ONE HUNDRD[sic] DOLLARS REWARD. I Will pay prompt on delivery, to whosoever shall apprehend and deliver to me in person, well tied or ironed, Burrel, alias Jack Hammond, a Mulatto Man about 26 Years of Age, well built, of common Stature. Among other Histories given by and of himself the following is one. That he was born in Johnston County in this state, of free Parents, Mulattoes, that his Mother's name before Marriage was Esther Oxendine, that his Father's name was Jesse Hammond, that he was bound out to Isham O'Neal, a House Carpenter, who died about 18 months before his Indentures expired; that he was placed with and served out the balance of his time with a Mr. William Hinyard, a Farmer who lived at Little River Bridge, 10 miles below Smithfield; that a Colonel Samuel Smith was the Magistrate of Johnston who bound him. That his Father, Mother, and all their offspring removed out to Downing Creek, about nine Years ago, and about three Years before O'Neal his first Master died; excepting a Brother, a Fiddler of the name of Isaac, who about six years ago, removed to Fayetteville. In September of the Year 1801, this Fellow, Burrel, alias Jack Hammond, was indicted, as the Slave of Luke Robinson, the Master present, a verdict of guilty on a charge of burglary was brought in, and between the verdict and sentence, I bought him in fact, in the Court House openly to which circumstance perhaps he owes his Life, the Court however sentenced him to be cropped the left Ear, and to be branded T on each Cheek, after which I took him Home, and on his pretending to have been born free, some short time after, I took Notes of his own account of himself, and laboured some Weeks by writing repeatedly, by Post and otherwise, to the following Gentlemen, to whom he said he was well known, to wit: Hardy Bryan, Joseph Goon, John Carrol, Willis Watson, and Matthias Handy, all in Johnston County, some in Smithfield praying to be informed whether or not they knew him, and if they did, whether or not he was born of free Parents. Receiving no answer from any of them, and being much at a loss whether to consider him a Slave or not, for some Weeks more, willing however, to err on the side of Mercy if at all, I turned him out of Irons, and after some short time, without his being under any restraint, if Free-born, and without impairing my Title if a Slave-born, he was by a Seth Hovey, Esq. one of the Justices for Hyde County, secured to me by Indenture, so that all Events, I have a Claim to his Services, unless in the Event of some better title than either of mine appear. He received the Sentence of the Court, and the left Ear is cropped, and branded T on each Cheek, though much blotched. He is, as far as legally can be done by the Justices considering him a Slave, OUTLAWED, and on proof of his being killed in flight or resistance, I will pay Fifty Dollars. And I earnestly invite any Person pretending Title, and more especially if they have him in possession, to give me information thereof, in order that we may fairly compare Titles, I feel chiefly concerned as a Friend of Order, and declare that I think it dangerous for such a Villian to go at large, or that he should find a lurking place, and have a hope that every good Man will endeavour to apprehend him. T. ALDERSON. Washington, Beaufort County, 15th November, 1802.
The below geolocation information is currently not linked to an individual in our dataset. Please refer to the above transcript for additional information related to people and their assumed locations.
| Name | Role in document |
|---|---|
| Luke Robinson | Former slaveholder |
| T. Alderson | Placing Ad |
| Burrel | Slave |
| Slave alias | |
| T. Alderson | Slaveholder |
