sign in sign up
<<
Home , Albert Rust, Alexander Balmain, Alfred Cuthbert, Ambrose Madison, Archibald Bulloch, Archibald Yell

American slave owners

Presidents who owned slaves

Approximate While number No. President in Details of slaves office? held was a slaveholder before, during, and after his presidency. His will freed Yes George his slaves pending the death of his widow, 1 600+ (1789– Washington though she freed them within a year of her 1797) husband's death. See and for more details. Most historians believe Jefferson fathered multiple slave children with the enslaved woman , the likely half-sister of his late wife Martha Wayles Skelton. Despite being a Yes Thomas lifelong slave owner, Jefferson routinely 3 600+ (1801– Jefferson condemned the institution of slavery, attempted 1809) to restrict its expansion, and advocated gradual emancipation. As President, he oversaw the abolition of the international slave trade. See Thomas Jefferson and slavery for more details. Madison did not free his slaves in his will. Paul Yes James Jennings, one of Madison's slaves, served him 4 100+ (1809– Madison during his presidency and later published the 1817) first memoir of life in the . Monroe supported sending freed slaves to the Yes James new country of ; its capital, , is 5 75 (1817– Monroe named after him. See for more 1825) details. Jackson owned many slaves. One controversy Yes during his presidency was his reaction to anti- Andrew 7 200 (1829– slavery tracts. During his campaign for the Jackson 1837) presidency, he faced criticism for being a slave trader. He did not free his slaves in his will. Van Buren's father owned six slaves. The only slave he personally owned, Tom, escaped in 1814. When Tom was found in Massachusetts, No Van Buren tentatively agreed to sell him to the Martin Van 8 1 (1837– finder, but terms were not agreed and Tom Buren 1841) remained free. Later in life, Van Buren belonged to the , which opposed the expansion of slavery into the Western territories expansion of slavery into the Western territories without advocating immediate abolition. Harrison inherited several slaves. As the first William No of the Territory, he 9 Henry 11 (1841) unsuccessfully lobbied Congress to legalize Harrison slavery in Indiana. Yes Tyler never freed any of his slaves and 10 29 (1841– consistently supported slavery and its expansion 1845) during his time in political office. Polk became the Democratic nominee for president in 1844 partially because of his tolerance of slavery, in contrast to Van Buren. As president, he generally supported the rights of Yes James K. slave owners. His will provided for the freeing of 11 56 (1845– Polk his slaves after the death of his wife, though the 1849) Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution ended up freeing them long before her death in 1891. Although Taylor owned slaves throughout his life, he generally resisted attempts to expand Yes Zachary slavery in the territories. After his death, there 12 300 (1849– Taylor were rumors that slavery advocates had 50) poisoned him; tests of his body over 100 years later have been inconclusive. Johnson owned a few slaves and was No supportive of James K. Polk's slavery policies. Andrew 17 9 (1865– As military governor of , he convinced Johnson 1869) to exempt that area from the Emancipation Proclamation. Although he later served as a in the , his wife Julia had control of four slaves during the , given to her by her father. However, it is unclear if she actually was granted legal ownership of them or No merely temporary custody. All would be freed by Ulysses S. 18 1 (1869– the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 (she Grant 1877) chose to free them at that time even though the proclamation did not apply to her state of ). Grant personally owned one slave, William Jones, given to him in 1857 by his father-in-law and manumitted by Grant on March 29, 1859.

Black Slave owners Antoine Dubuclet

William Ellison William Ellison Anthony Johnson (colonist) Anna Kingsley

A

Adelicia Acklen William Wirt Adams Thomas Affleck (planter) William Aiken Jr. Valcour Aime James L. Alcorn Julius Caesar Alford William W. Allen Alexander Allison Philip Alston (counterfeiter) Charles D. Anderson Archibald Hunter Arrington John James Audubon Stephen F. Austin

