No mention of a Creshaw Family Cemetary back a ways behind the Main House...My Brother & I visited the House back around 2002 but it was closed & there was a chain put across the driveway with a sign that stated the State of Illinois had purchased the property...We went back up the road leading to the house & then we made a left turn at the first biggest road we came to & seen a small dirt road immediately to the left so we drove up into it just a little ways & found the Graveyard...It was badly over grown so we didn't go any further...There were several old headstones with the name Crenshaw & one female with the name Taylor which may have been his wife or sons wife...She may have been a relative of mine in someway because my last name is Taylor and my Grandparents & Parents were from Southern Illinois...Very interesting!!!
Thank you so much for posting. I am happy to know this place is being researched. I and a couple of my friends happened upon this place thirty-five years ago. We stopped and it was not open, however, there was a man there that either owned it, or worked there. He gave us a tour of the place. He showed us the room where allegedly Lincoln slept while on his first campaign trail. He also showed us a hideous device used to ensure male slaves could not breed. He took us to the stalls/rooms in the attic and showed us which allegedly belonged to "Bob". It was a very memorable visit that left quite an impression on three young men. I hope much success on your research.
We toured the house in the 70s. It was so interesting! I was looking it up today to see if it was still standing because go I ng through pictures I found the pamplet I got while there with much history printed on it. So glad I found this site to follow the excavation! Hoping you find much history buried!
Visiting this place when it was a museum had more impact on me than any other museum I have visited in the 30 plus years since. Thank you for such a great video!
When i was there last back in the early 90s the old Beechnut tree was still there. A placard said the tree came from a cutting of a tree that grew on Mt. Vernon, George Washington's estate. That tree was massive!
Went there twice in the late 80s and twice in the early 90s always enjoyed the history of the place. You can really tell the state of Illinois owes it by the way it is taken care of!
I grew up in Jefferson County. I remember my father taking me there when I was young. That would probably in the 50's. I barely remember what the inside looked like. My great great grandfather and his son, my great grandfather, both fought out of Illinois in the Civil War .
Saw this place in the early 90’s. Took quite a few photographs. I hope you find the answers to bring historic facts to light about this property and what occurred there.
This project is observably well planned, organized, clear focus goals, and moving along with highly precise Dig Protocol and Ground Management. Impressive efforts, and the era is fixed/known, so they won't be required to "date and create", they already know what the property was used for: (housing and administration for his Business). Yet there's much to gain from the efforts of establishing what the artifacts and property reveal, and any potential letters, journals, diaries, that may still be on the property or in the community. I'd be interested in the project's: full findings, details, and Outcome Completion Statement. Beth Bartlett Sociologist/Behavioralist and Historian NW Tennessee (ground 0, New Madrid Faultline)
I haven’t finished the video yet, but I stopped to take a look at your channel, liked what I saw, so I became subscriber #109. Now I’ll be able to say I got in before everyone knew about you! 😉 I can’t wait to not only finish this lesson, but to continue through what all you’ve already produced, and hope you continue to put out quality content for a long time! 👍🏻
Hello Christophermckinney984: Many thanks for your kind comment. It's very much appreciated. I have lots of other stories in the works, so stay tuned. Again, thank you for taking the time to offer your kind words.
We were driving back from the Garden of the Gods and were just exploring and stumbled upon this property a few years ago. We did some googling and were fascinated with what we found on the property.
Very interesting and a joy to watch, I love these kinds of videos, Just finding your channel so will subscribe hoping to find more like this! Thank you for the time to make this!
I was there as a kid. Had to have been before 1975. My guess around 1970. Remember it fairly well. All the stories, the upstairs, ect. The "See Old Slave House" signs were everywhere.
I had visited this house a few times when it was open. I hope it opens again history must not be forgotten. They also talked about the Lincoln bedroom when it was open that Abe spent the night when campaigning. They did not mention this in the video.
Thanks for the comment. Lincoln's visit to the property was not one of the questions researchers were trying to answer, so it wasn't included in the video. It's verified Lincoln visited the area, but whether or not he actually set foot in the house is unknown. I'll research this question and get back to you.
