Pennsylvania Slavery Research

Slave Research

Since finding my slave ancestor in Cumberland County, PA, I’ve been doing a lot of research on that particular slave and also on slavery in general in south-central Pennsylvania.  This page is just a beginning of what I hope to be numerous resources useful to people doing slave research in this area.  My goal is to publish multiple volumes.

Complete So Far

Short manuscript on the life of my 3rd great-grandfather, Nasa McCurdy.

Rediscovering African Americans in South-Central Pennsylvania, Volume 1: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Register of Slaves and Slave Births, 1780-1841.

Future Volumes Planned

Volume 2:  Slaves and Slave Owners in the Tax Lists, Federal, and State Census for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: 1763-1849.  (Nearly complete)

Volume 3: Slaves and Slave Owners in the Tax Lists, Federal, and State Census for Franklin County, Pennsylvania: 1763-1849.

Volume 4:  Runaway Slave Advertisements in Local Papers for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Searchable Database

See here for a searchable database of many Pennsylvania slavery sources.

Feedback

I would love feedback  on this, particularly if you encounter bugs or suspected errors in the data.  Also if you would like to help compile similar records to be included here.  Use the Contact button at the top of the page to email me.