Isaac Franklin - Franklin and Armfield

Franklin and Armfield

The slave trade was referred to as "The Business" in the early 19th century as Isaac Franklin began to cut his teeth in the trade. In 1808, the foreign slave trade was abolished and thus domestic slave trade increased dramatically. Isaac Franklin formed a partnership with his nephew, through marriage, John Armfield. From 1828 to 1837, they became the leading business in domestic slave trade. They set up their business in Alexandria, DC (today, Virginia) where they bought as many as 500 slaves at a time.

As slaves were sold from Franklin & Armfield, there were shipped to Natchez, Mississippi where the headquarters of their business was stationed. From Natchez, Franklin & Armfield sold the slaves to southern planters. As the shipping vessels returned to Alexandria, they carried sugar, molasses, whiskey, and cotton. Business was good for Isaac Franklin when in 1835 he eased out of active participation in the business and by 1841 he was completely out of the slave trading business.

"When he died in 1846, he owned 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land in Louisiana and over 600 slaves."

At the age of 50, Isaac Franklin engaged and married Miss Adelicia Hayes in 1839. Adelicia was the daughter of Oliver Bliss Hayes and Sarah Clemmons Hightower. At the time of their marriage, Oliver Hayes was a lawyer and a Presbyterian Minister. Isaac and Adelicia had four children together: Victoria, Adelicia, Emma, and Julius Caesar. All died in early childhood.