An advertisement in [newspaper name] placed by William Richardson of Galveston for the capture of enslaved men Ben and Jesse.
Enslaved people resisted against the oppressive circumstances of slavery in many ways, from violating strict city ordinances and curfews to outright rebelling against those who claimed them as property. Newspapers constantly had advertisements for "runaways" like the one shown to the left calling for the capture of two fugitive men, Ben and Jesse. William Richardson appears to be the one claiming Ben and Jesse as his propoerty, and he asked for the pair to be returned to Galveston Bay. Note that Jesse is described as "African born," reminding us of the impact of illegal smuggling of African captives in the 1830s.
In June 1844, 8 enslaved people commandeered a boat and headed toward Mexico, a popular destination for self-emancipated individuals in the South seeking asylum from slavery. The refugees’ success prompted the city to temporarily enforce a policy of inspecting all outgoing ships. When enforcement lapsed or when personal situations became desperate enough, enslaved individuals risked signfiicant danger in the name of freedom.1
Enslaved people occasionally took drastic measures in order to achieve freedom. According to Robert Shelton,2 In 1858, an enslaved 50-year-old woman named Lucy "repeatedly fled from her owners, the proprietors of the Columbia House hotel, and hid in various parts of town. With each escape and recapture she reportedly became ‘very impudent towards her master and mistress and showed a determination to act as rebellious as possible’. After being punished for assaulting her owner following one escape attempt, Lucy set fire to the hotel. Her owners then put her in stocks every night for the next week. Shortly after her release, Lucy killed her mistress with a hatchet and dumped the body into a cistern. Lucy finally confessed to the murder, claiming that she had been encouraged and helped by ‘a white sailor’. She eventually was hanged for the crime."
