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

[Dan Goncharoff]

Why would "fellow" in these examples be defined as anything more than a
euphemism for "man" or "person", especially when it is taking modifiers such
as "Mulatto" or "Negro"?

DanG

On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 5:13 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      "fellow" = "A black man"; also "secesh' noun & adj. 1862; and
>              "nub" 1728
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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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