Slaveholders Listed on this Page
- Patterson, Nicholas (Enslaved persons: Mark, Jack)
- Poe, Thomas (Enslaved persons: Nan, Jack, un-named girl)
- Poe, James, Captain (Enslaved persons listed: Sady, Haddy, Fabley, Jacob, Peter, Nan, Mackey, Joe, Paddy a.k.a. Patrick Hunley, Peter Smith)
- Pott, William (Enslaved persons: Aram Smith)
- Rankin, James (Enslaved persons: Un-named man)
- Rankin, Jeremiah (Enslaved persons: Un-named female)
- Riddle, James (Enslaved persons: Un-named girl)
- Rippey, Samuel, Sr. (Enslaved persons: Rachel, Doll, George)
Enslavement Data
- Slaveholder Name: Patterson, Nicholas
City or Township: "Near Strasburg" (1805), Letterkenny Township (1817)
County: Franklin
Occupation:
Notes: Strasburg was renamed Upper Strasburg in 1830.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Mark
Sex: Male
Age: "about 31 years of age"
Date of Birth: circa 1774
Status: Slave for life; self-emancipated April 1805
Description: "Negro man"
Notes: Mark escaped from Patterson in late April, 1805. The text of the runaway advertisement is below:
FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
RAN AWAY, from the subscriber, residing near Strasburg, Franklin county, state of Pennsylvania, in the latter part of April last, a negro man named MARK: he is stout made, and walks straight: about 31 years of age: supposed to be five feet eight inches high, of a yellowish cast. He has a long mark upon his upper lip, occasioned by a hurt, which makes him very remarkable. It is impossible to describe his dress, as he took sundry clothes with him, I suspect he has gone to Philadelphia or to the Jerseys. Any person, who will deliver said Mark to the subscriber, new Strasburg or put him in any jail, so that the subscriber can get him again shall receive the above reward.
NICHOLAS PATTERSON.
May 29
Date of Record: 29 May 1805; this ad ran through September 25, 1805
Source: Aurora General Advertiser (Philadelphia), 07 June 1805.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jack
Sex: Male
Age: "upwards of 30 years of age"
Date of Birth: circa 1787 (calculated)
Status: Slave to age 28; self-emancipated September 1817
Description: "Negro man"
Notes: Jack escaped from Patterson in September, 1817. The text of the runaway advertisement is below:
5 Dollars Reward.
RAN AWAY from the subscriber living in Letterkenny township, Franklin county, on sunday last, a
Negro man named Jack,
of a low stature and very much disfigured by having his back broke when young, which causes a large lump both upon his back and breast -- he is upwards of 30 years of age -- had on when he went away an old hat and a lye colored hunting-shirt of tow cloth and a pair of white tow trowsers -- had no shoes nor stockings on, nor any other clothing with him.
Whoever takes up said runaway and lodges him in any jail and gives information so that I can get him again or brings him home, shall receive the above reward and all charges paid by
NICHOLAS PATTERSON.
Sept. 30, 1817.
Date of Record: 30 September 1817
Source: Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, PA), 30 September 1817.
- Slaveholder Name Poe, James, Captain
City or Township Antrim Township (modern Franklin County)
Occupation Farmer, Pennsylvania State Senator, Soldier (Revolutionary War)
Notes James Poe registered his enslaved people in Carlisle, Cumberland County on August 24, 1780. Franklin County would be established from Cumberland County four years later, in 1784. James Poe lived 1748-1822, son of Thomas Poe. James Poe volunteered for service with Cumberland County in 1776 and was commissioned a captain in the Third Company of the Cumberland County Militia, holding that commission from 1777-1778. He returned to farming in Antrim Township and entered politics. He held various public offices between 1783-1819, including Pennsylvania State Representative and Pennsylvania State Senator.
Source: "Member Biography, James Poe," Library of the Senate of Pennsylvania, online at https://www.library.pasen.gov/people/member-biography?id=5363, accessed 20 August 2026.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sady
Age: 15a
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 1765 (calculated)
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Haddy
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 1763-March
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Fabley
Age: .5
Sex: Undetermined
Date of Birth: 1780-May
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jacob
Age: 05a
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 1775-January
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Peter
Age: 20a
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 1760 (calculated)
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Nan
Age: 30a
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 1750 (calculated)
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Mackey
Age: 35a
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 1735 (calculated)
Description: Negro
Status: Slave for life
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Joe
Age: 02
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 1778-December
Description: Mulatto
Status: Slave to age 31
Notes:
Date of Record 24 August 1780
Source: Slave Returns Listings
- Enslaved Person's Name: Paddy a.k.a. Patrick Hunley
Age: "about 19 years of age"
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: circa 1765
Description: "Mustee Fellow"
Status: Self-emancipated August 1784
Notes: Hunley escaped from Poe on August 15, 1784. Poe immediately published a brief escape ad, dated August 16, 1784 in Cumberland County offering a reward of eight dollars. Ten days later Poe published a more detailed ad noting the theft of a rifle and speculating that Hunley would travel west toward the Ohio River, or would seek refuge with Native Americans. He also doubled the reward, possibly due to the loss of the gun:
Sixteen Dollars Reward.
