A girl; usually a young negress. The word is much used in Early English writers, sometimes in an honourable sometimes in a base sense.
1765. ’Tis said the Fire was occasioned by a Negro Wench carrying a Quantity of Ashes.—Boston-Gazette, June 17.
1769. To be sold, a Hearty Negro Wench, a very good Cook.—Id., Oct. 2.
1772. A Mulatto Man Slave, named Yellow Cuf; is likely to be in Company with a tall Indian Wench named Keziah.—Runaway advt., Mass. Gazette, Feb. 3.
1780. Ran away from the Subscriber the 2d September instant, A Negro Wench, named Juno, with her child Phillis, about four years old.—Advt., Royal Georgia Gazette, Sept. 28, p. 2/1.
1786. Let your wives and daughters lay aside their plumes. Feathers and fripperies suit the Cherokees or the wench in your kitchen; but they little become the fair daughters of America.—American Museum, v. 263/1 (March) (1789).
1799. The printers advertise for “A Young Negro Wench.”—Farmers’ Register, Greensburg, Pa., Dec. 21.
1820. Reeling home at night, and encountering the black visage of your wench as she opens the door for you.—Mass. Spy, Jan. 12: from the National Advocate.
1823. Upon their requesting that more wood might be brought and put on the fire, the inhuman brute of a landlord ordered his sickly wife to go out in the storm and bring it! while a young sturdy negro wench stood by doing nothing! When asked, why he did not send the girl, rather than his wife, he replied, ‘That wench is worth 80l. and if she should catch cold, and die, it would be a great loss to me; but, if my wife dies, I can get another, and perhaps money into the bargain.’—‘American Anecdotes,’ p. 107 (Phila.).
1824. Give me, says a second, another house wench.—Howard Gazette, Boston, March 27: from The Port folio.
1837. See CASSABA.
1842. A large pocket-book was taken from a wench in Moyamensing on Friday.—Phila. Spirit of the Times, April 25.
1862. Why do you not go out into this city and hunt up the blackest, greasiest, fattest old negro wench you can find, and lead her to the Altar of Hymen? You do not believe in any such equality; nor do I.—Mr. Garrett Davis of Ky., U.S. Senate, March 24: Cong. Globe, p. 1339/1.
1862. Liberating the negroes carries with it no obligation to marry their wenches to white men. Gentlemen may follow their tastes afterwards as now.—Mr. James Harlan of Iowa, U.S. Senate, March 25: id., p. 1357/1.