Fascinating! Thank goodness that the dig put to rest the most lurid stories related to the house. Crenshaw was an unsavory character, so it’s no surprise that bizarre and terrible stories were soon told about him. Most legends start with a tiny kernel of truth and then take on implausible proportions. Please share more archeological digs with the public.
Lurid stories ? Better research the real truth on illegal slave owner Crenshaw. With over 700 slave's you honestly believe it was like a church camp at that slave house ? You do know the history of illinois slave's right. 5 counties in illinois was slavery st clair, Randolph, pope, Edward's and Gallatin. Crenshaw is listed in the history books as a reverse underground Railroad owner along with two others ! If you honestly believe the state would tell the truth about a property they own ? It would gave them a bad name ! And Crenshaw leased 30,000 acres from the state of Illinois. Buddies since the 1800's !
Always heard about this house unbeknownst to me. I’ve been driving past it for the last two years. I just drove past it and finally saw it on the hill and said that looks like the Crenshaw house forgetting what town it was in. I came onto the Internet and realized that was the same house. I wish it was open to the public.
The Meakin mark dates to after 1891 based on the use of the country name ENGLAND. In 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act required imported manufactured goods to be marked with the name of the country.
Had the opportunity to tour the house with my grandmother and mother in the early/mid 1990s. Ofcourse there was the ghost stories and do remember a human skull said to belong to a slave ( I was a kid and have no idea of the truth of that story)I was a child interested in history not ghost...would like to see it opend again but for what I understand they would have to put alot of money into it to bring it up to date as a state historical site...new parking lot, handicap ramps,etc...and that could disrupt projects such as this...still would like to go see it as an adult. Do remember reading some of the book " salt,sex,slaves" years ago. May have to find a copy and read it again.
Yes. I've read the book. I agree with Herb Russell who wrote "The State of Southern Illinois: An Illustrated History." On page 83 he comments: "Slaves, Salt, Sex, and Mr. Crenshaw enjoys a provocative title and contains useful research but is confusingly written." In other words, the book needed an editor.
John Crenshaw is my third great grandfather. His son-in-law (my 2nd great grandfather) was Brigadier General Michael Kelly Lawler for the North of the Civil War.
New subscriber here. 😊❤. Enjoyable and interesting content . Look forward to new and exciting videos, as well as, watching what you have created already. Thank you.
Great glimpse into history. Working under a house is a little easier with plastic sleds rather than buckets. Dont ask why I know this. It's a lot of work to get a look into the actual past. Nice job.
I visited the house in the late 70s - there were quite a few people there that day and a man I perceived to be the owner was talking to folks here and there. I believe the owner and his family lived in the back part of the house - there was a modern swing set out back. At one point I saw a small crowd gathered in.front of the house, I wandered over to see what was going on and to my disgust the owner was holding an old iron thing which he informed his audience was a torture contraption for male genitalia. He was laughing and joking about it. I walked away. I'm very glad this house and surrounding land are being studied. I think most of what went on there was foul. I do think there was effort later to develope a tourist venue which fell flat - seeing the owners disrespect turned my stomach and I know some others there were equally sickened by his attitude.
“Servants” is a morally objectionable way to refer to someone who is enslaved. Here is the definition of a servant: “a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant”. Notice the word “employed”. Here is the definition of enslaved: (past tense) “To cause (someone) to lose their freedom of choice or action.” One is correct in this circumstance, one is not, and furthermore it is offensive to those who study history, and I am sure many more. Otherwise it was a joy to watch the archeology unfold! It would be great to see a follow up after all of the material has been thoroughly examined!
These folks were no indentured servants. Indentured means a chance to be free of bondage after a period of time. Crenshaws enslaved had no chance of freedom. They were to be sold back into slavery when their tenure at Crenshaws was over. Indentured also means you are working to pay off a debt. Crenshaws enslaved were not working off any debt. In fact he was accused and brought to court twice for kidnapping free black people and enslaving them. These were no indentured servants. These were enslaved humans, and worse than that, likely kidnapped enslaved humans.
The Crenshaws did have a few house workers who were free. Not of the slaves. There used to be great census and slave records at the Gallatin County Court House, which have 'walked out the door' over the years.
I was there about 60 years ago & saw the attic space. There were large cages up there. Were those just added later for drama & effect? I remember them looking very old.
