From the Hampshire Herald, Springfield, Massachusetts, June 28, 1785:
RAN away from the subscriber, A MULATTO FELLOW- in the 20th year of his age, named JOSEPH PITO, is about six feet high carried with him 1 blanket, 1 brown great coat, 1 brown straight bodied coat, 1 white, and 1 striped linen vest, 3 pair of trowsers, and 3 shirts. Whoever will take up said Run-away, and return him to me the subscriber shall receive the above reward, and all necessity charges paid.
WILLIAM ALLIS
Hatfield, June 19, 1785
Pito next appears in Deerfield and Conway, Massachusetts vital records as marrying Hannah Show of Deerfield on November 27, 1788. He was from Conway and his name was given as "Joel Pito." By the 1790 federal census, Joel and Hannah were living in South Hadley, Massachusetts with two listed in the "All Other Free Persons" column.