B

David Jackson Bailey Simmons Jones Baker Alexander Balmain James Barbour (lawyer) John S. Barbour Philip Pendleton Barbour P. T. Barnum Robert Ruffin Barrow John Meredith Bass Joel Allen Battle Nicholas Bayard Erasmus W. Beck John Bell (Tennessee politician) Judah P. Benjamin Ezra T. Benson Thomas Hart Benton (politician) William Berkeley (governor) John M. Berrien Marion Bethune James G. Birney Edward Junius Black James Boggs (general) Spires Boling Johann Martin Boltzius Shadrach Bond Nathan Boone Pierre Bossier

James Bowie James Bowie George Boxley Braxton Bragg William L. Brandon J. Rufus Bratton John C. Breckinridge William Brent Jr. Robert Brent Abbott Hall Brisbane Thomas Patterson Brockman Thomas Brooke Sr. Preston Brooks James E. Broome James Brown ( politician) (Mormon pioneer) Joseph E. Brown Moses Brown Don Carlos Buell William Bellinger Bulloch Chang and Eng Bunker Armistead Burwell (planter) William Byrd III

C

Samuel I. Cabell Floride Calhoun John C. Calhoun Richard K. Call William Overton Callis Benedict Swingate Calvert Charles Benedict Calvert Milton A. Candler James Cantey John S. Carlile Julian Carr (industrialist) Charles Carroll the Settler Charles Carroll of Carrollton Frances Ann Tasker Carter George Carter I Robert Carter I Robert Carter III Samuel A. Cartwright Moses Carver Archibald Cary George Cary ( politician) Absalom Harris Chappell Robert M. Charlton Robert M. Charlton William Henry Chase Auguste Chouteau Jean-Pierre Chouteau Alonzo S. Church John Barker Church Thomas James Churchill Jeremiah Watkins Clapp Daniel Clark (Louisiana politician) James West Clark John Clark (Georgia governor) George J. F. Clarke Green Clay Augustin Smith Clayton Clemson Duncan Lamont Clinch George Clinton (vice president) Coast Salish (born 1772) Thomas W. Cobb Nicholas H. Cobbs John Hartwell Cocke Mark R. Cockrill John E. Coffee Edward Coles Alfred H. Colquitt Walter T. Colquitt J. W. Comer Thomas Contee Philip Cook (general) Zadock Cook Mark Anthony Cooper (general) Stephen A. Corker Dabney Cosby James Couper Marie Couvent Elijah Craig George W. Crawford Joel Crawford Martin Jenkins Crawford John Cruger Aspasia Cruvellier Mirault Custis George Washington Parke Custis John Alfred Cuthbert

D D

Willis J. Dance Henry Darnall II Davidson Jefferson Davis Joseph Emory Davis William Crosby Dawson Oliver De Lancey (American loyalist) William Barton Wade Dent Jean Noël Destréhan Henry Dodge Dudley M. DuBose Antoine Dubuclet John Duff (counterfeiter) Francis E. Dumas Stephen Duncan Charles H. DuPont Mareen Duvall

E

Jubal Early Jonathan Edwards (theologian) William P. Edwards Perry J. Eggborn John Elliott (Georgia) Stephen Elliott () William Ellison William R. Elliston Elihu Embree Francis W. Eppes Eppes Richard Eppes Jacob Ezekiel

F

Joseph Fairbanks , 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Charles J. Faulkner Thomas T. Fauntleroy (lawyer) Samuel W. Ferguson

F

Joseph Finegan Joshua Fisher (merchant) Joshua Fisher (merchant) George Fitzhugh William Bennett Fleming Read Fletcher Thomas Fletcher ( politician) John Floyd (Georgia politician) James Ford (pirate) John Forsyth (politician) Tomlinson Fort (congressman) William A. Forward Nathaniel Greene Foster Thomas Flournoy Foster Josiah Francis (Hillis Hadjo) Milly Francis Isaac Franklin James C. Freeman Richard Fuller ()

G

Christopher Gadsden John P. Gaines Ana Gallum Hamilton Rowan Gamble Roger Lawson Gamble Hugh A. Garland Theophilus T. Garrard Freeborn Garrettson Lucius Jeremiah Gartrell Thomas Gillespie () George Rockingham Gilmer Stephen Girard Samuel Gist Jane Cocking Glover William Goode (politician) Harry Dorsey Gough Samuel F. Gove Julia Grant Ulysses S. Grant Seaton Grantland Alexander Little Page Green John Faucheraud Grimké

