Slaveholders Listed on this Page
- Battell, William (Enslaved persons: Toby)
- Grubb, John (2nd) (Enslaved persons: Seazor, Phillis, Nance, Lad, Pegg)
- Harvey, Alexander (Enslaved persons: Caesar, two un-named men)
- John, Thomas (Enslaved persons: Joseph Williams)
- Montgomery, John (Enslaved persons: Kate)
- Patterson, William (Enslaved persons: Unnamed pregnant woman with 3 children)
Enslavement Data
- Slaveholder Name: Battell, William, Captain
Town or Hundred: New Castle
County: New Castle County
Occupation: Miller, County Sheriff
Notes: Operated a grist and bolting mill known as Battell's Mill, on or near Christiana Creek, between 1723 and 1730.
Source: Steve Childers, "White Clay Creek Hundred Mills - part IV; Christiana Mills," 2022, online at https://www.gristfromabbottsmill.net/post/white-clay-creek-hundred-mills-part-iv, accessed 22 July 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Toby
Age: Age not given, but described as a "man."
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe Man"
Status: Probable slave for life; imprisoned
Notes: Toby was imprisoned in the New Castle County jail as a suspected escaped slave:
THat there is in the Custody of William Battell Sheriff of the County of New-Castle on Delaware; a very likely Negroe Man, who was taken up and Committed as a runaway, he calls himself Toby, and says his Masters name is Captain Bond, be he has not English enough to discribe where his Master Lives. Whoever can make a legal Claim to the said Negroe and will pay the Lawful Charges, may have him delivered by the above Sheriff.
Date of Record 01 September 1726
Source: The American Weekly Mercury, 01 September 1726.
- Slaveholder Name: Grubb, John (2nd)
Town or Hundred:
County: New Castle County
Occupation:
Notes:
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online
- Enslaved Person's Name: Seazor (Caesar)
Age: Age not given, but described as a "man."
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe man"
Status: Manumitted March 1758, per will of John Grubb.
Notes: The will of John Grubb manumitted Seazor and Phillis upon his death. Will dated March 10, 1758, excerpt:
To daughters Rachel Pedrick and Hannah Flower all my Lotts in Lower Chichester tbat I bought of Richard Bezer and of Adam Buckley, and all the lotts, rights and titles that, came by my father, John Grubb.
I give to my negroe man, Seazor, his Freedom at my decease and my negroe Phillis her Freedom at my decease and my negroe Nance to live with my Daughter Rachel Pedrick Till she arrives to the age twenty-five years and then to be free and my negroe Lad to live with my son Adam Grubb till he arrives to the age of Twenty-five years and then to be Free And my negroe Child Pegg to live with my Daughter Hannah Flower Till she arrives to the age Twenty-five years and then to be free.
Will on file in New Castle, County, Delaware.
Date of Record 10 March 1758
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online
- Enslaved Person's Name: Phillis
Age: Age not given
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe"
Status: Manumitted March 1758, per will of John Grubb.
Notes: The will of John Grubb manumitted Seazor and Phillis upon his death. Will dated March 10, 1758. See above for excerpt. Will on file in New Castle, County, Delaware.
Date of Record 10 March 1758
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Nance
Age: Age not given
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe"
Status: To be manumitted at age 25
Notes: Bequeathed by John Grubb to his daughter Rachel (Grubb) Pedrick. Per will of John Grubb: "my negroe Nance to live with my Daughter Rachel Pedrick Till she arrives to the age twenty-five years and then to be free."
Date of Record 10 March 1758
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Lad
Age: Age not given
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe"
Status: To be manumitted at age 25
Notes: Bequeathed by John Grubb to his son Adam Grubb. Per will of John Grubb: "My negroe Lad to live with my son Adam Grubb till he arrives to the age of Twenty-five years and then to be Free"
Date of Record 10 March 1758
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Pegg
Age: Age not given, but described as a "child."
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe Child"
Status: To be manumitted at age 25
Notes: Bequeathed by John Grubb to his daughter Hannah (Grubb) Flower. Per will of John Grubb: "And my negroe Child Pegg to live with my Daughter Hannah Flower Till she arrives to the age Twenty-five years and then to be free."
Date of Record 10 March 1758
Source: The Grubb Family of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (From the Daily Local News, Oct. l893.) Reprint online.
- Slaveholder Name: Harvey, Alexander
Town or Hundred: New Castle
County: New Castle County
Occupation: County Jailer
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Caesar
Age: Age not given, but described as a "fellow." Probably an adult man.
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe Fellow"
Status: Imprisoned as an escaped slave from Maryland
Notes: Caesar was imprisoned in the New Castle County jail as a suspected escaped slave:
New-Castle, December 2, 1762.
