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WHITE & BLACK ESCAPE JAIL TOGETHER
61
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(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.) GRIGSBY, A.S.
“100 DOLLARS
REWARD! Broke Jail at Fairfax County, Virginia on Tuesday night, May 2, a
white man named James Henry Beach and Henry, a slave the property of A.S.
Grigsby.”
Runaway slave broadside, 12 x 9
1
/
2
inches. The reverse has a note in a contem-
porary hand “1854 Mr. Powell for J.M. Beach.” Offered with the broadside is a manuscript
slave-hire document, signed by J.M. Grigsby. Fairfax County, VA, 1854
[7,000/10,000]
This most unusual broadside continues “Beach, who was confined in jail for felony is about twenty-
five years of age, about five feet seven inches high tolerably thick-set, dark eyes, high cheekbones, dark
hair and black whiskers curled under his chin. Henry is about five feet ten inches high, about twenty
two or twenty three years of age, spare make and black color, but having been confined in jail for some
time is somewhat bleached. No scars or marked recollected.” Henry must have been confined for quite
some time to render him a shade or two lighter than when he was incarcerated. Grigsby makes clear
he’ll pay the 100 dollars for Henry if taken out of the state of Virginia or 25 dollars if taken in the
state. A most unusual runaway broadside, the only one we have ever seen for a white and a black
fugitive, together. A small note on the rear, Mr. Powell for J.M. Beach, might indicate that Powell, the
sheriff had caught up with the white man. Alexander Spottswood Grigsby was a prominent Fairfax
County businessman and slave dealer. Not in Hummel Southeastern Broadsides.