“Henry, a likely negro man, 25 years of age, about 5 feet 9 inches high; who obtained a certificate of freedom, with the seal annexed of some county in Maryland, in the name of Bannister, which no doubt he will assume. He took with him a variety of good clothes, & was seen on Friday last....
Telegraphe and Daily Advertiser of Baltimore, January 11, 1806
Enslavment in the Shenandoah Valley
Belle Grove is doing in depth research on the enslaved community at Belle Grove. Visit their website to learn more.
This image is from an advertisement in the Telegraphe and Daily Advertiser in Baltimore, date January 11, 1806. It reads:
“100 Dollars Reward. Eloped from the subscriber, lvining in Frederick County, Virginia, Henry, a likely negro man, 25 years of age, about 5 feet 9 inches high; who obtained a certificate of freedom, with the seal annexed of some county in Maryland, in the name of Bannister, which no doubt he will assume. He took with him a variety of good clothes, & was seen on Friday last in Martinsburg, well dressed in a dark blue coat.
Also, eloped at ???, two years ago, DANIEL, 30 years of age, and about the height of Henry, with a remarkable white spot on of his cheeks. He was since seen about Winchester in Maryland, and there passed by the name of John.
I will give 50 dollars for either of the fellows, or 100 for both, if delivered at Belle-Grove, my place of residence, or to Jacob Baker, sign of the Black Horse, Market Street, Baltimore.
Isaac Hite,
January 11.”
Image of Bethany Veney, enslaved woman from Luray, VA. Purchased and freed by northern businessmen, she moved to Worcester, MA. Her narrative tells a compelling tale of those living under oppression.
Public Domain
National Park Service Resources on African American History
The National Park Service celebrates African American Heritage throughout the year. Visit a multitude of park sites dedicated to African American history and culture. View Museum exhibits, go on a travel itinerary, or read in-depth histories and interviews of famous African Americans and how they shaped the United States. Check out these resources below to learn more about the African American Experience.
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
Adams, John Quincy, Narrative of the Life of John Quincy Adams, When in Slavery, and Now as a Freeman. 1872, from https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/adams/summary.html
Dew, Charles B., Bond of Iron: Master and Slave at Buffalo Forge. W. W. Norton & Company; Revised edition,1995.
Noyalas, Jonathan A., et al. Slavery and Freedom in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War Era. University Press of Florida, 2021.
Simmons, J. Susanne And Nancy T. Sorrells. Slave Hire and the Development of Slavery in Augusta County, Virginia,. In Koons, Kenneth E., Hofstra, Warren R (Ed.), After the Backcountry: Rural Life in the Great Valley of Virginia, 1800–1900. University of Tennessee Press, 2000.
Veney, B. Bethany Veney The Narrative of Bethany Veney: A Slave Woman. Summary of the narrative
