Methods


Data Source

All data was retrieved from the New Hampshire Sentinel, which is digitized and published by the Digital Archives of the New Hampshire State Library’s digital archive. Content is available through the Community History Archives. To learn more about the newspaper, see the history of the New Hampshire Sentinel.


Data Retrieval Process

Every page of every weekly newspaper issue published between 1800 and 1815 was surveyed throughout the course of this project. To create the data set I searched for ads about a person having left the subscriber’s residence, employment, guardianship or overseership in some way. To understand and/or replicate the process for yourself, see the workflow: 

  1. Go to the New Hampshire Sentinel digitized and published here: Digital Archives.
  2. Choose the New Hampshire Sentinel and the year you would like to search.
  3. Start with the first issue published in January and scroll through each page of the newspaper searching for ads of escape. Look for keywords such as reward amounts, “ranaway,” “absconded from,”  “whereas,” and “eloped from.”
  4.  Once an ad is found: 
    • Identify the escapee: use the full name of the escapee, as published in the ad. 
    • Identify the ad: use the date of the ad (formatted year, month, day with no spaces) and the order in which the ad was published in that newspaper issue. For example, the first ad found in the newspaper issue published on January 31, 1800 would be identified as 18000131_01. A second ad in that same newspaper publication would be 18000131_02, and so on. 
    • Transcribe the ad. All transcribed ads are case sensitive and maintain the format of the ad through headings, body text and footers. Add all transcriptions into the escaped-ads-nh_text. 
    • Enter information from the ad into the escaped-ads-nh_data spreadsheet using the following columns: identifier, ad identifier, paper publish date, ad written date, times reposted, location, names of subscriber, subscriber(s) described as, reward amount offered, reward offered, first name of escapee, surname of escapee, sex of escapee, age of escapee, race of escapee, escapee classification, escapee relationship to subscriber, description of escapee, description classification, ad heading and body text. 
  5. Go back to the New Hampshire Sentinel, continue searching through each copy of the paper published that year, making note of all escape ads found. Do this for each year.

Choices Made in Data Creation

All choices made during the data generation process were based on the founding principle of staying true to the source. In making the data set, I strove to record the information exactly as it was printed in the ad. No changes were made to any spelling of names, dates, numbers and descriptions. Similarly, no assumptions were made about the individuals and situations involved in the data. When escapee gender, race, age, descriptions and relations to the subscriber were not explicitly written in the ad itself, whether or not it could be assumed through context clues, the cell is left blank in the data set. Choices were made to keep the data set “people-first”- maintaining the agency of individuals, and prioritizing the documentation of the escaped individuals in the historical record. It is important to note that this project was hand coded, meaning there is room for potential human errors in the data set.

The data is generated through the ads only. The information presented in the data set authentically represents information presented through the ad, however, this information may not be representative of individual truths. This is especially relevant for fields pertaining to the escapee; the escapee’s name, age, gender, race, relation to subscriber and description represent only the subscriber’s knowledge, perceptions and understanding of the escapee. Historically, the archive has been a place of power, privilege and exclusion. To highlight the history of those excluded from the archive, it often must be done through the documents valued enough to be saved over time, such as a newspaper owned and operated by a successful white male. Acknowledging the limitations and biases of these documents, this project chooses to use ads created by people in positions of power to illuminate the history of those who do not have a presence in the archive, but whose stories matter.

Harmful Terminology Statement

This dataset provides access to descriptions of individuals as they are documented in the New Hampshire Sentinel from 1800 to 1815. Certain aspects of the descriptions recorded reflect outdated, biased, offensive, and harmful, oppressive and/ or violent views and words. This includes reflections of racist, sexist, ableist, and misogynistic attitudes and opinions. In addition, some of the records may relate to violent and oppressive events. These are recorded for their historical significance with careful thought and consideration for the agency of the individuals represented and their situations. The language chosen to describe escapee classifications, description classifications and all choices made throughout the data generation process were created with a commitment to respect, equity and accessibility. All decisions are part of an iterative process.


Data Fields

Below are the fields used in the Escaped Ads New Hampshire data set. The data dictionary can also be found on the second sheet of the escaped-ads-nh_data spreadsheet as well as on the View the Data page.

Identifier: A title used to identify an individual in the dataset. Formatted as the full name of the escapee, as printed in the ad.

Ad Identifier: A title used to identify each ad in the dataset. Formatted as the date of the ad (year, month, day with no spaces), followed by an underscore and the order in which the ad was published in that Sentinel issue. 

Paper Publish Date: The date on which the issue of the New Hampshire Sentinel was published. Formatted as year-month-day. 

Ad Written Date: The date on which the original ad was written, as printed on the ad. Formatted as year-month-day. 

Times Reposted: The amount of times, after the original publication, that the ad was reposted in subsequent weekly issues of the Sentinel. The possible values for this field are numbers from 0 onward, with 0 meaning the ad was never reposted after the initial publication. 

Location: The municipality and state where the subscriber resided, as printed on the ad. Formatted as the municipality name followed by its two letter state abbreviation. 

Name of Subscriber(s): The full name of the person who posted the ad. Formatted exactly as it is published on the advertisement itself: first name followed by surname. For ads with multiple subscribers, separate names using commas. 

Subscriber(s) Descriptors: For any additional text published in the ad describing the positionality of the subscriber. Examples include “selectmen,” “overseers of the poor,” “guardian,” and “sheriff.” Format is case insensitive and directly matches the text as it is published in the ad. 

Reward Offered: The amount offered for the return of a listed escapee. Examples include one dollar, one cent, four dollars, etc. Format is case insensitive and directly matches the text as it is published in the ad. When no reward is listed, the field is left blank.

