The Forgotten Tycoons of America’s Domestic Slave Trade: Isaac Franklin and John Armfield
Isaac Franklin and John Armfield were once America’s most successful and ruthless domestic slave traders, yet their names are largely forgotten today. Operating in the early 19th century, they transformed the slave trade into a massive, modern business that played a crucial role in the expansion of slavery in the United States.
A Brutal Business: The Rise of Franklin & Armfield
Franklin and Armfield’s business thrived during the height of the domestic slave trade. From their headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, they transported an estimated 10,000 enslaved people from the Upper South to the Deep South, where the booming cotton economy demanded labor. Their methods were cold and calculated; they routinely separated families, conducted forced marches, and packed enslaved people into ships under deplorable conditions.
They employed a network of agents to gather enslaved people, often holding them in harsh conditions before shipping them south. The two traders were known for their exceptional cruelty, using tactics like force-feeding captives to make them appear healthier and disguising scars with wax to increase their value. They also routinely raped the women they trafficked, bragging about these assaults in letters to each other.
The Legacy of Profit and Cruelty
Franklin and Armfield amassed a fortune worth billions in today’s dollars, retiring as some of the wealthiest men in America. They moved seamlessly into elite white society, leaving behind no direct descendants to inherit their notoriety. Despite their crimes, history has largely overlooked them, allowing their reputations to remain unblemished among their contemporaries.
A Forgotten Chapter in American History
The story of Franklin and Armfield reveals the dark underpinnings of America’s domestic slave trade and challenges the persistent myth that slave traders were marginalized figures. Historians like Joshua Rothman are now working to bring their story to light, demonstrating how central figures like Franklin and Armfield were to the machinery of human trafficking in the United States.
Their success in the slave trade was not just about timing or business acumen but also a willingness to commit atrocities without remorse. As America continues to grapple with the legacy of slavery, the story of Franklin and Armfield serves as a stark reminder of the brutality that fueled one of the country’s most profitable and shameful industries.
