Hickory Hill, the old Slave House
( Crenshaw Manor)

Hickory Hill plantation was owned by John Crenshaw around 1834.  Crenshaw also owned other homes in the area including Cypressville (Junction) and Equality during the same time.  His real estate totaled over 11,000 acres as well as 4000 acres in Tennessee.  He also controlled 30,000 acres as the last state lessee of the Saltworks.

The old slave house is one of the last known sites still standing throughout the U.S. that was used as a "stop" for kidnapping networks known today as the "Reverse Underground Railroad".  It's the only one left  and it also is believed to be specifically designed for that purpose.

Stories have been told that Crenshaw kidnapped free blacks as well as captured runaway slaves and housed them, on the 3rd floor in cells--the presence of 12 cells along a 50 ft. long hallway support this.  Iron rings, or staples, were once present and set in the floor for chains.  Most of the ironwork has been removed aroud the time of WWI, possibly for a scrap metal drive.
The attic was said to have been reached by a narrow stairway.

The Kidnapping of Maria Adams:
Maria worked for John Crenshaw as an indentured servant.   About 1842, he kidnapped her and her children, sold them to a father and son team of slave traders named Lewis and John G. Kuykendall, who then took Maria and her children to Texas where they were sold as slaves.
The Gallatin County Grand Jury indicted Crenshaw, but he was later aquitted because the State's attorney failed to support the fact that it was Crenshaw who did the kidnapping.  and since the Kuykendall's were no where to be found to collaberate the story.. Crenshaw was aquitted.
Maria's mother-in-law, gave birth to Charles Adams around 1794 and was already owned and brought to Illinois from Maryland around 1814.  On March 19, 1814, Dr. Conrad Will, a salt operator, indentured Charles for 20 yrs.  After only 4 yrs, he sold Charles' contract to Gov. Edwards.  It was during this time that Charles and Maria were married.

Edwards filed a statement in Randolph County Court at Kaskaskia pledging that he would let Maria go free after Charles' contract expired. 
Edwards never did keep his word, and even though Charles had filed Edward's statement with the Gallatin County Circuit Clerk, it didn't prevent Crenshaw from keeping a claim on Maria.

While in service to Gov. Edwards, Maria had 2 children, Nelson and Ellen.
Maria and her children  were kidnapped by Crenshaw's men, either going to or coming from church.
Charles had filed for his freedom papers on April 29, 1834.
Sometime between 1842- 1846, it was discovered which plantation Maria and the children were at.
Charles showed up in a 1850 census for Gallatin County, living with a white family.

There is so much more to cover in this area and it's important that it's told.
There are many families who have such stories---stories of heartache, shame, embarrassment, stories of survival and pride.  Whether it's good or bad...it needs to be told and written down so that others who come after us with so many questions, will have the answers they are looking for.

It's also been said that this old Crenshaw place is haunted.  I have no desire to consentrate on that. Plenty of stories have been written about that and it's all the same.. I believe the real history , that which has an impact, should be told and talked about.. not some old ghost stories.--- Written by Deanna Nation-Heneghan

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