msc 472, folder 6

We've had multiple requests this week for images and information regarding Benjamin Jones, often referred to as "Big Ben." Jones was a self-emancipated enslaved man from Maryland who settled in Buckingham Township around 1833. 

In 1844 he was kidnapped by his former enslaver and a bunch of hired goons and sent to Hope Slatter's private slave prison in Baltimore, with the intention of transporting him to New Orleans for sale. A group of Quakers raised enough money to buy him out of slavery, he returned to Bucks County, and died at the Bucks County Almshouse in 1875.

Mercer Museum Research Library collection, sc-29-01, 09-h-001

We have this big shoe here at the Mercer Museum that apparently belonged to Jones and ... I mean, it *is* really big. But everybody is so into the shoe and like, that's the extent of this guy's legacy. He was big and he had a big shoe. It's kind of a drag.

 I was looking through our card catalog today on things about Jones that I might not have seen before (honestly all I've seen is the above photograph and, you guessed it, the big shoe) and I found a card that described an 1844 letter "from 'Richard' of Buckingham relating kidnapping of Benjamin Jones." (MSC 472, Folder 6, if you're interested.)

Mercer Museum Research Library collection, msc 472, folder 6

Mercer Museum Research Library collection, msc 472, folder 6

The letter was a lot more fun to read than I expected! It had an 1844 train ride, it used the words "snoozing" and "confab," and the last paragraph alluded to what I imagined to be some sort of romantic escapade (but could have been anything, really). But obviously the most important part of the letter was a contemporary recounting of Jones's kidnapping in the second-to-last paragraph.

Jacob T. Byrnes
Wilmington
Delaware

Buckingham Mar. 23d, 1844

Dear friend

I have delayed writing this long in order that I might convey some intelligence of home but have been so busy since returning from Wilmington that it was not until yesterday that I found time to visit Doylestown. I found Father & Mother as well as common — they said they had no particular word to send to thee —

On leaving you & taking my seat in the car I found most of the passengers quietly snoozing away as if they were used to such a way of taking a night's rest but for my part I had no disposition for sleeping and as the night was so dark that nothing but the sparks from the locomotive could be seen outside I contented myself by making my observations upon the persons within. On one side my nearest neighbor was a man wrapped in a buffalo robe & fast asleep — he was certainly not a disagreeable companion for he disturbed no one — On the other was a Frenchman enveloped in a Coat of fur & who by turns talked, slept, sang, took snuf & went out on the platform to smoke. Immediately opposite were two ladies who were most of the way engaged in close confab with a gentleman seated near them — nearer the middle of the car the stove or rather the fire within it had exerted such an influence that all seated near it were firmly locked in the embrace of Morpheus —

Arrived in the city about half past three oclock — went to bed and did not awake until after 8 — the morning rainy, breakfast over, the stage for Doylestown gone and nobody in from Buckingham, it was a clear case that I could not get home that day, and staying in the city in rainy weather with nothing to do is rather tiresome for me so I went home with B. Croasdale remained there until second day then walked about five miles to Hartsville and came home in the stage a considerable part of the way thro a storm of snow —

The neighborhood talk for a few days past has been concerning the capture of that giant of a runaway slave known by the cognomen of little Ben. He was chopping in the woods when he was accosted by three strangers (his master & another person remaining in the carriage out of sight) who told them that he must go with them. He refused & they fell on him. Ben fought like a hero came near cutting one fellow's head off with his axe but was at last so disabled by their clubs that he had to give up — That notorious character Squire Bailey is generally suspected of having given information of Ben. If guilty he ought certainly to feel the negro's vengeance —

I need not tell you with what pleasure my visit to Wilmington was attended or my opinion of certain of the inhabitants with whom I became acquainted as I have heretofore expressed myself concerning them. Gladly would I render you any service to repay the great obligations I am under to you, but I fear — no not fear but hope that you have already proceeded so far as to render help in this all important matter unnecessary

Excuse mistakes — have no time to read the letter over

Sincerely thy friend
Richard

I'm not sure what Richard's surname was — although he mentions "Father & Mother" I suspect they aren't siblings. We know he lives in Buckingham Township and can tell he's Quaker from his "thees" and "thys," but beyond that I haven't found much. Also, who is Squire Bailey?