Hello. Many thanks for your great comments. The family that owned the house opened it for tours in the 1920s. Yes. Those bars have more to do with tourism than historical accuracy.
The dig concluded. Some of the artifacts are shown in the video. But let me see if there are other artifacts we can show and talk about in an updated video. Thanks for your comment.
Our mother took my siblings, cousins, and I when we were young. Maybe in the mid to late 60’s? I took my oldest son in the 90’s. Very interesting place, and I would love to go again someday with my husband and our grandson.
Watch the video at 22:11 you can clearly see new wiring, new insulation not blown in. Lol. That was all taken out by last owners and redone . So of course that dirt, etc would have been tampered with and nothing more found. Aka not virgin dirt ,etc. Now i challenge the state and these students to date that dirt,etc out of the craw space i can guarantee its not the original !
@@bradchappell4247 That's possible. The State repaired the foundation and stabilized the verandas after they purchased it. (The fireplaces were in a very poor state, with bricks falling down onto the hearth.) Maybe, had they dug deeper, there would be totally different things?
NOTE : Comparing ' old ' structures, with ' new ' ones : OLD is usually ALL WAYS BETTER ! NO sagging roof, NO faulty foundation, windows ' INTACT ' ( unlike Millenium Towers' ) . AND , the front pillars, STILL STRUCTURALLY SOUND. Modern ' engineers ' with their chipboard, cheap metal corners brackets, for stud / trusses, etc etc.... cardboard and plastic sidings = TAKE A HINT....
Hello Treasureswithlisa: I've seen Mark use a metal detector in the past on other projects. But I don't recall seeing him or anyone on the crew use it for this excavation. They may have. Thanks for your question!
Exactly, Crenshaw being a millionaire and having big parties at that mansion. Yet only 1 single coin found or was that a button ? And no money found in that high end privy lol.
Hello @AnneTrenary - The Crenshaw House still stands. In fact, Illinois is preparing to spend funds to replace the roof, build a welcome center, and pave the driveway. In the near future, it appears, you will be able to visit there.
Hello, @missmarycbell - Salt work refers to the government salines that once existed near the house in the early 19th century. The job required huge amounts of labor. For a short period, slavery - or indentured servitude - was permitted in the free state of Illinois to operate the salines - or salt works. Basically, it was a source of salt water that needed to be boiled to render salt. Salt was a strategic commodity because it was used to preserve food. The Illinois government salines closed after a more plentiful source was found somewhere in the east. I can't remember the location. Salt was incredibly valuable. The indentures (or slaves) would cut down timber to feed the fires used to boil the water.
Only place I have had eerie feelings that made your hair standup on my neck was in baubenhausen, Germany military post . Never saw any ghost butt the battalion building was kind of eerie feeling . Baubenhausen Germany military base was featured as most haunted places in Germany. Have never had such feelings of like this before or after . Many Army folks have sworn too have seen ghost in battalion building. Thanks for your video .
Hello @justred5164, everything is buried because it's trash. One side of the house was used as a dump for decades. They found stuff in the crawl space because it was easy to toss things in there. A button that had been lost for over a hundred years was found in the yard. It probably fell off a jacket while someone carried logs into the house. The object sits in the grass, which is eventually covered with leaves and, over time, sinks into the topsoil after countless rain showers and snowfalls.
Did i see they got some funds to remodel the house ??? Im posting on 01/02/2024... Thanks for any information, we went on a school field trip back in the early 80's to the house...
Yes. What I heard - and is not confirmed - is the state is spending money to stabilize the property. And I believe the target timeframe is sometime in 2025. Not sure how much they're spending.
Nice old home but the researchers failed to confirm the original thoughts and premise that opened this vid. I enjoy seeing and listening to the regret that ensues with that kind of failure.
I liked what I saw, but I hate how this investigator reframed the discussion about the atrocities that happened here. Changing it from the old slave house to Mr. Crenshaw seems like discounting the stories handed down by those victimized by the home's original owner, opting to call the home by a more "respectable" name. Also, why would they expect people who were enslaved to be able to write notes on the walls regarding their status and treatment while captive there? Any historian should know the enslaved were mostly illiterate-by design. And if a literate slave was being held there, I would assume they would be terrified to write on the walls of the place for dear of being punished.
