James Henry Watson (b. 1836 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-8409
Fled from Slavery, Worcester County, Maryland 1856

Biography:

At the age of twenty, James Henry Watson successfully escaped from slavery in Worcester County, Maryland in 1856.  He fled Snowhill where he was owned by James Purnell, a farmer. In his attempt to gain freedom, he left his parents, five sisters, and three brothers in Maryland.  His parents, Ephraim and Mahala, and his siblings, Hetty, Betsy, Dinah, Catharine, Harriet, Homer, William, and James, remained the property of Purnell.  Little has yet been recovered about Watson's life after slavery, although he is known to have reached Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was aided there by individuals connected with the Underground Railroad.

Return to James Henry Watson's Introductory Page

This information resource of the Maryland State Archives is presented here for fair use in the public domain. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: Rights assessment for associated source material is the responsibility of the user. Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website! [ Archives' Home Page  ||  All About Maryland  ||  Maryland Manual On-Line  ||  Reference & Research ||  Search the Archives   ||  Education & Outreach  ||  Archives of Maryland Online ] Governor     General Assembly    Judiciary     Maryland.Gov

© Copyright August 05, 2004 Maryland State Archives