The Journal of Negro History, Volume 5, 1920Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 5, 1920
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
Peggy was not the only slave who was dissatisfied with her lot. On
March 1, 1811, William Jarvis, the Secretary of the Province "informed
the Court that a negro boy and girl, his slaves, had the evening
before been committed to prison for having stolen gold and silver out
of his desk in his dwelling house and escaped from their said master;
and prayed that the Court would order that the said prisoners with one
Coachly a free negro, also committed to prison on suspicion of having
advised and aided the said boy and girl in eloping with their master's
property...." It was "ordered that the said negro boy named Henry
commonly called Prince be recommitted to prison and there safely kept
till discharged according to law and that the said girl do return to
her said master and Coachly be discharged."[29]
Jarvis had slaves when he resided at Niagara. We find in the Register
of St. Mark's Parish there an entry of February 5, 1797, of Moses and
Phoebe, Negro slaves of Mr. "Sec'y Jarvis." Nor is this a unique entry
for we find this: "1819 April 4, Cupitson Walker and Margt. Lee (of
Colour)," but these may have been free.
There were baptized: "1793, January 3, Jane a daughter of Martin, Col.
Butler's Negro," "1794, September 3, Cloe, a mulatto," "1800, March
29, Peggy a mulatto (_filia populi_)," "1807, May 10, John of a negro
girl (_filius populi_)" and in the same list was a soldier shot for
desertion, a soldier who shot himself, "an unfortunate stranger," "R.
B. Tickel, alas he was starved," an Indian child, "Cutnose Johnson, a
Mohawk chief" and there is recorded the burial of "Mrs. Waters a negro
woman," September 29, 1802.[30]
Slaves continued to run away. Colonel Butler in the _Upper Canada
Gazette_ of July 4, 1793, advertised a reward of $5 for his "negro-man
servant named John."[31] On August 28, 1802, Mr. Charles Field of
Niagara advertised in the _Herald_: "All persons are forbidden
harbouring, employing or concealing my Indian Slave Sal, as I am
determined to prosecute any offender to the extremity of the law and
persons who may suffer her to remain in or upon their premises for the
space of half an hour, without my written consent will be taken as
offending and dealt with accordingly."[32]
There was always a demand for good slaves. For example, in the
_Gazette and Oracle_ of Niagara October 11, 1797, W. & J. Crooks of
West Niagara "Wanted to purchase a negro girl of good disposition": a
little later, January 2, 1802 the _Niagara Herald_ advertised for sale
"a negro man slave, 18 years old, stout and healthy; has had the
Smallpox and is capable of service either in the house or out-doors.
The terms will be made easy to the purchaser, and cash or new lands
received in payment." On January 18, 1802, the _Niagara Herald_
proclaimed for sale: "the negro man and woman, the property of Mrs.
Widow Clement. They have been bred to the business of a farm; will be
sold on highly advantageous terms for cash or lands."[33]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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