Nope. Old Slave House is what the last owners of the house called it to attract tourists. In other words, Old Slave House is not historically accurate. As the chief investigator tells us in the video, no direct evidence proves the attic space was used to hold people against their will. The previous owners put the bars on the windows, leg irons, and other props to stage the place to look like a jail. And you misunderstood the comment regarding the graffiti. The specific graffiti the investigator was talking about was written by teen-age girls sometime in the late 19th century. The scrawled messages do not reference the horrible past. In other words - they weren't afraid to visit there (so the past wasn't horrible). The point being that Old Slave House is a made-up history by a family interested in attracting tourists. The video tells the story of a scientific investigation with provable facts based on real evidence. My advice is to not accept what others want you to believe without proof. Be skeptical. Ask questions. Consider the source. Publishing anything other than the provable facts would be unprofessional and irresponsible.
@@arlenemitchell5185 Please try to understand this: The NPS article is not sourced. No one can fact-check it because we do not know where the information originated. One sentence starts with "it was thought," which is a very dangerous thing to say if you're trying to be true to the facts. The video profiles a scientific study based on reliable, proven facts. The NPS article proves absolutely nothing - zilch. Call them and ask them where they got their information. Your original comment related to the use of the name "Old Slave House," and I tried to explain it is not a historically accurate reference. You link the article with zero references.
Actually, I always got that feeling, too. Previous owner, George Sisk, told me when his people purchased the property, the third floor was finished out like the rest of the home, with faint vines and flowers painted in the main hall. It was always thought, he said, that Mrs. Crenshaw had that built out for all the grandchildren she hoped to have in the house. Sadly, most of all her 12 children died at an early age, only a few living into adulthood. When it was clear there wouldn't be a horde of grandchildren afoot, the attic saw other uses. Also, when I was small, the 3rd floor had transom windows, front to back, for ventilation. When it was roofed in the lat 60s or 70s they were removed and covered over. It was cheaper than working around them.
Never heard of it. As for being haunted, makes a good story..If the story about the slave being held there,only God knows the truth about the house and the goings on within the house... I have hope that it's not true 😢
@@Richkuenneke I know that the state of Illinois could hardly muster the funds to repair/replace a bridge across the Mississippi, so it would pleasantly surprise me to see it keep this property alive.
Damn like 30mins from this place I see it all the time mybe like 3 times a month i always wondered if there was slaves in Illinois and seeing this is letting me know the feeling i have when i first seen that house i said slaves been there before ... just because theres no writting of scary stories u must remember to talk about what was ddone to them was a sin in there lives and must obey master
I’m curious: Uncle Bob- (pains me to think of this -but seems cogent)- was a “stud slave”- if I heard correctly? Hmm… the young [fertile] African American slaves were weighing themselves. Most women, happily pregnant[escaping field work] young women are tracking their weight until birth to track baby’s health. Perhaps, Uncle Bob… . Was a man, a slave, but a man of honor who would not have owned that dastardly slave job as his “home”- no man of honor would. This reminds me of Booth Homes for wayward pregnant girls…
Don't fool yourself about pregnancy getting anyone out of field work. Women often had babies in or at the field. Uncle Bob was a man of honor, according to my research. After he was free he became a traveling preacher. As recently as 2003 there was a recording on TH-cam of an 'Uncle Bob' interview. It told who was there, but I don't remember. He did speak of Hickory Hill and the other plantations he'd been on as the 'stud slave'. He was not proud of it. It was just a job he had to do. He had no other choice. I have scanned TH-cam for hours but have not been able to find it again. I believe it was made shortly before Bob passed, in about 1912 or 14? The voice in the video sounded exactly like 'George Sisk', only it must have been his father or grandfather because George wasn't born until the 1930s. George has a very unique, distinctive voice.
Couldn't continue watching after 15min of boring info. I am one to believe that "Uncle Bob" was at the house. As accounts of those who were there with him have been passed down and documented. There had been information, and not just made up stories from others. The attic was a horror place for those of the past. I feel like this "documentary" isn't giving all that had truly happened within those dark horrific walls of it's time.
