Page 4 - Benjamin Webster News Today

small scale trading was rife among owners, particularly in taverns and hotels. most sales involved say five to 20 people at a time. even more common were brokers helping owners to sell off a few people to raise a little money as scholar mary beth corrigan notes. during the years circa 1822 to 1836, john gadsby advertised 81 to 93 people. his 1830 census record indicates he owned 39 people. again, john gadsby could take advantage of the flourishing slave trade. the national hotel was re...

known. he fled into new york on horseback and was able to speak to an antislavery group there who published this account of his harrowing account. finally we come to the fantastic and lurid story of daniel websters alleged illegitimate son benjamin webster. according to an 1878 atlanta paper called the commercial daily, benjamin claimed daniel was his father and mother charlotte gooding, one of john gadsbys servants. he was sold to help settle a card game in which gadsby lost gold. thi...

the 34i8 eun dollar question remains did the wails and cries of poor souls destined to be sold down south echo from decatur house. evidence lends itself to john and william quietly selling slaves out of their house. his neighbors owned enslaved people are not and many did. they would be publicly aghast as the horrors of the slave trade. given the trades high visibility, a public sale would have had john gads by held accountable by a strong and vocal anti-slavery and abolitionist contin...