RAN-AWAY on the 15th instant, from the subscriber, living in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, a Mustee FELLOW, commonly calls himself PADDY, or PAT HUNLEY, about 19 years of age, near 6 feet high, slim made, simple look, appears much like a whiteman, and will strive to pass as such; his hair is of a light colour, cut short: had on a dark lead coloured coat with steel buttons, a linen jacket with large yellow stripes, a new wool hat; his other cloaths uncertain: also, stole and took with him, a rifle gun well fixed, maker's name D. Dickey, cut on the barrel and lock, and the name William M'Kee cut at length on the brass box. It is supposed he will make for the Indians or down the river Ohio. Whoever takes up said Fellow, and secures him, shall have the above reward, paid by JAMES POE. Aug. 26.
Instead of heading west, Hunley made his way southeast to Chester County, where he was captured, jailed, and eventually sold out for his fees. Hunley then escaped from his purchaser in early November 1784. In September of that year, Franklin County was formed from Cumberland County. Poe had learned by November of Hunley's capture, sale, and subsquent escape, so he published an updated ad. Note that Poe still mentions the rifle, apparently believing or hoping that Hunley still possessed it:
SIXTEEN DOLLARS REWARD.
RAN AWAY, the 15th of August last, from the subscriber, living in Franklin county, Canecocheague,
A Mustee fellow, commonly calls himself Paddy, or Patrick Hunley, about 19 years of age, near six feet high, slim made, stoop shouldered, a simple looking fellow, his hair straight and of a light colour; appears much like a white man, and will strive to pa.ss as such: Had on a dark lead coloured coat, with steel buttons, and a new wool hat, his other cloths uncertain; also took with him a riffle gun, brass mounted, maker's name D. Dickey, cut on the barrel and lock, also the name of William M'Kee cut on the brass box. Whoever takes up said fellow, and secures him and the gun, shall have the above reward, paid by me
JAMES POE. Nov. 9, 1784.
N.B. I have been informed he has been sold out of Chester gaol for his fees, to a certain Mr. Samuel Lindsey, and has run away from him, and was seen passing into Philadelphia about two weeks ago.
By late January 1785, Poe had no success in locating Hunley, so he published a follow-up advertisement with some additional information about Hunley's plans to hide in the New Jersey cedar swamps.
Sixteen Dollars Reward.
RAN-AWAY last August, from the subscriber living in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, a Mustee FELLOW, commonly calls himself Paddy or Partrick [sic] Hunley, about 20 years of age, near 6 feet high, slim made, stoop shouldered, is streight and of a light colour, and appears much like a white man, his cloths uncertain; he was taken up and put in Chester gaol, and sold out for his fees to a certain Samuel Lensey, and ran away from him last November, and was heard to say he would make to the cedar swamps, in the Jersies. Whoever takes up said Fellow and secures him in any gaol, shall have the above reward, paid by
JAMES POE. Jan. 22.
The rifle, with the maker's mark of "D. Dickey" cut on the barrel and lock, was David Dickey, of Pennsylvania. Further research is needed on this Pennsylvania gunsmith.
Date of Records 16 August 1784 (initial brief escape ad); 26 August 1784 (first detailed ad); 09 November 1784 (second escape ad); 22 January 1785 (follow-up ad)
Sources: The Pennsylvania Packet, 09, 27 September 1784; The Pennsylvania Journal or Weekly Advertiser (Philadelphia), 11 December 1784; The Pennsylvania Packet, 11 February 1785.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Peter Smith
Age: "about 23 years of age"
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: circa 1766
Description: "Mustee"
Status: Self-emancipated October 1789
Notes: Smith escaped from Poe in October 1789 in company with an Irish man belonging to neighbor Joshua Stevenson. The Irish man, Michael Dwyer, was recently brought to America:
SIXTEEN DOLLARS REWARD.
RANAWAY last night from the subscribers living in Franklin county, two servants, viz. Peter Smith, a Mustee, about 23 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches high, black, strait hair, had on a lead coloured coat and jacket, fustian breeches, new shoes, old wool hat; and Michael Dwyer, lately from the west of Ireland, about 35 years of age 6 feet high, strongmade, red, short curly hair, had on a light blue coat, spotted jacket & jeanet breeches old hat; he took with him some cloaths unknown.