NOW in the Goal of this County, A Negroe Fellow, calls hiimself Caesar, says he belongs to John Hall, Esq; in Caecil-County, Maryland; his Master is hereby desired to come, in four Weeks after this Date, pay Charges, and take him away, otherwise he will be sold for the same, by
ALEXANDER HARVEY, Goaler.
N.B. He is a Cooper by Trade.
Per the notice placed by jailer Harvey, Caesar was scheduled to be sold for his costs after December 30, 1762, if not claimed.
Date of Record 02 December 1762
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 23 December 1762.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in jailer's ad
Age: Age not given, but described as a "man."
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe Man"
Status: Imprisoned as an escaped slave from Maryland
Notes: This man was imprisoned in the New Castle County jail as a suspected escaped slave:
New-Castle, May 22, 1764.
NOW in the Goal of this County, a Negroe Man, says he belongs to Mr. Perry Frisbey, in Newtown, Maryland:
Also a Negroe Man, belonging to Joshua McDowell, in Chester County. Their Masters are desired to come or send for them.
ALEXANDER HARVEY, Goaler.
This ad had been published for about a month by this time. Jailer's usually kept imprisoned people suspected of being escaped slaves between four to six weeks before selling them out for costs.
Date of Record 22 May 1764
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 21 June 1764.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in jailer's ad
Age: Age not given, but described as a "man."
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negroe Man"
Status: Imprisoned as an escaped slave from Chester County.
Notes: This man was imprisoned in the New Castle County jail as a suspected escaped slave:
New-Castle, May 22, 1764.
NOW in the Goal of this County, a Negroe Man, says he belongs to Mr. Perry Frisbey, in Newtown, Maryland:
Also a Negroe Man, belonging to Joshua McDowell, in Chester County. Their Masters are desired to come or send for them.
ALEXANDER HARVEY, Goaler.
This ad had been published for about a month by this time. Jailer's usually kept prisoners between four to six weeks before selling them out for costs.
Date of Record 22 May 1764
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 21 June 1764.
- Slaveholder Name: John, Thomas
Town or Hundred:
County: New Castle County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Joseph Williams
Age: "about 24 Years of Age"
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: circa 1705
Description: "Malatto man"
Status: Self emancipaed January 1729
Notes: Williams escaped from John in late January 1729 with his wife. Text of escape notice posted by John:
RUN away the 29th. of January, 1728 9, from Thomas John, of New-Castle County, Farmer; a Malatto man, named Joseph Williams, about 24 Years of Age, having on an Ozenbrug Jacket and Breeches, and a Gray Homespun outside Jacket, Gray Yarn Stockins, and New Shoes; a White Woman went away with him, which he calls his Wife, named Bridget: Whoever secures the said Malatto Man, shall have Thirty Shillings Reward pay'd by, Thomas John.
Note that Joseph and Bridget Williams had been gone about ten weeks by the time this escape notice was published.
Date of Record 10 April 1729
Source: The American Weekly Mercury, 10 April 1729.
- Slaveholder Name: Montgomery, John
Town or Hundred: Mill Creek Hundred
County: New Castle County
Occupation:
Notes: Son of Alexander Montgomery. Owned property in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Relocated to North Carolina circa 1773.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Kate
Age: "about 28 years of age"
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: circa 1726
Description: "Negroe woman"
Status: Slave for life; self-emancipated, June 1754
Notes: Kate escaped from Montgomery on 18 June 1754. He published the following escape notice in The Pennsylvania Gazette:
RUN away, on the 18th ult. from the subscriber, living in Mill-creek Hundred, Newcastle county, a Negroe woman, about 28 years of age, nam'd Kate, smooth faced, a good black, 5 feet 6 inches high: Had on, when she went away, a calicoe gown, blue quilted petticoat, and carried off with her several other clothes.
Whoever takes up and secures said Negroe woman, so as her master may have her again, shall have Thirty Shillings reward, and reasonable charges, paid by
JOHN MONTGOMERY.
Date of Record 11 July 1754
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 11 July 1754.
- Slaveholder Name: Patterson, William
Town or Hundred: Near Christiana Bridge
County: New Castle County
Occupation:
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in ad
Age: "about 29 or 30 Years of age"
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: circa 1711 or 1712
Description: "Negro Woman"
Status: Slave for life
Notes: Advertised for sale in September 1741 along with her three children, and about to give birth to a fourth child:
To be SOLD by WILLIAM PATTERSON,
near Christiana Bridge in New-Castle County;
A Likely Negro Woman fit for any Country House Business, such as Washing, Milking, Cooking, &c. She is about 29 or 30 Years of age, has 3 Children and is big with a fourth, being a good Breeder. Whoever inclines to buy her may apply as above, and agree on reasonable Terms, with Credit on Security, if required.
Date of Record 24 September 1741
Source: The American Weekly Mercury (Philadelphia), 24 September 1741.
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