H

James Habersham James Habersham Jr. Joseph Habersham Richard W. Habersham George Hairston Robert Hairston Bolling Hall James Henry Hammond Nathaniel Job Hammond Samuel Hammond Wade Hampton I Wade Hampton II Wade Hampton III George Hancock () Hugh A. Haralson Thomas Hardeman Jr. John Harding (Southern planter) William Giles Harding Henry R. Harris Isham G. Harris IV Gessner Harrison Grancer Harrison James Boyd Hawkins Robert Johnson Henderson Thomas Heyward Jr. John Hill (planter) (politician) Isaac H. Hilliard Eufrosina Hinard Jack Hinson Jacob Hite James Hoban Benjamin Lewis Hodge Charles Hodge Asa Hodges Robert H. Hodsden Hopkins Holsey Hines Holt Stephen Hopkins (politician) Margaret Lea George Howard (Governor of ) Abijah Hunt David Hunt (planter) Memucan Hunt

Alexander Hunter (planter) Alexander Hunter (planter) Fielding Hurst

I

Alfred Iverson Jr. Alfred Iverson Sr.

J

Andrew Jackson Jabez Young Jackson James Jackson (congressman) Joseph Webber Jackson Lorenzo James Martha Jefferson Peter Jefferson Randolph Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Robert Jemison Jr. Margaret Johnson Erwin Dudley Anthony Johnson (colonist) Bradley Tyler Johnson Herschel Vespasian Johnson James Johnson (Georgia) Lycurgus Johnson Robert Gibbon Johnson Samuel Johnson (American educator) Silvester Johnson (jurist) (judge) Joseph E. Johnston George Jones (U.S. senator) John James Jones John William Jones Noble Jones

K

Duncan F. Kenner John Ker (planter) Joseph Buckner Killebrew John Pendleton King Roswell King William R. King Anna Kingsley Zephaniah Kingsley Klamath people Klamath people

L

James H. Ladson James Ladson Delphine LaLaurie Charles Augustus Lafayette Lamar Henry Graybill Lamar John Basil Lamar Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar Marie Laveau Charles Lee (Attorney General) George Hay Lee Henry Lee III Philip Lee Sr. Richard Lee I Robert E. Lee Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist) William Henry Mayer Lehman Rufus E. Lester Francis Levett Fielding Lewis John Henry Livingston Robert R. Livingston (chancellor) Edward Lloyd () Peter Early Love Christopher Lowndes William Lowndes (congressman) Eliza Lucas John Henry Lumpkin Stephen Lush Charles Lynch (judge) John Lynch (1740–1820) Patrick Neeson Lynch Thomas Lynch Jr.

M

William McIntosh Archibald T. MacIntyre Charles MacTavish Ambrose Madison James Madison Sr. William Mahone Eulalie de Mandéville Gabriel Manigault (merchant) Basil Manly Sr. Henry Marshall (politician) Levin R. Marshall (general) I George Mason II George Mason Samuel Mason Cotton Mather Increase Mather James Matlack Robert Matson John Walker Maury Mary Maverick Samuel Maverick Samuel Maverick (colonist) Harriet Byron McAllister John McDonogh Joseph McDowell Jr. Hugh McGary Randal McGavock Edward McGehee Alexander McGillivray Lachlan McGillivray James McHenry James Iver McKay John McKinley John Berry Meachum Cowles Mead Timothy Meaher Pierre Menard David Meriwether (Georgia) James Archibald Meriwether James Meriwether Marie Thérèse Metoyer (1681–1737) Henry Middleton Homer V. M. Miller John B. Minor William J. Minor James Monroe Frank A. Montgomery Charles Morgan (businessman) John Hunt Morgan

Lewis Morris Peter Manigault Jackson Morton John S. Mosby Raphael J. Moses Samuel Mudd Hercules Mulligan Charles Murphey Mushulatubbee

N

John Neilson () Thomas Jr. William Walton (merchant) Daniel Newnan Eugenius Aristides Nisbet Isaac Norris (mayor) William Hutchinson Norris Thomas M. Norwood Rush Nutt Haller Nutt

