"At the end of the month 7
free workers were hired, including Ambrose
Moriarty.
In 1799 Moriarty wrote
a letter to the commissioners saying he wanted to buy a building lot.
He introduced himself by saying "I have formerly been employed
in attending masons and other work for the public." He did buy a
lot and was on the city’s 1803 tax roll."
Quote from Slave Labor in the Capital, page 97
In 1803 Moriarty owned an improved lot on Square 432 assessed for $1000. He obviously didn't rely entirely on his wages as a laborer to accomplish that. I don't know where I found this list back in 1990, or who compiled it. What is also interesting in the context of my book on the use of slaves is how few masters who hired out slaves are on the list. Most of those few on the list were also contractors or employees doing work for the commissioners like Samuel Smallwood and Bennett Fenwick.
The exception was Ignatius Boone who owned property in square 907 valued at $1100 hired out at least 4 slaves, Charles, Jacob, Lewis and Moses. My guess is that he moved to the city after he hired out the slaves, not while he did.
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