Paul Jennings' Letter
John H. Paynter's Fugitives of the Pearl, published in 1930, is the first source to identify Paul Jennings as one of the people who helped plan the escape aboard the Pearl. The book asserts that Jennings came back to Webster's house and retrieved the letter he had written before Webster saw it. A transcription of the letter appears in Fugitives of the Pearl, but its authenticity has not been verified. According to Fugitives of the Pearl, Jennings' letter to Webster read:
Honored Friend,
A deep desire to be of help to my poor people has determined me to take a decided step in that direction. My only regret is that I shall appear ungrateful, in thus leaving with so little ceremony, one who has been uniformly kind and considerate and had rendered each moment of service a benefaction as well as pleasure. From the daily contact with your great personality which it has been mine to enjoy, has been imbibed a respect for moral obligations and the claims of duty. Both of these draw me towards the path I have chosen.
– Jennings
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Paul Jennings
Title Description Work Agreement between Daniel Webster and Paul Jennings Paul Jennings' 1847 work agreement with Daniel Webster. Paul Jennings Paul Jennings Dolley Madison's House A former slave shows charity toward an impoverished First Lady. Daniel Webster's House A slave plans a daring escape, but has a change of heart... Bill of Sale for Paul Jennings from Dolley Madison to Pollard Webb Document recording Dolley Madison's 1847 sale of Paul Jennings to Pollard Webb. "Mrs. Madison's Slaves Again" 1848 Newspaper article about the Madison's slaves.
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Work Agreement between Daniel Webster and Paul Jennings | Paul Jennings' 1847 work agreement with Daniel Webster. |
| Paul Jennings | Paul Jennings |
| Dolley Madison's House | A former slave shows charity toward an impoverished First Lady. |
| Daniel Webster's House | A slave plans a daring escape, but has a change of heart... |
| Bill of Sale for Paul Jennings from Dolley Madison to Pollard Webb | Document recording Dolley Madison's 1847 sale of Paul Jennings to Pollard Webb. |
| "Mrs. Madison's Slaves Again" | 1848 Newspaper article about the Madison's slaves. |
Resistance to Slavery
Title Description Paul Jennings Paul Jennings Frederick Douglass Revered African American leader. First page of a letter from Henry Clay to his agent in Washington, Philip Fendall, regarding Charlotte Dupuy's petition for freedom Letter written written by Henry Clay to his agent in Washington, Philip Fendall, regarding Charlotte Dupuy's bid for freedom. Ewell House Buying, selling, and resisting. Dolley Madison's House A former slave shows charity toward an impoverished First Lady. Decatur House Where Charlotte Dupuy takes a brave stand against slavery. Daniel Webster's House A slave plans a daring escape, but has a change of heart... Charlotte Dupuy's Petition Letter written by Robert Beale on behalf of Charlotte Dupuy petitioning the Judges to summon Henry Clay to court. Charlotte Dupuy Charlotte Dupuy, an enslaved woman who sued her owner Henry Clay for her freedom. Bill of Sale for Charlotte Dupuy to Henry Clay Bill of Sale for Charlotte Dupuy from James Condon to Henry Clay.
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Paul Jennings | Paul Jennings |
| Frederick Douglass | Revered African American leader. |
| First page of a letter from Henry Clay to his agent in Washington, Philip Fendall, regarding Charlotte Dupuy's petition for freedom | Letter written written by Henry Clay to his agent in Washington, Philip Fendall, regarding Charlotte Dupuy's bid for freedom. |
| Ewell House | Buying, selling, and resisting. |
| Dolley Madison's House | A former slave shows charity toward an impoverished First Lady. |
| Decatur House | Where Charlotte Dupuy takes a brave stand against slavery. |
| Daniel Webster's House | A slave plans a daring escape, but has a change of heart... |
| Charlotte Dupuy's Petition | Letter written by Robert Beale on behalf of Charlotte Dupuy petitioning the Judges to summon Henry Clay to court. |
| Charlotte Dupuy | Charlotte Dupuy, an enslaved woman who sued her owner Henry Clay for her freedom. |
| Bill of Sale for Charlotte Dupuy to Henry Clay | Bill of Sale for Charlotte Dupuy from James Condon to Henry Clay. |
Related Websites:
http://www.whitehousehistory.org/08/subs/whitehousehistory_a.html "The Washington of Paul Jennings, White House Slave, Free Man, and Conspirator for Freedom" by G. Franklin Edwards & Michael R. Winston. Scroll to last link of the bottom of the page for a pdf of this article.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/jennings/menu.html An electronic edition of Paul Jennings’ 1865 Memoir “A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison”
