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Slavery Collection, 1709-1864
Colgate, Richard Ridgely, Nicholas, 1694-1755 Winham, James Denman, John Sears, Ebenezer Langdon, Captain
[Deposition of Nicholas Ridgely]
1746-08-19
One-page deposition of Richard Colgate of Kent County, Delaware, regarding his runaway slave James Winham. Includes detailed description and account of Winham's escape to New York, where he "inlisted [sic] in his Majesties Service in Capt. Langdons Company in New York by the name of John Williams." Recorded and signed by New Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Delaware Supreme Court Justice, Nicholas Ridgely, Esq.
nyhs_sc_b-06_f-01_003 Mss Collection - Slavery Collection
Depositions--Delaware Slavery--Delaware Fugitive slaves--Delaware Fugitive slaves--New York (State)--New York
Depositions
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Kent County , Just. [Justice] of Delaware , Richard Colgate of Kent County aforwd.came before Nicholas Ridgely Esq. one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Supreme Court for the Government and Counties of New Castle Kent and Susex [Sussex] on Delaware and being sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God deposed that on the second day of July last run away from him the said Richard Colgate a molatto man slave for life named James Winham of a middle stature about thirty-seven years of age has a red beard, curld [curly] hair of reddish colour and a scar on one knee and one leg his foot broader than common one, his toes and has a rupture or what is commonly called a bursten [burster?] had on whom he went away a home spun kearsey [kersey] jacket, a pair of plain britches, a low shirt and a felt hat; and his said master is creditably informed that he was taken of from Egg Harbour by one John Denmar Thallopman who lives near Elizabeth Town and brought to the said town by the said Denmar and that he wasn’t with said slave M. Ebenezer Sears Mill Wright or his the said Sears’ brother and that the said slave want to the city of New York in a vessell [vessel] called a flat and that he inlisted [enlisted] in his majesty’s service in Capt. Langdon’s company in New York by the name of John Williams and that he had his hair on when he inlisted [enlisted] (he is a very white molatto and seems freckled) and that he inlisted [enlisted] as a foresaid about the first of August and is sent to Albany with the rest of the company and that the said have did say before he went away from his said master that of he could get to the French he would have of English for that he should then be free. , Taken at Dover in said city Aug. 19th 1746 before [Signed] Nicholas Ridgely , , To all to whom these present shall or may come. Greeting who as Richard Colgate of Kent County aforesaid hath complained to me the subscribed one of his Majesties Justices of the Supreme Court of the Supreme Court of the Government of the Counties of New Castle Kent and Susex [Sussex] on Delaware that his molatto man have named James Winham is run away as by the above. Deposition may more fully appear; these are therefore in the Kings name to will and require all his majesties good subjects to be aiding and assisting in pursuing apprehending taking and accusing the aforesaid mollatto have called James Winham (or of his said at present calls him John Williams) so that his said master may have him again given and or my hand and the public seal of Kent County aforesaid here to affixed at Dover in Kent County afsd. [aforesaid] this nineteenth day of August Ann: Dom: [AD] 1746 , , [Signed] Nicholas Ridgely , , [on back] he went to York with Shuder a flatman and inlisted as fort ,