"fellow" = "A black man"; also "secesh' noun & adj. 1862; and "nub" 1728

[Joel S. Berson]

The 1989 OED's earliest citation for "fellow" = "A black man. U.S.
Obs." (sense 10.d) is from a 1753 advertisement:  "Run away a Mulatto
Fellow named Anthony. Whoever takes up said Fellow shall have Three
Pounds Reward."

There are many citations in Early American Newspapers, both earlier
than 1753 and near the 1860 date of the OED's only other quotation,
from Bartlett's Dictionary of Americanisms.

1)  The earliest (EAN Search finds) is:

1716 -- Boston News-Letter; Date: From Monday November 12, to Monday
November 19, 1716; Issue: 657; Page: [2]; Col. 2.

A Likely young Negro Fellow, who has been Five Years in the Country,
to be Sold ... and to be seen at Mr. Robert Howard Merchant, his
House in Clark's Square Boston.


2)  The following, like the OED quotation, uses both "Negro fellow"
and "fellow" unqualified:

1728 -- New-England Weekly Journal [Boston]; Date: 12-09-1728; Issue:
XC; Page: [4]; Col. 2.

Ran-away ... a Negro Fellow named Primus, about 25 years of Age, a
tall likely Fellow, speaks good English, & can read well, has a Scar
on his right Cheek & a nub on the second joynt of his Thumbs.

[Scar on right cheek and nub (OED 2.a. "A small knob or lump"?  Or
perhaps more likely 2.b. "A stump, stub, or remnant; something cut
off short or imperfectly grown", although this sense is dated from
a1834?) on both thumbs -- perhaps signs of mutilation for past transgressions?]


3)  "Mulatto Fellow" appears earliest in:

1733 -- American Weekly Mercury [Philadelphia]; Date: From Thursday,
July 5, to Thursday July 12, 1733; Issue: 706; Page: [4].

RUN away ... from the Plantation of William Byrd, Esq; at the Falls
of James River, in Virginia, a Mulatto Fellow ... Whoever shall
return him ether to the said William Byrd, Esq; at Westover aforesaid
or to his Overseer, Mr. George Booker, at the Falls of James River,
shall have Ten Pounds Reward, and reasonable Charges.


4)  "negro fellow" appears latest in:

New-Hampshire Patriot [Concord]; Date: 12-09-1839; Volume: VI; Issue:
271; Page: [2].

Horrid Murder.---As one of our citizens, Mr. Fullenwider, on Tuesday,
was at his plantation, at the High Shoals of the Catawba, he noticed
a negro fellow on a horse, fording the river. ... Loncolnton N.C. Banner.

{Our "citizen" is a Mister; our "negro" is a fellow, later in the
article referred to only as "Abner".]


5)  "mulatto fellow" appears latest in:

Barre [Massachusetts] Gazette; Date: 05-09-1862; Volume: 28; Issue:
42; Page: [1];

Let me kiss him for his mother---A secesh anecdote.---As the last of
the rebel prisoners were entering the jail on Tuesday, a big mulatto
fellow from a neighboring slaughter house, who was making his way
through the crowd of spectators, was somewhat jostled in the undertaking.

[This fellow is later in the article referred to only as a
"darkey".  For those curious, "secesh" (here A.b, "Secession",
equidates the OED's earliest quotation.  Later the article refers to
"The secesh dame", which is one year later than the OED's earliest
quote for "secesh" as an adj.]

Joel

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