When the “Old South” in taken into consideration, generally one may think of large plantations, cotton, and African slaves that worked the land. Many people only associate the cruel treatments and slave holdings with the white plantation owners and white slave traders. Very rarely, if ever, does one hear about any slave holders or slave traders being of black or mulatto skin. This fact, however, seems to be a relevant part of history that is neither taught nor brought into the public eye. However, during the period of the “Old South”, although not as widely spread as white plantation owners with slaves, there were blacks that indeed did own slaves themselves. If fact in Charleston during 1860, 125 freed black slaves owned black slaves themselves; and six of them owning 10 or more. In fact, it is also said that of the $1.5 million in taxable property owned by free Negroes in Charleston during this time, more than $300,000 of that land represented slave holdings (Black Masters 62).

During the period of the Old South, there is a very important story of a black man by the name of William Ellison. Ellison, which was initially named April (they wer

e usually named after the month of the year in which they were born) was born in the late 1700’s, and was bought by a white slave owner, by the name William Ellison, between 1800 and 1802. April was of mulatto skin, so it is thought that his mother was black, and that is father was most likely a white slave owner (Black Masters 5). By the age of 12, April was taught the trades of carpentry, blacksmithing, and machining, as well as how to read, write, cipher, and to do basic book keeping. On June 8, 1816, when April was 26 years old, he and his owner, William Ellison “appeared before a Fairfield District magistrate and five freeholders from the neighborhood” in order to petition his freedom (Black Masters 15). Although April was eventually granted his freedom, it is said that his owner, William Ellison, did not give him his freedom, but allowed him to purchase it “during the time of his apprenticeship” during which “he was allowed, by his master, to do extra work; and from his industry and economy he laid up sufficient money to purchase his freedom from his master” (Black Masters 15). Shortly after his manumission, April moved to Stateburg. Initially he hired slave workers from local owners, but in 1817, when he built a cotton gin for a local judge, it is said that he credited the judge nine dollars “for the hire of carpenter George for 12 days” (Black Masters 22). Then

Some topics in this essay:
South Carolina’s, Slaveholders Dilemma”, Black Masters, William Ellison, Masters” Ellisons, Stateburg Initially, Sumter District, Predominately South, Ellison Ellison, Fairfield District, black masters, william ellison, black slaves, plantation owners, white slave, slaves themselves, “old south”, cotton gin, slave owner, owner william ellison, freed blacks, slave owner black, name william ellison, william ellison freedom, white plantation owners,