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John Crenshaw
John&SinaCrenshaw.jpg
Born
John Hart Crenshaw

November 19, 1797
North Carolina
Died December 4, 1871 (aged 74)
Resting place Hickory Hill Cemetery, Equality, Illinois
Nationality American
Occupation salt maker
Known for Illegal slave trader
Spouse(s) Francine "Sina" Taylor
Children 6

John Hart Crenshaw (November 19, 1797 – December 4, 1871) was an American landowner, salt maker, and slave trader, based out of Gallatin County, Illinois.

Although Illinois was a free state, Crenshaw leased the salt works in nearby Equality, Illinois from the government, which permitted the use of slaves for the arduous labor of hauling and boiling brackish water to produce salt. Crenshaw was widely believed to be involved in the kidnapping and sale of free black citizens in free states as slaves in the south, an enormously profitable trade later known as the Reverse Underground Railroad. Crenshaw was twice prosecuted for kidnapping, but never convicted.

Due to Crenshaw's keeping slaves and kidnapping free blacks, who were then pressed into slavery, his house became popularly known as The Old Slave House and is alleged to be haunted.

Underground Railroad National Network to Freedom

In 2004, the National Park Service named the Crenshaw Mansion, referred to as "The Old Slave House", as part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program to acknowledge its importance in the "reverse underground railroad" and the role John Crenshaw played in condemning free blacks to slavery for profit.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: John Crenshaw para niños

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