The research could not confirm that Uncle Bob had ever set foot on the property, let alone served as a stud slave. Maybe he did. But no proof exists. As the lead investigator on the project concluded, all the statements about Bob came from other people. Even though Bob was interviewed as a patient at the state hospital, he never talked about the Crenshaw House or southern Illinois. The third floor was staged to look like a jail by the Sisk family to embellish the site as a tourist trap. The "bars" on the windows, for example, could easily be removed by hand. Did Crenshaw hide African-Americans in the space before selling them into slavery? I don't know. Maybe he did - but no proof exists other than speculation. The video tells the story of a scientific investigation with provable facts based on real evidence. My advice is to not accept what others want you to believe without proof. Be skeptical. Ask questions. Consider the source. Publishing what others "feel" or "think" would be irresponsible.
@lmLisaMoore - Those "pottery shards and a button" tell an important story that will help researchers decide how to prepare the site for a museum and visitors. Whoopee!
No, not while Crenshaw's owned it! JHC was a lot of things, but the one thing he definitely valued was his family and friends. Although, as people do sometimes, his demeanor changed as his financial issues changed. Once he road up to the house and a big laundry cauldron was boiling the white clothes and he could smell it beginning to scorch. He climbed down from his horse with his 'buggy whip' (but it must have been a riding crop...) he began whipping the young girl, both of them yelling and screaming as she ran in a circle because he had her arm. It was winter so she probably had several layers of clothes on. Her father was over clearing some trees and immediately ran to her, knocked Crenshaw down and chopped of his leg with a broad ax. The picture they showed of him in the documentary was part of a portrait of John Hart Crenshaw and his wife , Francine (Sina) Taylor Crenshaw. He has his stumped propped up on her knee, almost as if he was proud of it. That portrait was painted from a tintype, but the person who painted it never returned the picture to the family, so the amateur portrait is all that is left of the couple. One of the house people who helped Sina raise her children was named Jemina or Jemima in census records I was able to dig out at the time. They called her 'Aunt Jem'. When she was too old to work and could no longer climb the stairs, John Hart Crenshaw bought her a small home in Equality, just over the hill. (I did years of research on the Crenshaws and Hickory Hill.)
They should have fixed that railing on the second floor instead of digging up rocks and junk in the yard. Should have left the soil in place,I wonder if there are erosion problems today?oh well somebody spent there grant money so they will get more in the following year.
I understand a significant amount of money is earmarked to completely restore the property [as of summer 2024]. Thanks to the archaeological work, artifacts related to those who lived in the house before the Civil War will be on display and properly interpreted.
Crenshaw had over 700 slave's I'm sure they all was loved and taken care of like family. Lol. Look up the real history of him .not the lies by the state of illinois or thier professors and hired help all paid for by the state of Illinois. And Crenshaw leased 30,000 acres from the state of Illinois. Think of all that salt money. He was a big millionaire. In bed with the state since the 1800s, don't need a court order to know that !
That's an excellent point. I'll take this into consideration for future projects. If I could produce a video without music, it would make my life so much easier. Thanks for the feedback!
Wheres the proof though?? Innocent Until PROVEN Guilty,people can make up stuff all the time. sadly,Those rooms were used as hotels for travellers like they said in the Videos!
No mention of a Creshaw Family Cemetary back a ways behind the Main House...My Brother & I visited the House back around 2002 but it was closed & there was a chain put across the driveway with a sign that stated the State of Illinois had purchased the property...We went back up the road leading to the house & then we made a left turn at the first biggest road we came to & seen a small dirt road immediately to the left so we drove up into it just a little ways & found the Graveyard...It was badly over grown so we didn't go any further...There were several old headstones with the name Crenshaw & one female with the name Taylor which may have been his wife or sons wife...She may have been a relative of mine in someway because my last name is Taylor and my Grandparents & Parents were from Southern Illinois...Very interesting!!!
Thank you so much for posting. I am happy to know this place is being researched. I and a couple of my friends happened upon this place thirty-five years ago. We stopped and it was not open, however, there was a man there that either owned it, or worked there. He gave us a tour of the place. He showed us the room where allegedly Lincoln slept while on his first campaign trail. He also showed us a hideous device used to ensure male slaves could not breed. He took us to the stalls/rooms in the attic and showed us which allegedly belonged to "Bob". It was a very memorable visit that left quite an impression on three young men. I hope much success on your research.
