Henry Fagan and William Morgan entered into a contract around 1745. Henry had a farm in Marple and needed labor. William Morgan needed passage to America. Henry agreed to pay for William’s passage, and provide food, clothing, and shelter; in return William promised that for probably seven years of his life, he would live with Henry as an indentured servant. They did not live happily ever after. In the June 13, 1745 issue of the Pennsylvania Gazette, published by Benjamin Franklin, this ad ran:
“RUN away on the 11th Instant, from Henry Fagan, of Marple Township, Chester County, an English Servant Man, named William Morgan, aged about 37 years, middle Stature, dark Complexion, full Mouth, broken Teeth, and black Beard: Had on an old brown Jacket, Homespun Shirt, new Worsted Cap, old Hat, Homespun Trowsers, new blu Worsted Stockings, old Shoes. Whoever secures the said Servant, so that his Master may have him again, shall have Three Pounds Reward and reasonable Charges, paid by Henry Fagan.”
William and Henry were reunited later that year. How do we know? This ad ran in January of 1746:
“RUN away, on the 8th Instant, from the Subscriber, in Marpole Township, Chester County, an English Servant Man, named William Morgan, aged 29, middle Stature, black, swarthy Complexion, full Mouth, Buck tooth’d, is very apt to laugh at his own Discourse, and can talk the Welsh Language. Had on when he went away, an old Felt Hat, and Worsted Cap, a homespun brown Coat, with flat carved Metal Buttons, a Jacket much of the same Colour, with Brass Buttons, old Buckskin Breeches, old light coloured Yarn Stockings, and half worn Shoes, but had Boots, and may wear them. Whoever takes up and secures said Servant, so that his Master may have him again, shall have Forty Shillings Reward paid by HENRY FAGAN. N.B. & ‘Tis supposed that he is either gone over Brandywine, or into West Jersey, and has a former Indenture with him, by which he may appear to be a free Man, but has been since bound by another.”
Marrying the past and the future, I put these descriptions into an Artificial Intelligence site that creates drawings on demand based on words fed into it. You are warned to be on the lookout for William Morgan, as shown in these AI-generated color drawings of him. William probably never looked so good!
For more on the history of Marple, visit the Marple Historical Society website and Facebook page, and join the Society to keep up to date on coming events: www.MarpleHistoricalSociety.org.