York 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: Jacob Johnston
  Date of item: 05 August 1776
  Location: York
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of suspected escaped slave who claims he is free.
  Details/Text: "York Goal, August 5, 1776
  LAST week was committed to my custody, a dark coloured Mulattoe, about 5 feet 9 inches high, strong and well made, aged 24 years in December last; he says he is a freeman, that his name is Jacob Johnston, his mother's name was Dorcus Perkins, at Accomack, in Virginia, that she was a white woman, that Mr. Thomas Kirkly, in Kent, and Doctor Ridgley, in Dover, know him to be a freeman, that he laboured in that county about three months in the spring 1775, from thence he moved to Conestogoe, worked with John and Joseph Miller, from thence to William Read in this county, where he was taken up, &c.
  Also Thomas Casbon, who saith he ran from Lee Masters, at LittlePipe-Creek Furnace, Maryland.
  Their masters, if they have any, are hereby desired to come and take them away, in four weeks from the date hereof, or they will be disposed of to pay their fees, MICHAEL GRAYBILL, Goaler."
  Notes:
  Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, 21 August 1776.

• Names: Jack, Harry and Tom
  Date of item: 13 January 1789
  Location: York
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of three suspected escaped slaves from Virginia and North Carolina.
  Details/Text: "Runaway Negroes.
  WAS committed to York gaol, on the 21st day of October, 1788, the following negro men, viz.
  Negro Jack, about 45 years of age, 6 feet high, slender made; he had on when committed a torn broad cloth coat, a green jacket, oznaburg shirt and trowsers, a small felt hat, and a pair of old shoes, tyed with strings; says he belongs to Samuel Parson, Terrel county, North Carolina.
  Negro Harry, about 6 feet high, well made: He had on, when committed, a blanket coat, oznaburg shirt and trowsers, an old felt hat, and a pair of old shoes tyed with strings; he is about 30 years of age, says he belongs to Bennete Nodes, Martin county, North-Carolina.
  Negroe Tom, about 5 feet 8 inches high, thick and well made, remarkable thick lips: He had on an old blanket jacket, with sleeves, oznaburg shirt, and a pair of corduroy breeches, and old hat, and no shoes, about 28 years of age; says he belongs to John Wilson, at the Falls of Potowmack, Virginia.
  The owner or owners of any of the above described negroes, are desired to come within 4 weeks from the date hereof, otherwise they will be sold for their fees.
  MICHAEL GRAYBELL, Gaoler.
  York borough, Jan. 13th, 1789.
  Notes: This advertisement was published each week by Jailer Graybell through February 4, 1789.
  Source: The Pennsylvania Herald and York General Advertiser, 14 January 1789.

• Names: Henry Horte
  Date of item: 24 February 1789
  Location: York
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of three suspected escaped slaves from Virginia and North Carolina.
  Details/Text: "WAS committed to York Gaol, on the 12th day of January, 1789, a Negro man, who calls himself Henry Horte, about 24 years of age, five feet seven inches high, likely smooth face: He had on when committed, a pair of leather breeches, blue woollen stockings, an old white cloth jacket, no shoes; he is very smart and expert in tumbling and walking on his hands, and says he has no master. The owner, if any, is desired to come within four weeks from this date, otherwise he will be sold for his fees.
  MICHAEL GRAYBELL, Gaoler.
  York, Feb. 24, 1789.
  Notes: This advertisement was published each week by Jailer Graybell through March 11, 1789.
  Source: The Pennsylvania Herald and York General Advertiser, 25 February 1789.

• Names: Jack Butler
  Date of item: 18 June 1793
  Location: York
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of a suspected escaped slave from Alexandria, Virginia. The man says he is free.
  Details/Text: "WAS committed to my custody the 27th day of May 1793, a Negro Man who calls himself JACK BUTLER, about five feet six inches high, stout made, and had on when committed, a brown surtout coat, a blue sailor jacket, a striped cotton under jacket, and oznabrig shirt and trowsers, wool hat, good shoes and buckles, says he came from Alexandria in Virginia and that he is a free man. The owner or owners is desired to come within six weeks after date, otherwise he will be sold for his fees.
  MICHEAL GRAYBELL. York Borough, June 18.
  Notes:
  Source: The Pennsylvania Herald and York General Advertiser, 26 June 1793.

• Names: Ezekiel Jack
  Date of item: 30 July 1793
  Location: York
  Item: Notice of imprisonment of a suspected escaped slave.
  Details/Text: "Runaway Negro. WAS committed to my custody EZEKIEL JACK, a runaway Negro, had on when committed a whiteish twilled cotton coatee, a cotton jacket and breeches, country linen shirt; he is six feet high, stout made. The owner or owners are desired to come within eight weeks from the date, otherwise he iwll be sold for his fees.
  MICHAEL GRAYBELL, Gaoler. July 30.
  Notes:
  Source: The Pennsylvania Herald and York General Advertiser, 31 July 1793.