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 Capture and sale of an escaped slave named Harry

  • » Date: 1841-11-21
  • » Subject: Capture and sale of an escaped slave named Harry
  • » Written By: Nehemiah Rutherford
  • » Addressed To: Major James Turk Gleaves Sr
  • » Transcriber: Pen Bogert
  • » File # 1136

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SPARTA TEN. NOV 23 (postmark)

18 ¾

Mr. James T. Gleaves
Wythe C Va
Bufalo ford


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White C Ts 21 Nov 1841
Dear Sir yours of the 10 Nov instant come to hand on the 18 and I know (now) Return you My thanks for the Pains that you took to secure him For me and if it ever should Be so that I can Return you a favor I will do it with Plasure harry was committed to Joail in nashvill in the last of oct I have taken him out and Sold him to a man was going to louisania with a drove 81 Negroes I have drawed one good sumes (summer's) work out of the scoundal (scoundrel) before he left me I have cribd (cribbed) about twelve hundred Bushels of Corn him and Bill done all the plowing I Maid a very Fine oats Crop times is very hard hear indeed I went to east Tennessee this fall with a thousand dollars in notes and Receipts and collected one hundred dollars we are all well I Remain your friend
Nehemiah Rutherford

Transcriber Notes

Harry was bequeathed by Randolph Rutherford, who died in January, 1841, to his son, Nehemiah (see letter 1157). Harry escaped in October (see letter 1161) and was recaptured and sold to a slave trader. When runaway slaves were captured, they were usually taken to the nearest jail. The owner, if known, would be notified or, if none could be found, then the captured slave would be sold at auction. Captured slaves faced the possiblity of being taken to Southern slave markets, such as New Orleans, especially when they incurred the wrath of their slaveowner. Nehemiah lived in White County, Tennessee, which lay on one of the main overland routes used by Carolina and Virginia slave traders.

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