African Americans of the Kentucky Borderlands

Items

• Alexandria (Ky.)
  First settled by the Frank Spillman family, the town is believed to have been named for the Spillman's hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. It is one of the two county seats of Campbell County, Kentucky.
• Alexandria Gazette
  The newspaper of Alexandria County, Virginia
• Newport (Ky.)
  The town was named for Christopher Newport, who commanded the first ship to reach Jamestown, Virginia. It is one of the county seats of Campbell County.
• Southgate, Richard
  Richard attended law school at William and Mary College in Virginia. He moved from New York City to Newport, Ky in 1795, where he was licensed as an attorney in 1797.
• Telegraphic Despatches
  This is a section of the full "Telegraphic Despatches"
• 1853--Enslaved Man Escapes
  One enslaved man escaped from Alexandria, was seen crossing “near Jamestown” (Dayton, KY) as he swam across the river.
• Campbell County (Ky.)
  The county is located along the Ohio River and the boundary with Ohio, just southeast of Covington, and the county seat is Alexandria. The county was named for Revolutionary War Colonel John Campbell, an early settler and Kentucky statesman.
• Berry, Washington
• 1795--Reward Ad for Will
  A $5 reward is offered for the capture of “Black Will" who is described as “Twenty years of age, five feet six inches high, heavy make” – advertisement placed by Robert Benham at the Mouth of Licking, Newport, Campbell County, State of Kentucky
• 1848--Five Slaves Escape in Campbell County
  Five enslaved persons escape from Campbell county, no names were given. Their slaveholders pursued them and pressed charges on 15 UGRR agents. A warrant was issued in Warren County, OH.
• Campbell County (Va.)
  Campbell County is located in the south central Piedmont region of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was settled in the 1730's and incorporated in 1781. The county was named for General William Campbell who fought in the Revolutionary War and who led in the Battle of King's Mountain.
• Fowler, Jacob
  In 1796 Fowler was appointed Campbell County Deputy Sheriff. In 1810 Jacob Fowler was in Newport, Campbell, Kentucky with one known enslaved. The 1820 census shows Jacob Fowler with nine known enslaved. In 1830 Jacob Fowler was known to have eight enslaved in Campbell County, Kentucky. Jacob Fowler died Oct 16, 1849. His death was reported in the Covington Journal Newspaper.
• Taylor, James, Gen.
  In 1810 James Taylor was known to have six enslaved in Campbell County, Kentucky. The 1820 Campbell County census shows James Taylor with sixty-three known enslaved.
• Scales, Rose A.
• Minor, Earl
• Early, Leona
• Stephens, Thomas Adams
  Thomas A Stephens was living in District 1, Boone, Kentucky in 1850. His occupation was listed as farmer. In the 1860 and 1870 census he appears in Petersburg, Boone, Kentucky. The 1880 census shows Thomas Stephens and family in Newport, Campbell, Kentucky.
• 1810--Charles Escapes, Reward Offered
  Charles, about 27 years old, escaped from Newport on March 4th, 1810. John Cleves Symmes Jr., offered a $20 reward for him.
• 1842--Seven Freedom Seekers Reach Canada
  Seven freedom seekers, five women and two men, escaped from the Taylor family of Newport. The three women were “genteel waiting maids” held in special regard by Mrs. Taylor. A $700 reward was offered. The group made it to Canada.
• Seven Freedom Seekers Escaped From the Taylor Family
  An article detailing the escape of seven men and women enslaved in Newport, Ky.
• 1854--Six Slaves Escape to Ohio
  Six enslaved people owned by slaveholder Beall have escaped Covington by crossing into Newport first, then in to Ohio. They were described as “two negro women, one mulatto girl, one negro man, and two black boys.”
• 1853--Ten Escape to Canada
  On the 10th of June, ten Newport slaves belonging to Robert C. Todd, Col. James Taylor, R. Slaughter, Mrs. Mary Winston and Dr. Parker, made their escape and arrived in Canada.
• 1814--Escape of Charles
  Charles, described as wearing “a long blue coat with metal buttons, duck trousers and Jefferson shoes, with well-nailed soles,” took his freedom from slaveholder John Thomason of Newport, KY on Feb. 6th, 1814. A reward of $10 was offered for his return.
• 1836--Fifteen Slaves Escape
  Fifteen enslaved people, led by Anthony Bingey, made arrangements to escape from General Taylor’s house in Newport. Included in the group was Bingey, his father, his father’s wife, their three children, Horace Hawkins and his sister, and Washington Burgess. James Williams, FPOC in Cincinnati, was the conductor. The freedom seekers had obtained a pass from Taylor to go to a “camp meeting up the Ohio."
• Slaveholders in the Campbell County Tax List, 1795
  A partial list of slaveholders appearing in the 1795 tax rolls, along with the number of enslaved people held. In 1795, Campbell County encompassed all of what is now Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties.