February 26, 1751

The Pennsylvania Gazette

Run away on the 17th inst. from the subscribers, living in Chester county, two servant men, one named Andrew Robinson, came last summer from the north of Ireland, [1] by the way of Dublin, of a middle stature, sandy complexion, about 20 years of age. Had on good shoes, white yarn stockings, old cloth breeches, brownish coat, half worn, blue jacket, without sleeves, ozenbrigs shirt, a newish felt hat, a worsted cap.

The other named Edward Eling, a native Irishman, speaks plain English, of a short stature, about 30 years of age, has been in this country before, and served his time in or near Lancaster, and again came over a servant last summer from Ireland: [2] Had on 2 jackets, the uppermost of blue kersey, old shoes, yarn stockings, new buckskin breeches, check shirt, and an old beaver hat.

Whoever takes up the said servants, and brings them to their masters, or to Chester goal, shall have Three Pounds reward for each, paid by PETER DICKS, and HUMPHREY JOHNSON.

1. Andrew seems to have quite enough of the servant's life after serving all of one tenth of his term.

2. According to our vaunted establishment historians servants flocked to the docks in Europe for the opportunity to be worked for seven years so that they might be able to start a homestead and fight savage Indians while milking cows and plowing fields—and this old fellow returned to Ireland after his term was up, was sold again and was so keen on not serving out another term apparently talked young Andrew into going along with his escape. This suggests more the condemned convict than the pious homesteader. Homesteading was decades off, for this was still the plantation era.