Northampton County, Pennsylvania Enslavement Data

Jailer's Notices of Captured Slaves

Published jailer notices provide information on local, state and out of state African Americans arrested and committed to the county jail as suspected escaped slaves. Enslavers of such persons, seeing the notices in regional newspapers, were expected to come to the jail, provide proof of ownership, and pay the costs associated with keeping, feeding, advertising, and filling out paperwork on the captured esapee.

Such notices provide valuable clues regarding the escape routes used by freedom seekers. They also illustrate the dangers faced by free Blacks traveling in areas where they were not known and arrested as suspected escaped slaves. Persons arrested and jailed under suspicion of being escaped slaves often faced months in prison due to delays by jailers in publishing notices, the allowance of weeks or months for potential enslavers to claim them, and the wait for court dates if no enslaver appeared to pay fees. In worst case instances, free Blacks who were unable to prove their free status could be sold back into enslavement by the county to recoup fees and costs.

• Name: Spencer Lake
  Date of item: 07 October 1762
  Location: Easton
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of suspected escaped slave who claims he is free.
  Details/Text: "Committed to Easton Goal, in Northampton County, on the 21st of September last, a Negroe Man, named Spencer Lake, about 28 Years of Age, says he was born on Muskmelon-creek, in Sussex County, Maryland, and that he is free. The Master or Owner is desired to come, pay Charges, and take him out, otherwise he will be discharged in December next, by JOHN JENNINGS, Sheriff."
  Notes:
  Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 07 October 1762.