Illinois Transatlantic Slave Trade Commission

Slave Holding Cities and Counties in Illinois

By Toni Costonie with the assistance of Zada Johnson

Illinois participation in the slave trade begins in the early 18th century with French settlers who brought slaves to work in their North American colonies. The French came into Illinois from the north, entering North America through the St. Lawrence Seaway, and establishing their first colonies in Canada.  After arriving in Canada, they worked their down into the Great Lakes and into the Mississippi River.  In the beginning the French declared that northern Illinois was part of New France, which became Canada.  Later they declared southern Illinois, which extended as far north as Peoria, part of the Louisiana Territory.  The first European settlements were in southern Illinois along the Mississippi River.  Initially development followed the path of the rivers that traverse the state.  White people were recruited to come into the state so many relocated here from the South, smaller numbers came from the East; immigrants from Europe also came.  Often times white settlers were sold Indian land that was still occupied by Indians.

The French introduced slavery into the French-controlled Illinois country, perhaps as early as 1717 or as late as 1721. The British, who took control of the Illinois Country in 1765, permitted slavery to continue, and so did the Americans after George Rogers Clark's conquest in 1778. Although the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 prohibited slavery or involuntary servitude, territorial and later state laws and interpretations permitted the retention of French slaves. When Congress admitted Illinois as a state in 1818, the state's constitution permitted limited slavery at the salt mines in Massac County, and it legalized the continued bondage of slaves introduced by the French.

 

French Occupation - 1718 to 1763
●   1720, The French government authorizes Sieur Antoine Crozat to open slave trade in the province of Louisiana, which includes the Illinois country.  Crozat never implements this authorization.
●    1720, Philippe de Renault, the Director of Mining Operations for the Company of the West, arrived with about 200 laborers and mechanics and 500 African slaves that he had purchased, in Santa Domingo, for working the mines. However, the mines yielded only unprofitable coal and lead, leading to the failure of the Company of the West.
●    In 1723, Renault, with his workers and slaves, established the village St. Philippe  (near the present day unincorporated community of Renault, Illinois in Monroe County, Illinois) about 3 miles north of Fort de Chartres.
       

 

    1732 – French Census

1. Kaskaskia -  

Slaves - 102 Blacks – 38 men, 23 women, 41 children
Slaves - 68 Indians – 30 men, 38 women
185 whites – 48 men, 36 women, 87 children, 14 orphans & “bastards”

1. Fort du Charters –

Slaves - 37 Blacks - 13 men, 6 women, 18 children
      Slaves - 39 Indians – 19 men, 20 women
      144 whites – 45 men, 27 women, 66 legitimate children, 6 orphans & bastards
     

1. Cahokia –

Slaves - 4 Blacks – 3 men, 1 woman
Slaves - 10 Indians – 7 men, 3 women
5 white men
      

1. Concession de Renault – owned by Phillipe Renault

      Slaves - 22 Blacks – 14 men, 3 women, 5 children
Slaves - 2 Indians – 1 man and 1 woman
32 whites – 12 men, 3 women, and 17 legitimate children

Additional Listings:
                        3 Officers
                        41 Soldiers
                        3 Jesuits
                        3 Priests

1765 - French Census

"Those [villages] of Prairie du Roche, Fort Chartres, and St. Philippe are almost totally abandoned. “

● 50 families in Kaskaskia and 40 families in Cahokia

● 900 “Negroes” of both sexes

● 650 Indians “able to bear arms”

● 2,050 whites - 700 men, 500 women, 850 children

 

 

 

1772 - French Census
           
● Kaskaskia –
   400 to 500 Blacks
   500 whites

● Cahokia
    300 whites
      80 Blacks

● Prairie du Rocher
     80 Blacks
   100 whites

● St. Phillipe
    1 to 3 families

1800 - According to the U. S. Census of Indiana Territory - 298 African - Americans are residing in the Illinois country; 135 are slaves and 163 are free persons of color.
1810 -First American census of Illinois territory listed 168 slaves and 613 colored non-whites and non-Indians
1820 - Census of Illinois lists 917 slaves in Illinois; 469 are free persons of color; 375 blacks are enumerated with no designation.
1830 - Census lists 747 slaves in Illinois, 1,637 free persons of color

1840 - Census lists 330 slaves and 3,598 “Free Colored Persons” in Illinois

1850 – 5,436 African-Americans are residing in Illinois per Federal Census.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slave Counties and Cities in Illinois

County / Town*	Date Founded	1840 - Number of Enslaved African -Americans
Kaskaskia*	“1703”
Cahokia*	“1696”
Prairie du Rocher*	“1703”
Saint Clair	April 27, 1790	59
Randolph	Oct. 5, 1795	138
Johnson	Sept. 14, 1812	15
Madison	Sept. 14, 1812	10
White	Dec. 9, 1815	15
Monroe	Jan, 6, 1816	11
Jackson	Jan. 10, 1816	N / A
Gallatin	Jan. 2, 1818	24
Union	Jan. 2, 1818	4
Alexander	Mar. 4, 1819	N / A
Franklin	Mar. 4, 1819	5
Wayne	Mar. 26, 1819	N / A
Jefferson	Mar. 26, 1819	N / A
Sangamon	Jan. 20, 1821	6
Hamilton	Feb. 8, 1821	N / A
Clinton	Dec. 27, 1824	10
Schuyler	Jan. 13, 1825	9
Jo Davies	Feb. 17, 1827	6
Winnebago	Jan. 16, 1836	1
Brown	Feb. 1, 1839	1
Hardin	Mar. 2, 1839	13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Gallatin - Established: Jan. 2, 1818
   In the two counties of Randolph and Gallatin, according to the Census of 1820 there were precisely five hundred slaves, most of them worked in the local salt mines.  The 1840 census states that there are 24 enslaved African Americans living in the county.

1. Bond county reported 5 enslaved African Americans all under 35 years old

 

1. Randolph county reported 138 enslaved African Americans

1. Franklin –  founded on March 4, 1819 – the 18?? Census recorded 48 enslaved African Americans in 1840 there were 5 slaves reported

 

1. Wayne
2. Winnebago county reported 1 African-American slave in 1840
3. Union county in 1840 reported 4 slaves
4. Brown county reported 3 slaves in 1840
5. Hamilton
6. Hardin county report 13 slaves in 1840
7. White county reported 15 slaves in 1840
8. Fayette
9. Jackson
10. Jefferson
11. Alexander
12. Clinton county reported 10 slaves
13. Jersey county 2 in 1840
14. Jo Davies county reported 6
15. Johnson county reported 15
16. Madison county reported 10
17. Monroe county reported 11
18. Sangamon county reported 6
19. Schuyler county reported 9
20. Saint Clair county reported 59