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The genealogical value of runaway slave ads
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Before emancipation, slaves would often run away from their masters, for many reasons. Sometimes the master or the overseer was cruel and vicious, and the slave would run away to escape. Sometimes a slave would run away to another plantation, where his mother lived. Or his wife. Or his children. Sometimes a slave would run away and head north, striving to reach the states where slavery had already been abolished.
In response to the vast numbers of slaves running away, the U. S. Congress passed several “fugitive slave acts” throughout the years, in which a slave master’s rights to pursue a slave across state lines were detailed. It was made illegal for a free person to aid a runaway slave. And runaway slaves could be jailed if caught, and returned to the master.
Most southern newspapers during this time printed what are known as “runaway slave advertisements”. These ads carry quite a bit of genealogical value, and should be searched where possible.
While most records concerning slaves during their period of enslavement only provide given names, the runaway slave ads often (though not always) also provide a surname used by the slave. They usually provide an approximate age. They provide a physical description. Often, the ads would give a possible destination. Take, for example, the following runaway slave ad, printed in the Baltimore Sun during the time just preceding the Civil War:
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$25 Reward. Left his home last Friday, my Man HARRY HAWKINS, 24 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, rather good looking, is of a dark chestnut color, large eyes, pleasant when spoken to. He may be lurking about Baltimore, as he has a wife in the western section of the city.
The above reward will be given if brought home or lodged in jail so that I get him again.
CHARLES PUMPHREY,
Seven miles from Baltimore,
on the Annapolis road.
This ad, as you can see, add the information that Harry Hawkins had, “a wife in the western section of [Baltimore] city.” This is useful genealogical information, and further research based on this statement will likely yield positive results.
Where can one view these runaway slave ads? Check the microfilmed newspapers at the local archives or historical society. This can be a tedious endeavor, and will not always prove fruitful.
An easier and more convenient way to locate runaway slave ads is through online services like NewspaperArchive or GenealogyBank. GenealogyBank, for example, has digital images of newspapers from around the country, all indexed very well. Search for the first and last name of your slave ancestor, or their owner, if known. You can limit the search to your state of interest, and to the type of article (in this case, choose “Advertisement”). Monthly or annual subscriptions are available to GenealogyBank, so you only use it as long as you need it. Many other newspapers that are still in circulation are bringing their archived issues online as well. Check the homepage of the newspaper nearest your ancestral homeland to see what might be available.
Though created to help slave owners maintain control over their slaves, it is beautifully ironic that these ads can now help the descendants of former slaves regain control over their heritage.
For more information, read: Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation
For more information on GenealogyBank: Research Your Family Heritage
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