This is a list of slave traders active in the U.S. state of Kentucky from settlement until the end of the American Civil War in 1865.
A. Blackwell, Lexington Lewis Allen, "professional kidnapper," Maysville David Anderson, Kentucky and Baltimore (?) John W. Anderson, Mason County Jordan Arterburn Tarlton Arterburn Atkinson & Richardson, Tennessee, Kentucky, and St. Louis, Mo. J. H. Bagby J. G. Barclay & Co. Kinchen Battoe, Kentucky William Beck, Glasgow, Ky. Sam Berry, Georgetown, Ky., described as "a noted negro thief and journeyman negro trader" Blackwell and Ballard Blackwell, Murphy, and Ferguson, Kentucky and Forks of the Road, Natchez, Miss. Washington Bolton, Lexington Bolton, Dickens & Co. Boyce, Kentucky Boyce, near Frankfort, Ky. Return Bradley, Clark County, and New Orleans Dr. Brady, Hopkinsville, Ky. Robert B. "Old Bob" Brashear, Salem, Va. and Alexandria, Va. and New Orleans and Louisville, Ky. P. N. Brent, Lexington Booz Browner, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper J. C. Buckles William Campbell, GeorgetownGeorgetown Patriot, September 7, 1816, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/georgetown-patriot-cash-for-negroes/170385386/ : accessed April 15, 2025), clip page for Cash for Negroes Jacob T. Cassell Joshua Cates, Christian County, Ky. John Clark, Louisville John R. Cleary, Lexington David Cobb, Lexington, Alabama, and Mississippi J. Cockrill, LexingtonKentucky Gazette, October 18, 1821, Page 3. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/kentucky-gazette-cash-for-negroes/170390847/ : accessed April 15, 2025), clip page for Cash for Negroes Asa Collins, Lexington H. Collons, Lexington A. B. Colwell, Lexington Corbin, South Carrollton on Green River Mr. Cooper, Kentucky William Cotton, BardstownThe Bardstown Herald, September 21, 1825, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bardstown-herald-cash-for-negroes-a/170385968/ : accessed April 15, 2025), clip page for Cash for Negroes, apply to Wm. Cotton Thomas W. Davis, Pine Grove, Lexington–Leestown Road William P. Davis, Louisville E. R. Dean R. H. Elam George Ernwine James H. Farish, Lexington George Ferguson, Lexington Floyd, Kentucky and Natchez Ford, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Orleans Hugh L. Foster Mr. Gains [Gaines?], Boone County and Mississippi Matthew Garrison J. C. Gentry, Louisville Austin Gibbons Ben. Gilbert, Louisville Gray & Stewart C. C. Green & Co. Pierce Griffin, Lexington Henry Hall, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi John Harris, Kentucky, possibly kidnapping in Richmond, Indiana Harrison, Washington County, Ky. Henry H. Haynes, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tenn. J. M. Heady, Lexington O. Henley, Lexington David Heran J. M. Hewett William Hill, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper W. A. Holland Judge Houston, Hopkinsville, Ky. Michael Hughes, Lexington Hughes & Downing, Lexington Hughes and Neil, Boone County and Louisville John Hunter, Louisville Jordan and Tolt, Louisville and New Orleans Kelly Thomas Kelly, Louisville William H. Kelly James Kelly, Kentucky Hiram Lawrence, Lexington Joshua Lee, Louisville Lipscum & Day, Frankfort R. W. Lucas, Lexington John Madinglay, Nelson County George W. Maraman, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Silas Marshall, Lexington George S. Marshall James G. Mathers, Lexington Bill Matney John Mattingly, Louisville and Lexington and St. Louis, Mo. Neal McCann, Lexington McGowan, Lexington McGowan, Woolford County James McMillin, Maysville Thomas B. Megowan, Lexington John Miller, Green County and Mississippi John T. Montjoy, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Muir, Ormsby & Co. Felix G. Murphy, Lexington Bill Myers, Madison County Elijah Noble, Frankfort Joseph H. Northcutt, Lexington Northcutt, Marshall & Co. Warren Offutt, Woodford County, and Natchez Zeb Offutt, "a negro stealer" Ellis Oldham, Madison County Otterman, Louisville Owens, Georgetown George Payton, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Peck, Washington County, Ky. Benjamin Ward Powell, Natchez, Miss., Louisville, Ky. and New Orleans Thomas A. Powell, Louisville and Montgomery, Ala. and St. Louis, and New Orleans William A. Pullum, Lexington Pulliam, Lexington Redford Gabriel Reed Reynolds, Louisville, Ky. Alfred O. Robards, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Lewis C. Robards, Lexington David Ross, Louisville, Ky. Franklin B. Rust, Covington A. C. Scott Austin H. Slaughter William Stansberry, Kentucky and Mississippi Everett Stillwell, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Edward Stone, Bourbon County and Harrison County ("Bluegrass area") John Stickney, Louisville John Stringer William F. Talbott, Louisville and Lexington Joseph Thompson, Harrison County Robert H. Thompson, Lexington Unidentified traders, Mt. Sterling J. Watson, Louisville Richard Watson, Louisville, Ky. and New Orleans Silas Wheeler, Clinton County Robert K. White W. F. White, Lexington W. P. White & Co., Lexington Wilson, Shelbyville and Lexington Emanuel Wolfe Heaman Wood Rodes Woods, Robards gang trading agent and kidnapper Charles H. Woolford Henry Young, "professional kidnapper," Maysville John S. Young, Louisville
See also History of slavery in Kentucky List of Alabama slave traders List of District of Columbia slave traders List of Georgia and Florida slave traders List of Maryland and Delaware slave traders List of Missouri slave traders List of Texas slave traders Family separation in American slavery List of largest slave sales in the United States Movement to reopen the transatlantic slave trade Kidnapping into slavery in the United States Bibliography of the slave trade in the United States Slave markets and slave jails in the United States
Citations
Sources
– Also digitized by UNC's Documenting the American South Project
– Also digitized by Project Gutenberg