Thank you for your comment. I've heard similar stories about those property tours.
Wow, yet another “supposed” site where Lincoln slept. 😂
Turns out it was all bs,
We toured the house in the 70s. It was so interesting! I was looking it up today to see if it was still standing because go I ng through pictures I found the pamplet I got while there with much history printed on it. So glad I found this site to follow the excavation! Hoping you find much history buried!
Visiting this place when it was a museum had more impact on me than any other museum I have visited in the 30 plus years since. Thank you for such a great video!
When i was there last back in the early 90s the old Beechnut tree was still there. A placard said the tree came from a cutting of a tree that grew on Mt. Vernon, George Washington's estate. That tree was massive!
I thought I was the only one who remembered that!
Thank you for telling us all. I wasnt aware of this and I have lived in illinois for 71 years, all my life.
Thank you for watching.
Yes I visited that house in 1984. Good work thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Went there twice in the late 80s and twice in the early 90s always enjoyed the history of the place. You can really tell the state of Illinois owes it by the way it is taken care of!
I grew up in Jefferson County. I remember my father taking me there when I was young. That would probably in the 50's. I barely remember what the inside looked like. My great great grandfather and his son, my great grandfather, both fought out of Illinois in the Civil War .
Mine, too.
Saw this place in the early 90’s. Took quite a few photographs. I hope you find the answers to bring historic facts to light about this property and what occurred there.
Thank you for your comment.
You're video just popped up. I enjoyed watching the video. I am subscribing!!
This project is observably well planned, organized, clear focus goals, and moving along with highly precise Dig Protocol and Ground Management. Impressive efforts, and the era is fixed/known, so they won't be required to "date and create", they already know what the property was used for: (housing and administration for his Business).
Yet there's much to gain from the efforts of establishing what the artifacts and property reveal, and any potential letters, journals, diaries, that may still be on the property or in the community.
I'd be interested in the project's: full findings, details, and Outcome Completion Statement.
Beth Bartlett
Sociologist/Behavioralist
and Historian
NW Tennessee
(ground 0, New Madrid Faultline)
I will share your comment with the chief investigator, Mark Wagner. Thank you! I'll also see about obtaining a final report to share.
Such important, painstaking work. Fascinating to follow the incredible knowledge and dedication involved in discovering history.
I haven’t finished the video yet, but I stopped to take a look at your channel, liked what I saw, so I became subscriber #109. Now I’ll be able to say I got in before everyone knew about you! 😉 I can’t wait to not only finish this lesson, but to continue through what all you’ve already produced, and hope you continue to put out quality content for a long time! 👍🏻
Hello Christophermckinney984: Many thanks for your kind comment. It's very much appreciated. I have lots of other stories in the works, so stay tuned. Again, thank you for taking the time to offer your kind words.
We were driving back from the Garden of the Gods and were just exploring and stumbled upon this property a few years ago. We did some googling and were fascinated with what we found on the property.
Very interesting and a joy to watch, I love these kinds of videos, Just finding your channel so will subscribe hoping to find more like this! Thank you for the time to make this!
Hello - many, many thanks for your comment, howspecial5841! I've got more projects in the works, so I'm glad you're here.
I was there as a kid. Had to have been before 1975. My guess around 1970. Remember it fairly well. All the stories, the upstairs, ect. The "See Old Slave House" signs were everywhere.
Hotel/inn for travelers close to a railroad stop sounds plausible for that floor. Fascinating history.
Thanks for watching!
Very interesting program. Thank you for sharing.
I had visited this house a few times when it was open. I hope it opens again history must not be forgotten. They also talked about the Lincoln bedroom when it was open that Abe spent the night when campaigning. They did not mention this in the video.
Thanks for the comment. Lincoln's visit to the property was not one of the questions researchers were trying to answer, so it wasn't included in the video. It's verified Lincoln visited the area, but whether or not he actually set foot in the house is unknown. I'll research this question and get back to you.
Fascinating! Thank goodness that the dig put to rest the most lurid stories related to the house. Crenshaw was an unsavory character, so it’s no surprise that bizarre and terrible stories were soon told about him. Most legends start with a tiny kernel of truth and then take on implausible proportions.
