Urban Slavery on the Eve of the Revolution

Ladies Maid

Cook

Nurse (Nanny)

Footman

Butler (Personal Servant)

Coachmen

During the colonial era and the Revolution, enslaved Virginias had several choices for

how to resist the institution of slavery.Run awayPetition the courts or the governmentPassive resistanceJoin the military

“…She worked none last year pretending to be with Child and this she was full 11 months before she was brought to bed. She has now the same pretence and thinks to pursue the same course but as I have full warning of her deceit, if I live, I will break her of that trick. I had two before of this turn. Wilmot of the fork whenever she was with Child always pretended to be too heavy to work and it cost me 12 months before I broke her. (pages 371–372)

“But what should I not do to Mr. Nassau? Nobody could find him; at last Tom Parker on horseback found him at sunset aSleep on the ground dead drunk; as soon as he was got home I offered to give him a box on the ear and he fairly forced himself against me. However I tumbled him into the Sellar…” (pages 940–941)

“yesterday found some shelled Corn as well as eared Corn in Manuel’s quarter with one of my bags. Thus has that rascal made good my suspicion either of not giving all the Corn he was allowed to the Oxen he drove to the horses or else has robbed me of Corn as he brought from Mangrorike.” (page 376)

Thursday December 23, 1773…When I am on the Subject, I will relate further, what I heard Mr. George Lees Overseer, one Morgan, say …For Sullenness, Obstinacy, or Idleness, says he, Take a negro, strip him, tie him fast to a post; take then a sharp Curry-Comb, & curry him severely til he is well scrap’d; & call a Boy with some dry Hay, and make the Boy rub him down for several Minutes, then salt him & unlose him. He will attend to his Business, (said the inhuman Infidel) afterward!

PRIZ. £.50 VALUE. CONTENTS of PRIZES.

1 of   280 A Negro man named Billy, about 22 years old, an exceeding trusty good forgeman, as well at the finery as under the hammer, and understands putting up his fire: Also his wife named Lucy, a young wench, who works exceeding well both in the house and field.

1 of   200 A Negro man named Joe, about 27 years old, a very trusty good forgeman, as well at the finery as under the hammer, and understands putting up his fire.

1 of   200 A Negro man named Mingo, about 24 years old, a very trusty good finer, and hammerman, and understands putting up his fire.

1 of   250 A Negro man named Sam, about 26 years old, a fine chaseryman; also his wife Daphne, a very good hand at the hoe, or in the house.

1 of   200 A Negro named Abraham, about 26 years old, an exceeding good forge carpenter, cooper, and clapboard carpenter.

1 of   150 A Negro man named Bob, about 27 years old, a very fine master collier.

1 of   190 A Negro man named Dick, about 24 years old a very fine blacksmith; also his smith’s tools.

1 of   110 A Negro man named Edom, about 23 years old, a blacksmith who has served four years to the trade.

1 of   50 A Negro woman named Dorah, wife of carpenter Jemmy.

“And I do hereby further declare all indentured Servants, Negroes or others (appertaining to Rebels) free, that are able and willing to bear

Arms, they joining his Majesty’s Troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to

his Majesty’s Crown and Dignity.”

Whereas, the enemy have adopted a practice of enrolling Negroes among their troops, I hereby do give Notice that all Negroes taken in Arms or upon any militiary Duty shall be purchased for the public service at a stated price; the money to be paid to the captors. But I do most strictly forbid any Person to sell or claim right over any Negroes the property of a Rebel who may take refuge with any part of this Army. And I do promise every Negro who shall desert the Rebel Standard full Security to follow within the Lines any occupation which he may think proper.

I give to my Niece Ann Coupland a Negro Woman named Eve and her son George to her use and after her death to her Heirs.

Whereas Eve’s bad behavior laid me under the necesity of selling her, I Order and direct the Money she sold for may be laid out in purchasing two Negros Viz; a Boy & girl, the Girl I give to my Niece Ann Coapland in lieu of Eve, in the same manner that I had given Eve.

York County Wills and Inventories, XXIII, 4–5.

“…It in further Voted and Resolved, That every slave so enlisting shall, upon his passing muster by Col. Christopher Greene, be immediately discharged from the service of his master or mistress, and be absolutely free, as though he had never been incumbered and be incumbered with any kind of servitude or slavery.”

“… they therfor humble Beseech your honours to give this petition its due weight and consideration & cause an act of the legislature to be past Wherby they may be Restored to the Enjoyments of that which is the Natural right of all men and their Children who wher Born in this Land of Liberty may not be held as Slaves…”