Alley alias Azley Green (b. circa 1804 - d. ?)
MSA SC 5496-51894
Fled from slavery, Dorchester County, Maryland, 1824
Biography:
Azley Green, as she referred to herself, was owned by Zebulon Mitchell, Sr., a property owner in Ross's Neck, Dorchester County, Maryland.1 Mitchell referred to his slave as "Alley," but she went by Azley Green. On August 28, 1824, Mitchell posted a runaway advertisement in the Cambridge Chronicle for Alley saying that she escaped "on Sunday, the 22d instant," just six days earlier.2 Mitchell described his slave as being "about twenty years of age, and took with her a female Child, about fifteen months old."3 Presumably, this was Alley's child whom she sought freedom for as well. Mitchell continued "Alley is a tolerable bright mulatto, a common size; slow spoken, and has a down look when spoken to, supposed to have had on when she went away, a striped yellow and white cotton frock, and a yellow silk hat; she took with her, a lead colored cloth shawl, which stole from her mistress."4 Mitchell provided a detailed description of Alley and also accused her of stealing a shawl.
Not only did Mitchell provide a detailed description of his slave, but
he also put forth a supposed destination. He noted that "she (Alley)
will make her way to Baltimore, as she has relations in that place."5
It is unknown what relations she had in Baltimore. Mitchell offered
proposed reward amounts of ten dollars if she was taken in the
neighborhood, twenty dollars if taken in the county, and twenty five
dollars if taken out of the state of Maryland. He made a concerted
effort to have his slave apprehended and returned to him. After
Mitchell offered his proposed reward amounts, he issued a stern warning
to "all persons of harboring or concealing said negroes, and also all
masters of vessels and other persons from carrying them away, as I am
determined to put the law in force against any who may do so."6
Mitchell placed a high value on Alley and stood to lose profit if he
could not apprehend her. It is unknown if Alley escaped from servitude
or was apprehended and returned to Mitchell.
1. "Twenty-Five Dollars Reward." Cambridge Chronicle. August 28, 1824.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
Return to Alley's Introductory Page
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