virginia runaways

Virginia Runaways
In both of these articles, the runaway slaves in question (both being men) are described as precisely as possible in order to ensure their quick capture and return to their owners. In the first article, the slave is described as an elderly ‘Negroe’ man (exact age is not mentioned) by the name of Cain, which is presumably English. The article also mentions the slave to have a wife who belongs to Major Thomas Hall and seems to be properly dressed seeing as he stole a few dress goods from his master before he ran away. This advertisement does not say if the slave knows how to speak English or of a particular skill the slave possesses except that he used to be his master’s coachman. In the second article, the slave is depicted as a young, healthy Negroe man by the name of Ben who is about 5 feet 10 inches tall. Just like the first article, this advertisement fails to mention a specific age of the slave or if the slave knows English. This slave is not said to ...