Please share more archeological digs with the public.
Lurid stories ? Better research the real truth on illegal slave owner Crenshaw. With over 700 slave's you honestly believe it was like a church camp at that slave house ? You do know the history of illinois slave's right. 5 counties in illinois was slavery st clair, Randolph, pope, Edward's and Gallatin. Crenshaw is listed in the history books as a reverse underground Railroad owner along with two others ! If you honestly believe the state would tell the truth about a property they own ? It would gave them a bad name ! And Crenshaw leased 30,000 acres from the state of Illinois. Buddies since the 1800's !
Always heard about this house unbeknownst to me. I’ve been driving past it for the last two years. I just drove past it and finally saw it on the hill and said that looks like the Crenshaw house forgetting what town it was in. I came onto the Internet and realized that was the same house. I wish it was open to the public.
Hi @kimberlyR23-f2z: I believe it will be open eventually.
The Meakin mark dates to after 1891 based on the use of the country name ENGLAND. In 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act required imported manufactured goods to be marked with the name of the country.
Makers mark.
This was so interesting! I hope they do a video about the conclusion of the study.
I wish I had an update on this. Stay tuned for more videos, I will post when I have an update on the research.
Had the opportunity to tour the house with my grandmother and mother in the early/mid 1990s. Ofcourse there was the ghost stories and do remember a human skull said to belong to a slave ( I was a kid and have no idea of the truth of that story)I was a child interested in history not ghost...would like to see it opend again but for what I understand they would have to put alot of money into it to bring it up to date as a state historical site...new parking lot, handicap ramps,etc...and that could disrupt projects such as this...still would like to go see it as an adult. Do remember reading some of the book " salt,sex,slaves" years ago. May have to find a copy and read it again.
Yes. I've read the book. I agree with Herb Russell who wrote "The State of Southern Illinois: An Illustrated History." On page 83 he comments: "Slaves, Salt, Sex, and Mr. Crenshaw enjoys a provocative title and contains useful research but is confusingly written." In other words, the book needed an editor.
John Crenshaw is my third great grandfather. His son-in-law (my 2nd great grandfather) was Brigadier General Michael Kelly Lawler for the North of the Civil War.
Don't forget about your other relative serial killer joe ball . The Alligator man.
New subscriber here. 😊❤. Enjoyable and interesting content . Look forward to new and exciting videos, as well as, watching what you have created already. Thank you.
Great glimpse into history. Working under a house is a little easier with plastic sleds rather than buckets. Dont ask why I know this. It's a lot of work to get a look into the actual past. Nice job.
Great point
I visited the house in the late 70s - there were quite a few people there that day and a man I perceived to be the owner was talking to folks here and there. I believe the owner and his family lived in the back part of the house - there was a modern swing set out back.
At one point I saw a small crowd gathered in.front of the house, I wandered over to see what was going on and to my disgust the owner was holding an old iron thing which he informed his audience was a torture contraption for male genitalia. He was laughing and joking about it. I walked away.
I'm very glad this house and surrounding land are being studied. I think most of what went on there was foul. I do think there was effort later to develope a tourist
venue which fell flat - seeing the owners disrespect turned my stomach and I know some others there were equally sickened by his attitude.
Thank you for the comment. During the production of the video, I heard from two different people about inappropriate comments from the tour guide.
It never hurts to have a giant around.
Right? Doug is one of the nicest guys around - he's an Army combat vet!
“Servants” is a morally objectionable way to refer to someone who is enslaved.
Here is the definition of a servant: “a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant”. Notice the word “employed”.
Here is the definition of enslaved: (past tense) “To cause (someone) to lose their freedom of choice or action.”
One is correct in this circumstance, one is not, and furthermore it is offensive to those who study history, and I am sure many more.
Otherwise it was a joy to watch the archeology unfold! It would be great to see a follow up after all of the material has been thoroughly examined!
Endentured
These folks were no indentured servants. Indentured means a chance to be free of bondage after a period of time. Crenshaws enslaved had no chance of freedom. They were to be sold back into slavery when their tenure at Crenshaws was over. Indentured also means you are working to pay off a debt. Crenshaws enslaved were not working off any debt. In fact he was accused and brought to court twice for kidnapping free black people and enslaving them. These were no indentured servants. These were enslaved humans, and worse than that, likely kidnapped enslaved humans.
