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William Ellison Jr. Was A Slave Who Became A Slave Owner

Living as a slave in the 1790s was not an easy life and William Ellison was aware of that fact because he was a slave before being freed by his owner. However, after he was freed from his shackles he set up a successful business running his own plantation in South Carolina. He personally owned 40 slaves which he used to expand his own business and wealth to include more than 1,000 acres before his death.

Ellison and his sons were the only free blacks in Sumter County, South Carolina who owned slaves. Ellison’s former masters were exceptional business people who apprenticed him to become a cotton gin maker. Ellison was able to buy freedom for his wife and children and during the war he supported the Confederate Army, providing them with donations and aid.