Runaway Slaves
Content Warning: This resource addresses physical abuse and sexual exploitation.
Rebeccah Morehouse’s Pegg
“Rebeccah Morehouse’s Pegg,” The New-York Gazette: or The Weekly Post-Boy, December 13, 1764. The New York Historical.
Document Text |
Summary |
| RUN-AWAY,
Last night the 12th instant. From Rebeccah Morehouse, opposite to Alderman Benson, at the shipyards, New-York, a tall, slim, straight, negro wench, named Pegg, about 40 years of age, of a yellowish complexion, has had the small pox, but is smooth faced, and talks good English, has the middle finger of her left hand crooked and cannot straighten it; was born at Oyster-Bay, but has resided several years in New-York, and formerly belonged to Mr. Pell; is sensible, cunning, and artful, and can wash, iron, and cook; had on a short red cloak, a white hat, and a pair of men’s shoes, and had with her a calico gown and a variety of other clothes. |
Pegg, the enslaved woman owned by Rebeccah Morehouse, ran away last night. Pegg is a tall, thin, light-skinned Black woman with good posture. She is about forty years old. She had smallpox, but she has no scars on her face. She speaks English. Her left middle finger is crooked. Pegg was born in Oyster Bay. She has lived in New York for many years. She was once owned by Mr. Pell. Pegg is smart, sneaky, and crafty. She can wash, iron, and cook. She was wearing a short red cloak, a white hat, and men’s shoes. She brought other clothing with her. |
| Whoever will bring home the said wench to her mistress or to the subscriber, ship-carpenter at the ship yards, shall have 2 dollars reward if taken in town, or three dollars, if taken out of town, beside all reasonable charges.
John Leversage |
If you catch Pegg in the city and return her to Rebecca Morehouse or me, you will get a two-dollar reward. If you catch her outside the city, you will get a three-dollar reward. We will also pay any reasonable expenses you make while bringing her back. |
| All masters of vessels and others are forewarned not to entertain or carry her away as they will answer it at their peril. | If any ship captain or other sailor helps Pegg escape by sea, he will be punished. |
“Rebeccah Morehouse’s Pegg,” The New-York Gazette: or The Weekly Post-Boy, December 13, 1764. The New York Historical.
Background
Slavery was practiced in the English colonies from the earliest days of settlement. But enslaved people consistently fought back against their enslavers. Historical records from every colonial government contain examples of enslaved people pursuing every legal opportunity for manumission as well as exploiting legal loopholes. They also physically fought back against their enslavers, generally doing whatever it took to gain their freedom.
One of the most powerful ways an enslaved person could resist was to self-emancipate by running away. But this carried heavy risks. If a person was caught, they could be physically punished, usually by whipping. They might also be forced to wear chains or handcuffs to prevent them from running again. But if an escape was successful, the person did not just gain their freedom. They also robbed their enslaver of the investment that had been made in them, prevented their enslaver from benefiting from their future labor, and inspired other enslaved people to follow their example.
About the Documents
The runaway slave advertisements in colonial newspapers are not only evidence of the ongoing resistance to slavery that happened in the English colonies. They are also some of the only documents that describe the appearance and histories of individual enslaved people. They are an invaluable resource for historians who want to learn more about the culture and experiences of colonial enslaved people. But they have limitations. The information included is only what the owner thought necessary to find the person, and they leave no record of why the person chose to run or whether they were successful.
This advertisement is full of fascinating details that give the reader a sense of what Pegg’s life must have been like. But its existence is unusual for a few reasons. First, enslaved women were far less likely to run away than enslaved men. Historians believe this is because most enslaved women were forced to bear children for their enslavers and either could not or would not leave their children behind. Second, Pegg was much older than the average person who chose to self-emancipate by escaping in the 1700s. This leaves us to wonder what prompted her to take this risk after so many years. Finally, Pegg’s enslaver was a woman, and English legal and social custom meant that she may have been uncomfortable taking the steps necessary to get Pegg back by herself. This may be why the ad was placed by a man.
Vocabulary
- manumission: Release from slavery.
- self-emancipate: The act of an enslaved person freeing themselves from bondage.
Discussion Questions
- What does Pegg’s physical description reveal about her life?
- Why are runaway advertisements a valuable resource for historians? What are their drawbacks?
- Why was running away a powerful form of resistance to the institution of slavery?
Suggested Activities
- APUSH Connection: 2.6: Slavery in the British colonies
- Invite students to fill out a See/Think/Wonder chart based on this advertisement and then discuss their findings together. What information do we know for certain about Pegg? What questions still remain? How might historians fill in these gaps? Why is studying the lives of individual enslaved people in the Colonial Era so difficult?
- For a lesson about the lives of enslaved women in the English colonies of North America in the 1700s, combine this resource with The Business of Slavery, Life Story: Sarah, and Life Story: McLennan’s Enslaved Woman.
Themes
AMERICAN IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP
The New York Historical Curriculum Library Connections
- For more resources relating to slavery in the English colonies, see New World—New Netherland—New York.