Whoever takes up said servants, and secures them so that their masters may get them again, shall have the above reward for both, or Eight Dollars for either.
JAMES POE.
JOSHUA STEVENSON.
October 20, 1789.
Peter Smith is close in age to Patrick Hunley (above), another man with a history of escaping and also described by James Poe as a "Mustee." However the height of the two men differs by about four inches, which is not insignificant. Also, it seems likely that if Smith used to call himself Patrick Hunley, Poe would have included that alias in his advertisement. As Poe enslaved two men similar in age for whom he used the rare racial description of "Mustee," having a white father and a "Quadroon" mother, or an enslaved mother who was one-quarter Black, it is possible they were brothers or half-brothers.
Date of Record 20 October 1789
Source: Pittsburgh Gazette, 14 November 1789.
- Slaveholder Name: Poe, Thomas
City or Township: Antrim Township
County: Franklin
Occupation:
Notes: Died 1770. Location was still Cumberland County at time of record. Franklin County was formed from Cumberland in 1784.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Nan
Sex: Female
Age: Adult
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Enslaved for life
Description: "Negro woman"
Notes: Bequeathed by Thomas Poe to his wife Mary Poe.
Date of Record: 1770
Source: G. O. Seilhamer, The Bard Family, Chambersburg, PA, 1908, p. 374.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Peter
Sex: Male
Age: boy
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Enslaved for life
Description: "Negro boy"
Notes: Bequeathed by Thomas Poe to his wife Mary Poe.
Date of Record: 1770
Source: G. O. Seilhamer, The Bard Family, Chambersburg, PA, 1908, p. 374.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given
Sex: Female
Age: girl
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Enslaved for life
Description: "Negro girl"
Notes: Bequeathed by Thomas Poe to his daughter Mary Long (wife of Alexander Long).
Date of Record: 1770
Source: G. O. Seilhamer, The Bard Family, Chambersburg, PA, 1908, p. 374.
- Slaveholder Name: Pott, William
City or Township: Peter's Township
County: Franklin
Occupation: Forgemaster, Valley Forge
Notes: Operated Valley Forge in partnership with John Beaver. They frequently advertised as "Pott & Beaver"
- Enslaved Person's Name: Aram Smith
Sex: Male
Age: "about 19 years old"
Date of Birth: 1788 (calculated)
Status: Escaped; self-emancipated
Description: "Negro boy"
Notes: Aram escaped from the forge in April, 1807. The text of the runaway advertisement is below:
Five Dollars Reward.
Ran away from the subscriber, living in Peters township, Franklin County, a negro boy, about 19 years old, who calls himself Aram Smith -- had on and took away with him a new roram hat, brown cloth roundabout, striped nankeen overalls, & yellow handkerchief about his neck, has lost part of the little finger of the right hand; it is suspected that he keeps about Chambersburg or Shippensburg. Whoever takes up said negro boy and puts him in any Jail, shall have the above reward.
POTT & BEAVER.
April 27, 1807
Date of Record: 27 April 1807
Source: Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, PA), 12 May 1807.
- Slaveholder Name: Rankin, James
City or Township: Montgomery Township
Occupation:
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in ad
Age: "aged about 28 years"
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: circa 1779
Description: "Negro Man"
Status: Slave for life
Notes: Offered for sale in April 1807.
FOR SALE.
AN active Negro Man for sale, aged about 28 years, a slave for life, who understands every kind of farming business, -- will be sold at private sale, -- apply to James Rankin, James Clark, or to Charles Kilgore, in Montgomery township.
April 6, 1807.
Date of Record 06 April 1807
Source: The Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, PA), 07 April 1807.
- Slaveholder Name: Rankin, Jeremiah
City or Township: Montgomery Township
Occupation:
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in ad
Age: Age not given but described as a "girl." Has three years to serve, which, if held to the standard 28-year term, would make her 25 years old. However if aged 25, she would have been born in 1778, making her a slave for life. It is likely she was being held to a shorter term of enslavement, possibly 21 years.
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: Not known. Probably after 1780. See notes under "Age," above.
Description: "Negro Girl"
Status: Slave for a term of years; "three years to serve."
Notes: Advertised for public sale in October 1803 to settle the estate of Jeremiah Rankin. Text of public sale ad below:
To be Sold by Public Vendue,
ON Thursday the 27th day of Oct. inst. at the late dwelling house of Jeremiah Rankin, dec'd, in Montgomery township, the following property, viz: Horses -- Cows -- Sheep & Hogs. Household and Kitchen furniture -- Bed and Bedding -- Farming utensils -- a Still and Vessels, and a number of other articles too tedious to innumerate. -- Also, the time of a Negro Girl, who has about three years to serve. -- Where due attendance and reasonable credit will be given by
MARY RANKIN, Executrix.
