Question about Pennsylvania Gold and Slave Tags

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Anyone have any measure of success finding natural gold in PA? And I don't mean panning......I mean regular MD'ing.
I'm not sure if our area (well, I'm in NEPA) has the right geological conditions to have gold......but I do know that there was quite a bit iceberg activity in our region and sometimes, when they recede, they have a friendly habit of depositing the nuggets they've been carrying.
Anyone ever find the 'random' nugget? (or hear of someone finding them?)


Also - I'm FASCINATED by the rare 'slave tag' in the Today's Finds section.
Somehow I either forgot or just entirely missed the fact that slave drivers/owners actually had their slaves wear 'tags'. That amazes me. I have a tough time wrapping my mind around the moral/ethical aspects of slavery. There are many odd/unusual things that our forefathers did......but slavery is one that I cannot fathom.

Anyways.....I'd love to find one of these tags. I want them to be 'rare' because that would mean that there were fewer bearers......but I would really like to find one. TRULY find it - not acquire one through purchase.

Granted, Pennsylvania did have slaves between 1600's & mid1800's.....but it was majority in southern PA.
And PA's treatment of slaves was not as harsh compared to they was our southern states did.....So I don't know if PA tagged their slaves.

Anyways.......Has anyone ever heard of slave tags found in PA?


-

 

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[jeff741972]

I read somewhere about some people panning around white haven.


Found it, guess all you would need is a waterproof coil.

http://home.epix.net/~prospect/index2.html

 

[Tubecity]

I've always wondered about gold in Pa. since it was said the mountains here were at one
time as high as the Rockies. But being a much older mountain chain, they were just naturally
eroded away. Does anyone have any ideas on this ?

 

[jeff of pa]

Most if not all the Gold here in PA would be very Small.

There is a Slight possability of finding Nuggets
simply because there Is Gold here but
I Wouldn't go out and buy a gold Detector
if you only plan on using it in PA

Put this Date on your Calendar

October 24 - 25

The GPAA Is
holding its Gold & Treasure Show
in Carlisle at the Expo Center.
at the Exhibition Hall

There will be Gold Panning Clubs from PA Present
who can answer your Questions More Clearly then I.

As for Slave Tags, I Do not think Any Pennsylvania Slave
Holders ever tagged their slaves. Simply Because I Have never heard of them
doing so, But it wouldn't surprise me if Runaways from the South
had their Tags Removed up here.

altho I Didn't read All ;
All I can Find are Possabilities of IRON COLLARS
Source: The Pennsylvania Gazette

"EIGHT DOLLARS Reward. RUN away from the subscriber, living in Lebanon township, Lancaster county, on the 21st of August last, a Negroe man, named JACK, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high, full faced, has a down look, talks very good English; had on when he went away, a new ozenbrigs shirt and a new pair of ozenbrigs trowsers, an old felt hat, a red waistcoat without sleeves, a pair of good shoes, tied with strings, and an iron collar about his neck. Whoever takes up and secures said Negroe, in any of his Majesty's goals, so that his master may get him again, shall have the above reward, and all reasonable charges, paid by CURTIS GRUBB." (Source--The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 04, 1772; 101)

http://www.afrolumens.org/slavery/source2.html#60

PENNSYLVANIA SLAVE HOLDERS

http://www.google.com/search?q=pennsylvania+slaveholders&rls=com.microsoft:en-us

 

[baspinall]

"iron collar about his neck" That's just wrong on so many levels

 

[fng68]

Had this info :

http://miningold.com/states/pa.html

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

"iron collar about his neck" That's just wrong on so many levels

I wholeheartedly agree.
I cannot fathom that this was perceived as 'right'. Granted, it was a different time......but daaaayumn!
That's just WRONG!

Let me tell you why I'd REALLY want to recover one (or more) slave tags.



I'm one of those people who actually enjoys walking through cemeteries and reading the headstones.
Reaaaaaally old ones.
I like to take my time. I read them. I reflect on them.
What's your story? What took you? Illness? Accident? Natural causes? What was life like for you? Were you active in your community? A loner? What'd you do?

I think the most about the little ones. Many born and died the same year. 1800's. Was it lack of medicine or our modern medical care? How must those parents have hurt. And on and on and on.


I like to think about them. In a weird or bizarre sort of way - I personally feel that I'm paying them respect by NOT letting them go forgotten. I think their spirits appreciate my care and concern for their story. If I hadn't come along and really thought about them.....imagined them......they would only be a lonely, cold, statistic for the year in which they died. My reflection on them validates that they DID live. They DID matter. They WERE human and made a difference to somebody. Who knows.......it may have been 75 or more years since somebody gave that much thought to the soul behind that headstone....or it could have been 3 days.



.....But a slave tag is different.



I'd imagine that the soul that was associated with that slave tag can only be grouped into "My Ancestors". The soul of that slave tag has likely lost his/her individuality. He/she probably didn't get a normal burial with a proper headstone. And if they did, were there even true family members out there to mourn at the grave. Unlikelely.


I have a lot in common with those slaves. I am not black. I am HUMAN. And I wouldn't wish that sort of treatment on any other well intentioned human being.


I feel that if I found a slave tag.....I would, in a weird sort of way, validate that human's life. I would be able to somehow give that person's individuality back. I would literally CARRY that slave tag on me daily in the same way many folks carry POW/MIA bands etc. I feel just as passionate (vehemently so) for our POW/MIA and anyone who paid that ultimate price.........But there are THOUSANDS of others who do too. We know their names. We know their story. The saying "You Are Not Forgotten" is very, very true.


But what of slaves? THEY were not forgotten......but as individuals....they were.



-

 

[jeff of pa]

"iron collar about his neck" That's just wrong on so many levels

Mr. Grubb was the Original Owner of the Cornwall Iron Furnace
in what is Now Lebanon County.
He sold it & His Slaves to The Colemans.

The Iron Collars were Probably Even Forged
right there By the Slaves.

 

[ole_grisley]

the fact that we had slaves in the U.S is a sad part of our history but we must learn from it and never allow something like that to happen again and also the way the native americans was treated. Here in Lycoming County we have a rich history. such as an indian massacure and the underground railroad. we have a cemetary here that is called the freedom road cemetary and it has runnaway slaves burried there. all we have to do is look at how the people thought back then. they felt that the black man and the indians was nothing but annimals and had no souls. at least that is how they told it so they could say they was right in what they did. but that has been the way all through history. here is a link to a great story about a man who helped the slaves,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Hughes_(underground_railroad)
this link has a pic of the freedom road cemetary and the history marker there , the caves that they hid in have been sealed off as it is said they was not safe and vandels got to them.
We the people must learn from history and do our best to not let things like that happen again.

 

[savant365]

http://www.injusticeline.com/slave1.html

It is sad that slavery ever existed but it still exists today, it was never eradicated just outlawed. I hate to think about all the children and young men and women that go missing every day in this country and around the world never to be heard from again.

I like your philosophy about thinking about the person buried under the tombstone you are looking at but what does everyone think about when they look at picture or website that portrays a missing person. It really scares me what some people will do to a fellow human being. I can't imagine losing one of my children to an accident or disease. I don't how I would ever be able to cope with not ever knowing what happened to them or if they are alive or dead.

Sad topic but it does make you think.

Charlie

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

I agree Grisley.

Good post.

That was an interesting read.

 

[creeper71]

I seen on tv an a few sites that says South Carolina is the only state to use Slave tags...