O

Benjamin G. Orr John Overton (judge) Allen Ferdinand Owen James Owen (American politician) George Welshman Owens

P

John Page (Middle Plantation) Daniel Parke Isaac Parsons (American military officer) Isaac Parsons (Virginia politician) William Patterson (Maryland) Richard Pearis John Penn (North Carolina politician) William Penn Henry Persons Martha Parke Custis Peter Thomas Minott Peters John J. Pettus William M. Peyton Pleasant J. Philips Frederick Philipse Charles Pinckney (governor) Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Fountain E. Pitts Kemp Plummer Ezekiel Polk James K. Polk Leonidas Polk Leonidas Polk Lucius Junius Polk Samuel Polk Sarah Childress Polk Thomas Pollock (governor) William P. Price William Priestley (Louisiana planter) Oliver H. Prince

Q

John A. Quitman

R

J. G. M. Ramsey Thomas Jefferson Randolph Thomas Mann Randolph Jr. Morgan Rawls George Read (American politician, born 1733) David Addison Reese Robert R. Reid Rufus Reid (planter) Richard Edward Dereef George R. Riddle Harrison H. Riddleberger Major Ridge Charles Carnan Ridgely Charles Ridgely II Tench Ringgold John Selden Roane Nathaniel Rochester John Roosevelt (politician) Nicholas Roosevelt (1658–1742) Isaac Ross (planter) John Ross ( chief) William H. H. Ross Isaac Royall Jr. Thomas Ruffin Henry Ruffner Henry Rutgers Robert Ryland

S Francis Salvador Francis Salvador John F. A. Sanford John W. A. Sanford Samuel Tredwell Sawyer Philip Schuyler Chief Seattle William K. Sebastian James Lindsay Seward Samuel S. Seward Sally Seymour J. Marion Sims Benjamin Smith (North Carolina politician) Edmund Kirby Smith Robert Smith (Cabinet member) William Ephraim Smith Abraham O. Smoot Speed Waller Redd Staples D. H. Starbuck Peter Burwell Starke Alexander H. Stephens Richard Stephens (pioneer) George H. Steuart (politician) William Steuart (planter) J. E. B. Stuart Mary Surratt William T. Sutherlin John Sutter David Lowry Swain Wilson Cary Swann

T

Charles Tait Benjamin Taliaferro Lawrence Taliaferro Roger B. Taney Tayloe Henry Augustine Tayloe John Tayloe I John Tayloe II

Richard Taylor (general) Virginie de Ternant James C. Terrell John Dabney Terrell Sr. William Terrell Benjamin Franklin Terry Benjamin Franklin Terry The Travelling Church Isaac Thomas Wiley Thompson William Thornton Philip Tidyman Nelson Tift Harry Toulmin (Unitarian minister) George W. Towns William B. Travis George Trenholm Robert Pleasant Trippe George Tucker (politician) John Randolph Tucker (politician) Robert Tucker (burgess 1753) Robert James Turnbull Twenty Negro Law John Tyler

U

John William Henderson Underwood

V

Martin Van Buren Peter Aaron Van Dorn Robert B. Vance James Vann Joseph Vann Jacques Villeré

W

Moses Waddel Walter Ross Wade Robert J. Walker William H. T. Walker Benjamin Waller George Waller (colonel) John Waller (Virginia) Joshua John Ward Hiram B. Warner Lott Warren Robert Wash George Washington George Washington and slavery George Augustine Washington Lawrence Washington (1718–1752) Henry Watson Jr. Thomas H. Watts John Wayles William Weatherford Marshall Johnson Wellborn John A. Wharton John H. Wheeler Eleazar Wheelock Alexander White (Virginia politician) Francis White (Virginia) George Whitefield William Whitfield III Richard Henry Wilde Samuel May Williams Joseph Ruggles Wilson Van Perkins Winder Alexander Scott Withers Elisha Worthington John Tolley Hood Worthington Augustus Romaldus Wright Benjamin Wynkoop

Y

William Lowndes Yancey Yurok