Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva's Black History

Record Detail

Record #14 from Abstracts from William Still's Underground Railroad

Traveler's Names Kit Anthony and wife Leah and 3 children; Adam, Mary, and Murray
Age 35
Description Kit is five feet, six or seven inches high, dark chestnut color and has a scar on one of his thumbs, he has a very quick step and walks very straight and can read and write
Alias
Origin- Town/City Cambridge
Origin- County Dorchester
Origin- State Maryland
Destination Canada
Birthplace
Slaveowner's Name Samuel Pattison
Chapter Title The Arrivals of a Single Month
Page Number 101-102
Other Travelers Aaron Cornish his wife with 6 children; Solomon; George Anthony; Joseph, Edward James; Perry Lake with nameless babe; Kit Anthony his wife Leah and children; Adam, Mary and Murray; Joseph Hill his wife Mary and son Henry also Joseph's sister; Marshall Dutton; and George Light
Other Conductors
Additional Names
Method of Travel
Additional Resources Runaway ad of October 26, 1857 Letter to L. W. Thompson from Samuel Pattison Illustration between pages 102 and 103
Items in Possession Weapons of defense: three revolvers, three barreled pistols, three single barreled pistols, three sword-canes four butcher knives, one bowie knife and one paw (weapon with iron prongs, four inches long, to be grasped with the hand and used in close encounter) provisions for one day
Full Narrative $2,000 REWARD. ? Ran away from the subscriber on Saturday night, the 24th inst, FOURTEEN HEAD OF NEGROES, viz : Four men, two women, one boy and seven children. KIT is about 35 years of age, five feet six or seven inches high, dark chestnut color, and has a scar on one of his thumbs. JOE is about 30 years old, very black, his teeth are very white, and is about five feet eight inches high. HENRY is about 22 years old, five feet ten inches high, of dark chestnut color and large front teeth. JOE is about 20 years old, about five feet six inches high, heavy built and black. TOM is about 16 years old, about five feet high, light chestnut color. SUSAN is about 35 years old, dark chestnut color, and rather stout built ; speaks rather slow, and has with her FOUR CHILDREN, varying from one to seven years of age. LEAH is about 28 years old, about five feet high, dark chestnut color, with THREE CHILDREN, two boys and one girl, from one to eight years old. I will give $1,000 if taken in the county, $1,500 if taken out of the county and in the State, and $2,000 if taken out of the State ; in either case to be lodged in Cambridge (Md.) Jail, so that I can get them again ; or I will give a fair proportion of the above reward if any part be secured. SAMUEL PATTISON, October 26, 1857. Near Cambridge, Md. SAMUEL PATTISOX'S LETTER. CAMBRIDGE, Nov. 16th, 1857. L. W. THOMPSON : ? SIR, this morning I received your letter wishing an accurate description of my Negroes which ran away on the 24th of last month and the amt of reward offered &o &c. The description is as follows. Kit is about 35 years old, five feet, six or seven inches high, dark chestnut^color and has a scar on one of his thumbs, he has a very quick step and walks very straight, and can read and write. Joe, is about 30 years old, very black and about five feet eight inches high, has a very pleasing appearance, he has a free wife who left with him she is a light molatoo, she has a child not over one year old. Henry is about 22 years old, five feet, ten inches high, of dark chestnut coller and large front teeth, he stoops a little in his walk and has a downward look. Joe is about 20 years old, about five feet six inches high, heavy built, and has a grum look and voice dull, and black. Tom is about 16 years old about five feet high light chestnut coller, smart active boy, and swagers in his walk. Susan is about 35 years old, dark chesnut coller and stout built, speaks rather slow and has with her four children, three boys and one girl ? the girl has a thumb or finger on her left hand (part of it) cut off, the children are from 9 months to 8 years old. (the youngest a boy 9 months and the oldest whose name is Lloyd is about 8 years old) The husband of Susan (Joe Viney) started off with her, he is a slave, belonging to a gentleman in Alexandria D. C. he is about 40 years old and dark chesnut cotler rather slender built and and about five feet seven or eight inches high, he is also the Father of Henry, Joe and Tom. A reward of $400. will be given for his apprehension. Leah is about 28 years old about five feet high dark chesnut coller, with three children. 2 Boys and 1 girl, they are from one to eight years old, the oldest boy is called Adam, Leah is the wife of Kit, the first named man in the list. Sarah Jane is about 25 years old, stout built and chesnut coller, quick and active in her walk. Making in all 15 head, men, women and children belonging to me, or 16 head including Joe Viney, the husband of my woman Susan. A Reward of $2250. will be given for my negroes if taken out of the State of Maryland and lodged in Cambridge or Baltimore Jail, so that I can get them or a fair proportion for any part of them. And including Joe Viney's reward $2650 00. At the same time eight other negroes belonging to a neighbor of mine ran off, for which a reward of $1400 00 has been offered for them. If you should want any information, witnesses to prove or indentify the negroes, write immediately on to me. Or if you should need any information with regard to proving the negroes, before I could reach Philadelphia, you can call on Mr. Burroughs at Martin & Smith's store, Market Street, No 308. Phila and he can refer you to a gentleman who knows the negroes. Yours &c SAML. PATTISON. This letter was in answer to one written in Philadelphia and signed, " L. W. Thompson." It is not improbable that Mr. Pattison's loss had produced such a high state of mental excitement that he was hardly in a condition for cool reflection, or he would have weighed the matter a little more carefully before exposing himself to the U. G. R. R. agents. But the letter possesses two commendable features, nevertheless. It was tolerably well written and prompt.

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[Author (if known)], Abstracts from William Still's Underground Railroad, [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

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