Both men claim to have escaped from enslavement in Virginia. Neither notice is signed by the jailer, but both notices are rich in details about the captured men.

  A Negro fellow.
  WAS taken up in Shippensburg, on Saturday evening last and committed to the goal of Carlisle, Cumberland County, state of Pennsylvania, a Negro fellow, who calls himself Benjamin Thomas, and says that he belongs to a gentleman of the name of Josiah Crawford, of the Quaker society, living about two miles from Redstone Fort, in Monongalia county, state of Virginia. -- This fellow is about five feet eight or nine inches high, of a yellowish colour, says his father was a mulatto and the property of David Rogers, who now resides in Kentucke; has a scar on the shin of his left leg, occasioned by a cut from an ax, likely and well made, says that he is about sixteen years of age, but appears rather to be twenty one or twenty two years old -- had on when apprehended, a short dark Lindsay jacket with sleeves, lined with red flannel, tow linen shirt and trowsers, old hat -- he further says the time of his leaving his master was towards the close of last harvest, and has since worked at Turnbull's Iron-works, where he received the jacket above mentioned.
  Carlisle, Penn. September 12th, 1791. (The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 14 September 1791.)

  COMMITTED to the goal of Carlisle on Thursday the 22d of September instant, a Negro fellow who calls himself Harry alias Henry, about five feet eight inches high, stout and well made, not very black, flat nose, an excellent set of teeth, is very bold and forward in giving answers to questions, but very contradictory; he says that he belongs to a certain Thomas Songster, living about half a mile from Winchester, State of Virginia and that he left his master about three years ago, and about the middle of last harvest was apprehended and committed to Yorktown goal, from which he says he was sold to Mr. Laub of Yorktown and remained with him two or three weeks.
  The fellow says he left Yorktown with a certain Jack Cairns who took him towards Fredericktown, with a view of selling him, from whom he run when he offered him for sale, which was near Frederick -- He had on and with him, when committed, a coarse blue cloth coat, partly new, with white metal buttons, striped lindsey jacket and trousers, the jacket has neither buttons nor button holes, coarse white linen shirt, an old pair of striped trousers, a pair of blue and white yarn stockings, a pair of new white cotton do. these are small and like womens, leataher for a pair of shoes, an old linen shirt, a needle book, and a large linen bag or wallet.
  He further says that he belongs to a certain Thomason Elsey, living in Fairfax county, state of Virginia, about 18 miles from Alexandria; whom he left about 9 weeks ago and committed to York goal, from which he was taken and a second time run off. It is uncertain which of the above stories are true. He appears to be about 20 or 21 years old.
  Carlisle, September 28, 1791. (The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 23 November 1791.)

  
  Notes: Benjamin Thomas worked at Turnbull's Iron Works, which was another name for the Alliance Furnace in Fayette County, PA. This furnace was blown in November 1789 and operated until 1802. Redstone Fort is a French and Indian War fort built in 1759 overlooking the Monongahela River in Fayette County, PA. Monongalia County is in present day West Virginia and borders Pennsylvania. The second man committed, Harry/Henry, refers to a Mr. Laub of York. Conrad Laub was sheriff of York during this time and may or may not be the person referred to.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 14 September, 23 November 1791.
• Date of item: 14 March 1792.
  Location: Carlisle area
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "FOR SALE, A Negro Wench, WHO has been raised on a farm, and would be valuable to any person in that way: She is about thirty-one years of age, and is offered for sale from no other motive, than that the owner has not suitable employ for her. For further information, enquire of the Printer."
  Notes: The woman advertised for sale in this ad would have been born about 1761 and was a slave for life. Having been enslaved during her life on a farm, it is presumed she is good with caring for livestock, milking cows, helping with harvests and other agricultural skills. At 31 years old, she is well into her peak productive years. The notation that she is only being sold for a lack of work is to assuage any doubts a potential buyer may have that she had caused her current enslaver problems.
  Source: The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 14 March 1792.
• Name: Cuffee
  Details: Negro Cuffee, a slave, was pardoned on August 13, 1792, after being convicted in Cumberland County for stealing two cows and two steers. The pardon was listed in the published Pennsylvania Archives, Ninth Series, 1792.
  Source: "Pennsylvania Archives--Ninth Series--1792," at http://mhrising.com/Pardons/1792.htm, accessed 16 October 2006.
• Date of item: 28 May 1794.
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "To be Sold, Two Negro Men and two Negro Women. Enquire of the Printer."
  Notes: This brief anonymous ad is unusual in that it offers four adult enslaved persons for sale and few details. Published fourteen years after the 1780 Gradual Abolition law, the described "men" and "women" are most likely slaves for life.
  Source: Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, 28 May 1794.
• Date of item: 22 June 1796.
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "TO BE SOLD. The unexpired time (six years) of a stout, healthy, BLACK SERVANT MAN, about twenty years of age, he is accustomed to driving and taking care of horses; he inclines to go to a farmer, his present master wishes to indulge him, and as a younger servant either male or female will answer his purposes, he has no objection to change for such if more suitable to a purchaser -- enquire of the Printer."
  Notes: Born circa 1776, this man has six years remaining in his term of enslavement instead of being a slave for life as suggested by his date of birth. The current enslaver notes that he is indulging the man by allowing his enslavement to be transferred to a farmer, and also says he is willing to trade this man for a young enslaved boy or girl.
  Source: Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, 22 June 1796.
  
   

• Date of item: 23 April 1798.
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "A NEGRO TO BE SOLD. THE time of a Negroe Girl to be sold, that has almost twelve years to serve, is sold for no fault, but for want of employ; enquire of the Printer. Carlisle, April 23d, 1798."
  Notes: This advertisement is for a young girl, probably sixteen years old. She would have been born circa 1782, just two years after passage of Pennsylvania's Gradual Abolition Act of 1780. Her mother would have been a slave for life, and as the child of a slave for life, this child could be legally enslaved up until her 28th birthday, or as noted in the ad, for twelve more years. The ad itself reveals the harsh reality of the lives of enslaved persons in Pennsylvania on the eve of the 19th century. Born during the American Revolution and at a time when Pennsylvania was trumpeting its dedication to equality and enlightenment for all by passing legislation to eliminate slavery, this girl, because her mother was a slave, would remain enslaved herself until 1810, a decade into the 19th century. She is here marketed as a commodity, with no name and no sense of personhood, the only description being her sex and a hint at her youth. Like any enslaved person, her life and future was at the whim of her enslaver. Here, she is facing sale to an unkown person and place, simply because her current enslaver does not have sufficient work for her.
  Source: Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, 30 May 1798.
• Date of item: 15 June 1815.
  Location: Carlisle
  Item: Newspaper advertisement
  Details/Text: "FOR SALE, A Negro Boy, who has two years to serve. For terms enquire at this office."
  Notes: The total term of enslavement is not indicated in this ad, only that the "boy" has "two years to serve." Being described as a "boy" makes it unlikely he is a 28-year term slave, as the description of "man" would most likely have been used instead. It is more likely he was sold into enslavement until age 21 or possibly 25, both common terms of enslavement given by local courts to young Black children whose parents were unable to provide for them.
  Source: Carlisle Weekly Herald, 15 June 1815, page 3.

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