JAMES RANKIN, JAMES CLARKE, Executors.
October 4th, 1803.
Date of Record 04 October 1803
Source: The Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, PA), 19 October 1803.
- Slaveholder Name: Riddle, James
City or Township: Chambersburg
Occupation: Lawyer, Judge (President Judge of Judicial District including Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Huntingdon and Mifflin counties.)
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in ad
Age: "twenty years of age"
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 08 December 1795
Description: "Mulatto Girl"
Status: Slave to age 28
Notes: Offered for sale in March 1816.
To be Sold,
THE unexpired term of service of a young stout MULATTO GIRL, who has been accustomed to house work.
She was twenty years of age on the eighth day of December last, is duly recorded and is by law a servant until the age of twenty-eight. For further particulars inquire, of
JAMES RIDDLE.
Chambersburg, March 26, 1816.
Date of Record 26 March 1816
Source: The Franklin Repository (Chambersburg, PA), 09 April 1816.
- Slaveholder Name: Rippey, Samuel, Sr.
City or Township: Shippensburg
Occupation: "Yeoman"
Notes: Died December 1791 and estate liquidated by executors in April 1794. Estate included one enslaved man, age 23. This slaveholder is also listed on the Cumberland County pages.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Rachel
Age: Adult of childbearing age
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: Not known
Description: "Negro Woman"
Status: Slave for life
Notes: Bequeathed by Samuel Rippey Sr. to his wife Rachel. From Rippey's Last Will and Testament:
I give and bequeath to my faithfull and beloved wife Rachel Rippey one hundred pounds bond payable by Robert Peoples and also the sum of Ten pounds yearly and every year during the term of her Widowhood. I also give and bequeath to her my said wife my Negro woman named Rachel during the same term, and afterwards the same Negro woman. I give and bequeath to any one or all of my four Children at the option of her said Mistress, I also give and bequeath to her my said wife my Negro Child named Doll but any child or Children born by the said Negro woman in her said mistresses service shall be the property of her my said wife.
Date of Record 24 November 1790; Will proved 19 December 1791
Source: "Last Will and Testament of Samuel Rippey," 24 November 1790, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Will Book A-222-224.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Doll
Age: 02
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 1786-January 15
Description: "Negro Child" (from description in will of Samuel Rippey)
Status: Slave to age 28
Notes: Registered in Cumberland County. Bequeathed by Samuel Rippey Sr. to his wife Rachel (see above).
Date of Record 1788 (Regisration, Cumberland County); 24 November 1790 (Will of Samuel Rippey, Sr.)
Source: Registrations of Children of Slaves; "Last Will and Testament of Samuel Rippey," 24 November 1790, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Will Book A-222-224.
- Enslaved Person's Name: George (name obtained from last will and testament of Samuel Rippey)
Age: 23a
Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 1771 (calculated)
Description: "Negro Man"
Status: Slave for life
Notes: Offered for public sale on April 01, 1794, as part of the estate of Samuel Rippey Senior, deceased. The portion of Rippey's Last Will and Testament pertaining to George reads: "I also order that all my lands Tenements goods and chatles, and also my Negro boy named George, except what is herein after otherwise disposed of, be sold and the land and Tenements conveyed by my Executors as soon as convenient after my decease." His executors placed his estate up for sale in the spring of 1794. Text of advertisement:
"To be Sold, Agreeable to the last Will and Testament of Samuel Rippey, senior, deceased, ABOUT two hundred Acres of good Limestone Land, Patented, adjoining the West end of Shippensburgh, in Franklin County; about the one half of said Tract is cleared and under good fence, a good Orchard, and Stone Dwelling House, and a standing Well of Water; the greatest part of the uncleared Land is Rich Locust Land, intermixed with good Oak and Hickory Timber.--Should it not be Sold before the first day of April next, it will then be exposed to Public Sale, by
WILLIAM RIPPEY, SAMUEL RIPPEY, } Executors.
N.B. Will be Sold on the said first day of April, one healthy Negro Man, about 23 years of age recorded agreeable to law; and a large young Horse fit for any business.
The executors originally listed George for sale in an advertisement two years prior to the ad transcribed above that also included the same land described above. In the first ad, dated 06 March 1792, he was described as "a Negroe man, about 18 or 20 years of age."
Date of Record 06 March 1792 (first ad); 08 January 1794 (second ad)
Source: Kline's Carlisle Weekly Gazette, January 08, 1794; The Carlisle Gazette and Western Repository of Knowledge, 07 March 1792; "Last Will and Testament of Samuel Rippey," 24 November 1790, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Will Book A-222-224.
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