Robert Kilby

Essex Gazette – Salem, Massachusetts, Tuesday, July 18, 1769

Wilmington, July 17, 1769

LAST Saturday night at 10 o’clock ran away from his master Cadwallador Ford, of Wilmington, an indented servant Lad, named Robert Kilby, of short stature, and well fet, of a light complexion and brown hair, near 18 years of age – a new cut upon the fore finger of his right hand. [1]

Had on when he went away, a brownish colour’d camblet coat, lin’d with red, pretty well worn, strip’d linen and woolen jacket, double-breasted, green worsted plush breeches, a pair blue seam’d stockings, one pair light blue worsted stockings, a pair of thick pumps and brass buckles, two tow shirts and one garlic, 2 pair of tow trowsers, and a felt hat.

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Whoever will take up said Run-away, and convey him to, or secure him, so that his master may have him, shalt have TWO DOLLARS Reward and all necessary charges paid, by said CADWALLADOR FORD.

N. B. All masters of vessels and others, are hereby cautioned against harbouring concealing or carrying away said servant on penalty of the Law.

There was with him one Joseph Ross, as he called himself, something taller, and about the same age, supposed to have run away from Ipswich, and to have inticed the said Robert to go with him; they had with them two brownish doges each about as big as a fox.

1. There is no grounds for supposing this was a wound had from a beating, as work wounds to the right hand would be more common among servants of all descriptions than those sustained during their regular beatings [beatings being the norm], which, if defensive wounds, would by found primarily to the left hand. Since most beatings were delivered wile the servantwas tied to a post or ladder these would fall on the back and secondarily to the head.

[Submitted togenealogytrails.com by Mary Kay Krogman]

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