Letter from Patty Gipson to Her Husband, 1797
Detail from an anti-slavery broadside, 1805. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History)
Here, Patty Gipson, an enslaved woman in North Carolina, writes to her husband, a free Black man in Pennsylvania, asking him to send money to prevent her from being sold to an unknown buyer. Her short letter hints that she is being put up for sale as punishment for a failed attempt to escape.
A Letter from Patty Gipson to Her Husband, November 10, 1797
Pasquotank County Novem 10th 1797
Dear Husban I Know take this opportunity to inform you that I am well at this time and hope this will find you the Same I Shold Bee Vary Glad if you will com and fetch me Som money By the first of January as I Expect to be Sold then and if you cold healp me to Som Money you will much Oblidge me as I have Sot of once But Got Ketch and Broat Back and put in Sale I Hope you will try and Doo the Best for me you Can as I want to See you Vary much Remember me to all my friends and I Remain youre Ever and Essurined wife and well
wisher to this Day Patty Gipson
Source: Patty Gipson to her husband, November 10, 1797, Cox-Parrish-Wharton papers (Collection 154), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
A Letter from Patty Gipson to Her Husband, November 10, 1797
Pasquotank County Novem 10th1797
Dear Husban I Know take this opportunity to inform you that I am well at this time and hope this will find you the Same I Shold Bee Vary Glad if you will com and fetch me Som money By the first of January as I Expect to be Sold then and if you cold healp me to Som Money you will much Oblidge me as I have Sot of once But Got Ketch[ed] and Broat Back and put in Sale I hope you will try and Doo the Best for me you can as I want to see you vary much Remember me to all my friends and I Remain youre Ever and Essurined wife and well
wisher to this Day Patty Gipson
Source: Patty Gipson to her husband, November 10, 1797, Cox-Parrish-Wharton papers (Collection 154), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Background
Here, Patty Gipson, an enslaved woman in North Carolina, writes to her husband, a free Black man in Pennsylvania, asking him to send money to prevent her from being sold to an unknown buyer. Her short letter hints that she is being put up for sale as punishment for a failed attempt to escape.
Transcript
A Letter from Patty Gipson to Her Husband, November 10, 1797
Pasquotank County Novem 10th 1797
Dear Husban I Know take this opportunity to inform you that I am well at this time and hope this will find you the Same I Shold Bee Vary Glad if you will com and fetch me Som money By the first of January as I Expect to be Sold then and if you cold healp me to Som Money you will much Oblidge me as I have Sot of once But Got Ketch and Broat Back and put in Sale I Hope you will try and Doo the Best for me you Can as I want to See you Vary much Remember me to all my friends and I Remain youre Ever and Essurined wife and well
wisher to this Day Patty Gipson
Source: Patty Gipson to her husband, November 10, 1797, Cox-Parrish-Wharton papers (Collection 154), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Excerpt
A Letter from Patty Gipson to Her Husband, November 10, 1797
Pasquotank County Novem 10th1797
Dear Husban I Know take this opportunity to inform you that I am well at this time and hope this will find you the Same I Shold Bee Vary Glad if you will com and fetch me Som money By the first of January as I Expect to be Sold then and if you cold healp me to Som Money you will much Oblidge me as I have Sot of once But Got Ketch[ed] and Broat Back and put in Sale I hope you will try and Doo the Best for me you can as I want to see you vary much Remember me to all my friends and I Remain youre Ever and Essurined wife and well
wisher to this Day Patty Gipson
Source: Patty Gipson to her husband, November 10, 1797, Cox-Parrish-Wharton papers (Collection 154), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
