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1849--Sisley Attempts Escape
After an unsuccessful escape attempt ca. 1849, Sisley, the daughter of Jennie Stephens and John "Felix" White was first sold to Webb Ross of Georgetown, KY with her mother and siblings, then to John A. Miller, a Mississippi cotton planter who held hundreds of enslaved people. Jane placed two ads in 1867 and 1885 looking for Sisley and her sister Lucy Ann. There is no indication they were ever reunited.
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1849--Oscar F. White Attempts Escape
After an unsuccessful escape attempt ca. 1849, the son of Jane Stephens and John Felix White was sold first to Webb Ross of Georgetown, Kentucky, then to an unnamed slaveholder in Memphis, TN. He enlisted in the 42nd US Colored Infantry on 19 Mar 1864 at Chattanooga, Tennessee under the alias "Oscar Baker". He attained the rank of sergeant and listed his occupation as a mason. After the war, he worked on the Alabama "farm of William Lanier" in 1868. His wife is named Adeline and they have a child named Elen. 1870 census also shows son, Oscar, Jr. "Father Phelix was in Columbus, OH, Mother Jennie in Georgetown, KY" Later widowed, reunited with mother, brother and sister ca 1870. He remarried in 1872 and settled in Boulder, Colorado. He died May 22, 1922.
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1860--Two Freedom Seekers Captured in Lawrenceburg
Two freedom seekers are captured in Lawrenceburg and beaten by a mob. The slaveholder, named as a minister only, comes to retrieve them and says he would've preferred they had made their way to freedom as opposed to the treatment they received in Lawrenceburg.
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1860--Five Slaves Escape William E. Young
Five enslaved people escaped from slaveholder William E. Young of Hunter’s Bottom.
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1856--Six Enslaved Freedom Seekers
Six enslaved persons escape from the slaveholder known as Wilborn. Three men, two women and 1 child. 26 Feb 1856 The Squatter. Sovreign, Kansas, Cincinnati Gazette.
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1849--Jane Stephens and Family Escape Attempt
Jane Stephens, a.k.a. Jennie Carter, was the wife of John “Felix” White and the mother of Sisley, Oscar, Emily Francis, Lucy Ann and George White. The family was caught during an escape attempt that occurred in late 1848 or early 1849 . Jane's husband, John, had escaped several years prior and wanted to free his family. He had help from abolitionist and UGRR conductor Laura Smith Haviland, his friend William Allen, who was still enslaved in Boone County, and free African Americans in Rising Sun, Indiana who were managing the Underground Railroad activity in the area. John was separated from the family during their capture, but was caught several days later. He was held in jail for a while before again obtaining his freedom, and did not know the fate of his family. Jane and her children were sold to a man named Webb Ross in Georgetown, Ky, who sold them all to separate enslavers. Jane was sold to Mr. Keene, a slaveholder who took her to Missouri. Once free, she settled in Emporia, Kansas. In 1867, and again in 1885, Jane and her second husband , Rev. Dudley Carter, placed advertisements in the newspaper, searching for her children. Jane was reputedly the daughter of her first enslaver (Stephens) and Milly, an enslaved woman. She died in 1896 in Emporia, Kansas.
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1849--Solomon Attempts Escape
The overseer and enslaved man held by Benjamin Stephens attempted an escape with other freedom seekers ca. 1849. The group was caught and others were sold, no further information could be found on Solomon and he does not appear in Benamin Stephens' probate.
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1809--UGRR Help in Cincinnati
On August 26th, 1809, a man referred to as "Sam Killis" was captured in Cincinnati, where he was living among free African Americans, and held as a runaway. He is accused in the newspaper of stealing the pass of "Samuel Sanders" a free man also living in Cincinnati. Sanders may have been enslaved in Campbell, Boone or Gallatin Counties before freedom. Was Sam Sanders helping him or duped by him? Cincinnati marshal Robert Blair placed the ad but gave no indication where he thought Killis had escaped from.
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1806--"Limus" Escape
On November 29, 1806, "Limus" (also known as Elimas), an enslaved man held by John Hall of Northbend took an axe, a dog and his freedom, and left for free soil. He was described as 22 years old, 5'8" tall, with scars on face, nose and hand. A $25 reward was offered for his return. See 1807 for more information.
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1813--Jim Escape
On July 19, 1813 a $20 reward was offered for the capture and return of freedom seeker, Jim, described as about 30 years old, 5'9" tall, with a dark complexion. His middle finger on his left hand is missing and he is described as both smart and active. Slaveholder Abraham Depew offered a $20 reward for his return.
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1807--Elimas/Limas Escapes Again
On April 26, 1807, Elimas (also known as Limas) may have been sold to Archelaus Alloway, who advertised for his return in May. He had twice previously escaped John Hall. His description is largely the same as the advertisement in 1806, but the reward is doubled this time to $50. There is no indication that he was ever caught.
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1860--Skiff Theft-Escape Attempt?
"Dill Bradley took up an old negro man who stole a skift (sic) at Lawrenceburg." He was turned over to the man from whom he took the boat. What was he doing? Was he a runaway?
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1826--Andrew Shields
Andrew Shields, a man of color, is bound and confined in Lawrenceburg by George and Benjamin Brasher. Brasher claims he is a Kentucky runaway, Shields claims he a a free man being kidnapped. Brasher claimed the slaveholder hired him and lived in "Miami Bottom" in Kentucky.