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In the American colonies, runaway slave and servants were an issue that constantly arose. In the case of highly valued property, the master of the delinquent would pay to place an ad in a newspaper promising reward . Contemporary newspapers survive which allow us to look for patterns in the way that each colony dealt with their escapees and how the process differed from slaves to servants. In postings from New England, Pennsylvania, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Lower South, descriptions of English ability, clothing, skin attributes, and the ways in which to handle captured runways outline the similarities and differences in the lives of slaves and servants.

Information on how well a slave spoke English is present in the ads from each of the colonies. In the colonial newspaper advertisements for runaway slaves and servants, nine out of sixteen notices mention English language ability. However, language ability is not mentioned for white servants but only for black slaves. Slave language range from “speaks English well as if Country born” to “no English” . Interestingly, the white servants who were usually immigrants from Europe never have their speech abilities outlined. In the same way, eleven of the sixteen postings itemize the runaway's clothing. In the Pennsylvania Gazette, a black slave is described as wearing a “fine brown Linen Shirt[,] new Shoes, and a Wool Hat” . In the same newspaper, a white servant is described as wearing “a new felt hat, a dark brown coat, [and] flaxen shirt” . While some could look at English ability and clothing representations for clues to the fugitive’s social status, it is possible that language and clothing was only detailed to aid in their identification and capture.

Out of the sixteen adve...

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...have seen tell the story of a time when people were viewed as property and their traits were only seen as an identifier or a source of profit. In a society run with ideas such as these, it is easy to see why said slaves and servants sought better lives outside of servitude.

References

Brown, Victoria Bissell, Timothy Shannon, Going to the Source: The Bedford Reader in American History, 2nd edition (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004).

Boston Evening-Post, May 19, 1755

Georgia Gazette, January 14, 1767.

Georgia Gazette, March 7, 1765;

Georgia Gazette, August 31, 1768.

Pennsylvania Gazette, July 8, 1756;

Pennsylvania Gazette, July 22, 1756.

Pennsylvania Gazette, August 11, 1757;

Pennsylvania Gazette, November 26, 1747;

Pennsylvania Gazette, November 29, 1764 .

Virginia Gazette, April 11, 1766.

Virginia Gazette, May 31, 1770.

Virginia Gazette, August 10, 1769.