Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Alexander Covington (b. circa 1793 - d. circa ?)
MSA SC 5496-002512
War of 1812 Escaped Slave, Calvert County, Maryland, 1814

Biography:

Alexander Covington was born around 1793.1 He was nicknamed Sawney and Sandy, and may also have used the variation "Coventry" as his surname.2 In July 1814, Covington escaped from Susannah Rawlings's farm in Calvert County, along with the slaves Peter Rawlings and Minty Caden.3

On August 4th, Covington enlisted with the British under the First Company of the Colonial Marines, comprised of all black soldiers.5 Susannah Rawlings' neighbor, George Ireland, testified to seeing Covington in the company of a British officer, having "no doubt [joined] the British marine forces."6 Covington settled in Trinidad following the War of 1812, along with seventy other men from his company.4 Records showed him as "gone" by 1823.7
 


Footnotes

1.     Claim of Susannah and Juliet Rawlings, Calvert County, Case No. 569, Case Files, Ca. 1814-28, entry 190, Record Group 76, National Archives, College Park.

2.     John McNish Weiss, The Merikens: Free Black American Settlers in Trinidad: 1815-1816 (London, UK: McNish & Weiss, 2002) 25.

3.     Ibid.

4.     Weiss 25.

5.     Ibid.

6.     Claim of Susannah Rawlings, Calvert County, Case No. 569, Case Files, Ca. 1814-28, entry 190, Record Group 76, National Archives, College Park.

7.     Weiss 25.
 

Return to Alexander Covington's Introductory Page


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.

Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!
© Copyright Tuesday, 11-Oct-2011 14:59:18 EDT Maryland State Archives