Somewhat relevant to this thread as it's drifted. The social position of ex-slaves in 18th century Scotland: Scipio Kennedy.

Wendy Arrowsmith (Mrs Banjiman on Mudcat) thinks she might be descended from him. Her astonishing jet-black ringlets are, as she says, hard to explain without a bit of genetic input from somewhere a lot further south than Scotland. She has a brilliant song about him.