June 27, 1765
The Pennsylvania Gazette
Trenton, June 24, 1765.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS Reward.
MADE his Escape from Samuel Tucker, Esq; of Trenton, Sheriff of the County of Hunterdon, in New Jersey, in April last, one Hugh McCan, but has changed his Name, and now calls himself Hugh Johnson;
he sailed from Philadelphia about the 20th of April last, in the Sloop Adventure, Captain Matthews, for St. Kitts, and returned again in the same Vessel to Philadelphia on Tuesday last;
he was born in Ireland, is near 60 Years of Age, about 5 Feet 7 Inches, has black or hazel Eyes, large black Eyebrows, wore his Hair when he went away, which is grey, sometimes wears a white Cap, or black or brown cut Wig, takes Plenty of Snuff, fair Complexion, addicted to strong Liquor, and very talkative when intoxicated;
he can scarce write his Name intelligibly, but pretends to be well versed in Trade, which he has followed in the Retail Way, together with the manufacturing of Wheat, at his late Gristmill at Almetunk River; he also had Sawmill and Fulling mill, is a Fuller by Trade, and will brag largely of his Knowledge in dying Cloths of two Colours, the one Side scarlet, the other blue.
Whoever apprehends and secures the said Hugh McCan, alias Johnson, and causes him to be delivered to the Sheriff of Philadelphia, shall receive One Hundred Spanish Dollars, and all reasonable Charges, paid by the Subscriber. It is hoped that all Persons will be diligent to apprehend him, with a View to detect a person of such vile Principles, that deserted the said Sheriff, who placed a Confidence in him out of Compassion, and let him pursue his Business, rather than lock him in Goal, which he was liable to, and justly deserved.
SAMUEL TUCKER, Sheriff.
Notes
The reason for the institution of laws against Indians and blacks and no Christians holding white Christian slaves was that, in this debt worshipping society, any businessman could fall on hard times or do poorly for himself and then find himself being sold to pay off his debts. And no white man wanted to be sold to a person of another race.
So Her Master May Have Her Again
A History of Runaway White Slaves in Plantation America: Part Two
