It has been said by apologist historians and readers that one way in which white servants had it better than negro chattel was that once freed, they were free, where a black would be forever accused—even if freed—of being a runaway and in danger of kidnapping. The fact is, a poor white who could not prove his freedom with papers could be taken and sold on suspicion of being a runway, as indicated the following advertisement.

October 12, 1769

The Pennsylvania Gazette

New Castle [1] County, October 3, 1769.

WAS committed to the gaol of this county, upon suspicion of being runaway servants, to wit.

JOHN MONEY, born in Ireland, about 5 feet 6 inches high, black hair, pale complexion, by trade a weaver; had on, when committed, a light coloured homespun cloth coat, linsey waistcoat, and coarse tow trowsers.

ELIZABETH MOORE, a native Irish woman, about 30 years of age, fair complexion, brown hair; had on, when committed, a stampt cotton gown, of a purple colour, a linsey petticoat, shoes, and stockings. [2]

Their masters (if any they have) are desired to come, pay their cost, [3] and take them away, in 6 weeks from this date, or they will be sold for the same by THOMAS PUSEY, Gaoler.

1. The port of New Castle in nearby Wilmington, Delaware was a hub for the shipment of Irish servants.

2. When a servant or vagabond who had been abducted, or a convict held for some crime, did not have shoes as a listed item that indicates that they were barefoot, as shoes were rare among the poor, even in cold climes. In this example, the woman has shoes and the man does not.

3. Typical redemption costs was 5-7 pounds, with fresh slaves off the boat going for 10-16 pounds. If these were runaways then the redemption cost would be worked off by the servant by an extension of their term of service. Rather than a direct value conversion, different colonies [which were in effect administrative districts, not the nascent states we envision from out modern vantage] specified the number of months or years a servant would have added to their term for running away. In Maryland it was typical for terms to be extended by 10 days for every day on the lamb. As can be determined by a look at the comparative prices, running away would bring an extension of servitude by at least one third.