Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Slavery Data

Allegheny County
Pennsylvania Genealogy Trails
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Runaway Slave Newspaper Articles

Four Dollars Reward

RANAWAY from the subscriber living in the Borough of Pittsburgh, a negro indented servant named JAMES SNOW , about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, about 28 years of age, a handsome looking fellow, talks a great deal, and tolerably well, had on a London smoak cloth coat, a black striped cassimer jacket, a pair of drab coloured striped overalls--he took with him other cloaths. Whoever apprehends him so that the subscriber may get him again shall receive the above reward and reasonable charges.

WILLIAM McMILLEN
December 1, 1797
[Pittsburgh Gazette, December 2, 1797]

Half a Dollar Reward

FOR apprehending Samuel Rollins an indented servant, who ran away from his master on the 6th inst.--He is about nineteen years of age, of a fair complexion, and is of a small stature for his age.--Whoever will deliver him to the subscriber, at his dwelling in Versailes township Allegheny county, shall receive the above reward only.

ANTHONY ROLLINS
April 11, 1798
[Pittsburgh Gazette, April 28, 1798]

Forty Dollars Reward

RAN away from the Subscriber, when on his way to Kentuckey, a negro man names JAMES; he is about 40 years of age, near 5 feet 10 inches high, is a very black negro and has lost one of his front teeth:--he left me at McKee's Port, and is probable he may be still lurking about that place, or he may have returned to George Town, Maryland, from which place I removed. The above reward will be paid to any person delivering the said runaway to Mr. John Whelen in Pittsburgh.

GERRARD S. BOARMAN
May 11, 1798
[Pittsburgh Gazette, May 12, 1798]

One Hundred Dollars Reward.

For securing and bringing home Negro PHILL, who absconded on Friday the 25th instant-he is a stout well made fellow, about 26 years of age, 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, tolerable black and has a scar on his nose-had on and took with him a pari of new tow linnen trowsers and shirt, a fine ditto ruffled at the bosom and much worn, a striped pea green jacket, a fine grey mixed coat, a pair of striped overalls, a small round wool hat bound round the rim with black, and a sailor's jacket of courie dark cloth much worn-he was barefooted-it is supposed he will make for the Indian country or the back parts of Pennsylvania, as this is the second attempt he has made-he was brought from Pittsburgh about six months past, when he had been run away eighteen months, and in that time had been frequently in the Indian country as far as Shenango and Le Boeuff-he was handcuffed when he made his escape, but will certainly get them taken off, and will probably get a forged pass and endeavor to pass as a free man, as he had one before and call himself Phill Reed, which name it is like he will change to some other. I will give twenty dollars if he is taken within this state and secured so that I get him again, and if taken out of the state and brought home to me on Braddock's road nine miles west of Allegheny county, State of maryland, the above reward.

JOHN COMPTON jun.
June 8, 1798
[Pittsburgh Gazette, June 16, 1798]

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