Esther [Wilkinson]

Esther travels with Seelah in the Book of Negroes. Neither woman has a last name listed - so they have been given the name of their former owner - Miles or Mills Wilkinson. They both ran at the same time - three years ago. In reality this was probably 1779 not 1780 as there was no real opportunity of defection to the British lines in 1780. They also claim to hail from Norfolk but Mills Wilkinson was more associated with Nansemond than Norfolk - though he had wide connections. Both women do not appear in any other lists or musters and it is unclear what happened to them. Esther is probably the grandmother or mother of Seelah.

Timeline

-

1723

Born

7/ Nov
1775

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Lord Dunmore's Proclamation - Norfolk

  • John Murray, Lord Dunmore -

    John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1732 – 25 February 1809), was the  colonial governor of Virginia at the outbreak of the American Revolution.
Source for this event: Lord Dunmore's Proclamation

1780

Ran

1781

Siege of Yorktown - YorkTown

1782

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Treaty of Paris - Paris France

  • Treaty of Paris -

    In November 1782 a provisional peace treaty was hammered out between the British and the Americans in Paris.
Source for this event: Treaty of Paris

1783

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Evacuation of New York - New York

  • Evacuation of New York -

    In April 1783 the first evacuation fleet left for Nova Scotia. A week later  the British Commander, Sir Guy Carleton, sailed up the Hudson River to Orangetown for a conference with General Washington to discuss the evacuation. As the victorious commander, Washington opened the meeting by reiterating the resolution of Congress regarding “the delivery of all Negroes and other property.”
Source for this event: The Book of Negroes
Vessel Names and their Commanders Where Bound Names Age Description Names of the Person in whose Possession they now are Remarks
Clinton
Master: Lt. Trounce		 Annapolis Esther [Wilkinson] 60 Stout Wench Formerly Slave to Mills Wilkinson, Nansemond. Left 3 years ago.
Assumed to be traveling in the Book of Negroes with: