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Negro Alarm (December 26th, 1860)
>From The Frederick Examiner; Frederick, MD
Summary: Several local newspapers receive warning of possible servile insurrection by local African Americans. Homes of free blacks searched and only weapons found were authorized. Paper defends action of authorities although the warnings were actually a "hoax." "Our colored population is perhaps as peaceable and well-disposed as any other, but..."
Full DetailsSale of Negro Convicts (December 26th, 1860)
>From The Frederick Examiner; Frederick, MD
Summary: Listing of the names of 5 African American convicts sold in Frederick: Thomas Pinkney sold out of state for 12 years; Harriet Ann Green sold out of state for 10 years; Grafton Little sold in state for 5 years; Magdalena Howard sold in state for 3 years; Henry Warner sold in state for 2 years. Low prices for sales are result of political troubles depreciating value of slaves.
Full DetailsSheriff's Sale! (January 9th, 1861)
>From The Herald of Freedom & Torch Light; Hagerstown, MD
Summary: Notice: Sheriff Ed. M. Mobley gives notice that as per an order of the Washington County Circuit Court, the free negro William Cross, who was convicted of larceny, is to be sold into slavery within the state of Maryland for a term of three years.
Full DetailsLarceny (February 15th, 1861)
>From The Valley Register; Middletown, MD
Summary: Tom Foreman, a "slave boy" belonging to Jas. S. Trail, Esq., was arrested for stealing from the store of Grafton Duvall in Buckeystown and committed to jail.
Full DetailsPublic Sale (March 15th, 1861)
>From The Valley Register; Middletown, MD
Summary: Advertisement: Public sale of subscriber's property because the owner is moving west. Many kinds of farm equipment, farm animals, etc. Sale also includes 3 Negro children who are to serve until they reach the age of 28 - a boy age 13, a boy age 10 and a girl age 8. Owner's name appears to be Jacob C. Flook. Auctioneer is Wm. B. Tabler.
Full DetailsThe Population of Frederick County (March 15th, 1861)
>From The Valley Register; Middletown, MD
Summary: Reprinted from the Frederick Examiner. Publication of the population of Frederick County by election district with columns representing the white, freed African American, slave, and total counts for each district. The article notes the decrease in number of slaves and increase in number of free African Americans. Overall, there was a 14% increase in the population since the 1850 count.
Full DetailsSentence of Liggett (March 15th, 1861)
>From The Valley Register; Middletown, MD
Summary: James W. Liggett of Washington County was convicted by the Circuit Court of Washington Co. for obtaining money under false pretenses. Liggett visited slaveowner John A. Gordon of Spotsylvania, VA, who had advertised for a runaway slave. Liggett said that he would return the runaway slave who was in PA for a fee of $700. The slave, in fact, was already captured and in the Hagerstown jail. After the slave was turned over to his master, Gordon realized that Liggett had not captured the slave so he prosecuted Liggett for obtaining his $700 under false pretenses.
Full DetailsCircuit Court (March 15th, 1861)
>From The Valley Register; Middletown, MD
Summary: From the Frederick Examiner: Cases from the February Term of the Circuit Court of Frederick County - most cases are of free African Americans indicted for larceny and all individuals but 1 were found guilty and sold into slavery for a term of years. The African American surnames include Savoy, Chambers, Makle, Webster, Hendry, Rollins, Goius, Sawyer, Stransberry, and Foreman.
Full DetailsHow is the Union to be Restored? (March 28th, 1861)
>From The Carroll County Democrat; Westminster, MD
Summary: The author holds that the "Government was founded upon the principal of the equality of the States, and the inequality of the races," so only the restoration of the South's constitutional rights can avert bloodshed
Full DetailsSheriff's Sale (April 3rd, 1861)
>From The Herald of Freedom & Torch Light; Hagerstown, MD
Summary: Notice: Sheriff Ed. M. Mobley gives notice that in compliance with an order from the Washington County Circuit Court, Benjamin F. Dorsey, a “free Negro” convicted of larceny, will be sold into slavery within Maryland for a term of seventeen months and three weeks.
Full Details
