Mar 21, 2013 - Sale 2308

Sale 2308 - Lot 114

Price Realized: $ 5,760
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 3,500 - $ 5,000
(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION--MARYLAND.) $50 Reward for the apprehension and delivery to me at Bladensburg, Maryland, or secured in Jail so that I get him, negro (sic) Sylvester, late the property of Nathaniel Suit, of Prince Georges County, deceased. I will give the above reward no matter where taken. Letterpress Runaway Slave Broadside, 14-1/2 x 11 inches; paper evenly toned; small spot at the lower right corner; backed with archival paper. Signed in print "N.C. Stephen, Executor of Nathaniel Suit. Bladensburg, Maryland, February 1st, 1862"

Additional Details

The text on this broadside continues: "Sylvester is of copper complexion, of thin stature, about 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high and aged about 24 years. He is well known in Washington City and is no doubt lurking about there or its vicinity, or in the neighborhood of the Governor's Bridge, Anne Arundle (sic), county Maryland." An unusual runaway slave broadside given its date of February 1st 1862. It is possible that Sylvester, seeing that he was about to be sold, or willed to a new master, decided to flee. The Civil War was less than a year old and it is possible that Sylvester hoped he might run into some Union troops or an abolitionist-minded "helper."