First Name of Escapee: The first name of the person who is listed by the ad as having escaped. Format matches the text as it is published in the ad. When no name is listed the field is left blank. 

Middle and/or Surname of Escapee: The surname of the person who is listed by the ad as having escaped. Includes middle names and initials. Format matches the text as it is published in the ad and includes any middle initials and/or suffixes. When no name is listed the field is left blank.

Gender of Escapee: The sex of the person who is listed by the ad as having escaped, as recorded by the ad. The possible values for this field include male or female. When no indication of sex is listed the field is left blank.

Age of Escapee: The age of the person who is listed by the ad as having escaped, at the time of escape, as printed on the ad. The values for this field are numerical. When no age is listed the field is left blank. 

Race of Escapee: The race of the escapee, as printed on the ad. Format matches the text as it is published in the ad. When no race is listed, the field is left blank. 

Escapee Classification: A characterization of the escapee based on the information provided within the ad about the escapee and their relation to the subscriber. So far, the possible values for this field include contractual worker, financial dependent, incarcerated, kin, and military deserter. When no race is listed, the field is left blank. 

Escapee Relation to Subscriber: A characterization of the relation between the subscriber and the escapee, as printed on the ad. Text matches the text exactly as it is published in the ad, and is case insensitive. 

Description of Escapee: The description of the escapee, as printed on the ad and described by the subscriber. Text matches the text exactly as it is published in the ad, and is case insensitive. When no description is listed, the field is left blank.

Description Classification: A characterization of the description used to describe the escapee. So far, the possible values for this field include: accompanied by, attire, behavior, family relation, place of birth, profession, state of mind, and with child(ren). When more than one type of description is used, separate with commas. When no description is listed, the field is left blank.

Ad Heading: Any text written in the ad’s heading. Text matches the text exactly as it is published in the ad, and is case insensitive. When no heading is listed, the field is left blank.

Body Heading: Any text written in the ad’s main section. Text matches the text exactly as it is published in the ad, and is case insensitive.


Terms and Definitions

Used throughout the Escaped Ads New Hampshire data set, these terms were chosen by the researcher to characterize information presented in the ads.

Source

Escape Ad: Refers to all ads documented in the Escaped Ads New Hampshire Project. This is an ad posted in the newspaper by a Sentinel subscriber that describes a person (the escapee) as leaving the residence, guardianship, or any type of overseership of the subscriber. The ad may or may not offer a reward, describe the individual, or list their reason for escape. The only requirement is that the ad is published in the Sentinel between 1800 and 1815 and announces one individual as leaving the presence of the subscriber.

Person-Individual

Subscriber: Refers to the person who posted the ad in the New Hampshire Sentinel. A subscriber would be a paying customer of the newspaper, paying a fee to receive the newspaper each week, and potentially an additional fee to post an ad. 

Escapee: Refers to the person who is listed in the ad as having left the presence of the subscriber, without the prior knowledge of the subscriber. The escapee’s action causes the subscriber to post an ad to announce the individual’s disappearance.

Escapee Classifications

These classifications refer to the types of individuals that were escaping from a situation as posted by a subscriber in an ad. Note that all information presented in this category is reflected from the point of view of the subscriber and may not reflect the accuracy of the situation and/or individual involved.

Contractual worker:  Refers to an individual that is working for the subscriber through a form of contractual labor such as indentured servitude, and apprenticeship. To learn more about these forms of labor in early nineteenth century New Hampshire, see the historical context page. 

Financial dependent: Refers to an individual that is financially dependent upon the municipality they are living in. Individuals in this category are typically referred to by subscribers as “paupers” or as being “chargeable to the town.” These ads are most typically posted by subscribers describing themselves as “town selectmen” or “overseers of the town.” To learn more about poverty in early nineteenth century New Hampshire, see the historical context page. 

Incarcerated: Refers to an individual that is convicted of a crime and imprisoned in a local jail. These ads are typically posted by town sheriffs. 

Kin: Refers to an individual that is related to the subscriber by familial relationships, meaning a relationship established by blood, marriage, adoption, or guardianship. This includes wives, daughters and sons.

Military deserter: Refers to an individual that serves in the U.S. military. Individuals in this category are typically described as having “deserted” their company. These ads are typically posted by higher ranking individuals such as lieutenants and captains. 

Unlisted: Refers to an ad that does not specify the relation between the escapee and subscriber. In the data set, the field is left blank. In data visualizations, the characterization is referred to as “unlisted.”

Description of Escapee Classifications

These classifications refer to the different types of ways that subscribers chose to describe escaped individuals in the ads. Note that all information presented in this category is reflected from the point of view of the subscriber and may not reflect an accurate portrayal of the individual involved.

Accompanied by: Refers to a description that mentions another individual accompanying the escapee in their action. 

Attire: Refers to a description that reports the clothing worn by the escapee. This might be a “black coat,” or a “partly worn wool hat” for example. 

Behavior: Refers to a description that reports the alleged actions of an escapee. This typically refers to the way that an escapee allegedly treated the subscriber prior to their escape. 

Family relation: Refers to a description of family members related to the escapee (does not include a familial relationship with the subscriber). This typically occurs when the escapee is related to an individual of note or status in the town. 

Place of birth: Refers to a description of the municipality or state in which an escapee was born.  

Profession: Refers to a description of the profession or type of work that the escapee does or did prior to the time of the ad publication. 

State of mind: Refers to a description of the alleged mental state which an escapee has or had prior to the time to the time of the ad publication. 

With child(ren): Refers to a description of any child or children that the individual left with.
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