William Hill (b. circa 1827 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-15134
Accomplice to slave flight, Dorchester County, Maryland, 1862
Biography:
Around December 25, 1861, William R. Hill was suspected to have persuaded George Hackett, and John Wesley Hughes to escape from their masters. The two young bondsmen were enslaved in Dorchester County by Polish G. Mills and Pritchett Meredith, respectively.1 Hill, a free mulatto, was a farm hand and owned a small amount of land in Cambridge, Maryland. According to his certificate of freedom, Hill had not even been born a slave, presumably having had free parents. This document, issued in September 1860, purported that the 33 year old man was "of chestnut complexion," and that his free status had been confirmed by none other than Pritchett Meredith.2
There is evidence that both of the young runaways were in possession of falsified freedom documents, or passes. John’s was dated 1859, while George’s pass had the date of their departure. This inconsistency might have been their undoing. At least one fugitive, John Wesley Hughes, was able to board the steamship Kent that was headed to Baltimore from Cambridge. Though he was not present at the trial, the ship's clerk Jeremiah H.C. Rawleigh apparently suspected the young man's guilt and took the pass.3 As an African-American in Maryland at this time, Hughes could not argue with the word of a white man, even when there was little evidence against him. Hughes, and presumably Hackett as well, were sent back to Dorchester County that same day.
Both certificates bore the signature of Dorchester County Justice of the Peace, Josiah Carroll, who testified against William Hill. Another primary witness, Maria Camper, was a free black resident of Mr. Mills’ estate. She claimed that George Hackett's brother, William, had learned to read and write from William Hill. Therefore, There are few other pertinent details revealed in the court documents.4 Hill likely was not able to testify on his own behalf, and the all-white jury would not be easily convinced of his innocence. It was not uncommon for black defendants to be convicted on flimsy evidence, often by fellow African-Americans who may have wanted to settle a score or curry favor with the white power structure.
On May 19, 1862, Hill was convicted in the Dorchester County Circuit Court on two counts of aiding a runaway slave. He was sentenced to a total of fifteen years at the Maryland State Penitentiary in Baltimore, each count yielding nearly the maximum charge of eight years.5 Luckily, Hill did not have to serve that whole term. In 1865, Hill was recommended to the clemency of the Governor, along with several others convicted of the same crime.6 This turn of events was likely motivated by the recent emancipation of Maryland slaves in November 1864, as well as the impending victory of the Union in the Civil War. Such circumstances would effectively nullify the "crime" of assisting enslaved people to escape. Hill was one of at least ten such convicts whose cases were revisited as the war was coming to a close.
The pardon record claimed that a number of people involved in his
1862 trial,
including the judge and state's attorney, as well as the aggrieved
owners "recommended to the clemency" of William Hill. He was
pardoned on February 7, 1865 by Governor Augustus W.
Bradford and released
from prison after having served less than three years of
his sentence.7 It is unknown what became of William Hill after he was
pardoned. Just one month after his release, the state legislature
resolved to pardon all persons convicted of "enticing slaves."8
Footnotes -
1. DORCHESTER COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Court Papers) 1861-1863, Criminal Judgements, April Term 1862, "William Hill, free Negro".
3. DORCHESTER COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Court Papers) 1861-1863, Criminal Judgements, April Term 1862, "William Hill, free Negro" Presentments No. 2 and No. 8.6. SECRETARY OF STATE (Pardon Record) MSA S1108, William Hill (Negro), p 432, Dates: 1845-1865
7. Ibid.Researched and Written by David Armenti, 2012.
Return to William Hill's Introductory Page
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