The Crenshaws did have a few house workers who were free. Not of the slaves. There used to be great census and slave records at the Gallatin County Court House, which have 'walked out the door' over the years.
I was there about 60 years ago & saw the attic space. There were large cages up there. Were those just added later for drama & effect? I remember them looking very old.
I also remember these small platforms stacked on top of each other, almost looked like bunk beds. Daddy told me that was where they slept.
Hello. Many thanks for your great comments. The family that owned the house opened it for tours in the 1920s. Yes. Those bars have more to do with tourism than historical accuracy.
Good stuff, but I'm bummed this work was way back in 2011. I hope the state finally preserves and opens this historic property to the public.
I wish the State would give it back to the family & let them restore it.
Is the dig still going on? Because if so, I would love to see what they have found.
The dig concluded. Some of the artifacts are shown in the video. But let me see if there are other artifacts we can show and talk about in an updated video. Thanks for your comment.
@@Richkuenneke Are there any updates on the property and whether it will be refurbished?
No official updates - just rumors that efforts are underway to stabilize the property.
With that house and Bob, I would next expect to see Django come riding up on his horse
Our mother took my siblings, cousins, and I when we were young. Maybe in the mid to late 60’s? I took my oldest son in the 90’s. Very interesting place, and I would love to go again someday with my husband and our grandson.
Supposedly there was a tunnel to the Crenshaw house that led to the Ohio river. Frequently a passage used by Harriett Tubman
Not likely.
Why would bottles and ceramics be in the crawl space?
That's a great question. I'm going to reach out to the archaeologist and find out.
Watch the video at 22:11 you can clearly see new wiring, new insulation not blown in. Lol. That was all taken out by last owners and redone . So of course that dirt, etc would have been tampered with and nothing more found. Aka not virgin dirt ,etc. Now i challenge the state and these students to date that dirt,etc out of the craw space i can guarantee its not the original !
@@bradchappell4247 That's possible. The State repaired the foundation and stabilized the verandas after they purchased it. (The fireplaces were in a very poor state, with bricks falling down onto the hearth.) Maybe, had they dug deeper, there would be totally different things?
Been there! They need to re open it!
After the State gives it back to the family & restored..
The house should be maintained and opened up for historical educational reason... never to repeat history
You didn’t watch the video, did you?
It should be given back to the family and restored..
They need me to metal detect the whole yard😊😊😊
Did he say “slave breeding”? My mind goes to terrible places there. Is this a formal way to say raping until pregnant?
Basically, just like how we breed horses and cows, the biggest and strongest slaves were the breeders
REALLY FASCINATING!
Thank you
Fascinating. I'm subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
NOTE : Comparing ' old ' structures, with ' new ' ones : OLD is usually ALL WAYS BETTER ! NO sagging roof, NO faulty foundation, windows ' INTACT ' ( unlike Millenium Towers' ) .
AND , the front pillars, STILL STRUCTURALLY SOUND. Modern ' engineers ' with their chipboard, cheap metal corners brackets, for stud / trusses, etc etc.... cardboard and plastic sidings = TAKE A HINT....
Interesting
This guy seem like he don’t want to believe anything evil has happened there…
Well that was a slice of my time I’ll never get back ugh!
Great video and research. I’m just wondering why metal detectors were not used in addition to sifting?
Hello Treasureswithlisa: I've seen Mark use a metal detector in the past on other projects. But I don't recall seeing him or anyone on the crew use it for this excavation. They may have. Thanks for your question!
Exactly, Crenshaw being a millionaire and having big parties at that mansion. Yet only 1 single coin found or was that a button ? And no money found in that high end privy lol.
This is how we got here. This evidence should be displayed to everyone, lest we forget. 😢
Excellent video. So we’ll done. What a great story. I subscribed and will watch more of your videos. Thank you 😃
Glad you enjoyed it!
Is the Crenshaw house still standing, I heard several years back that it had been torn down (01-10-25)?
Hello @AnneTrenary - The Crenshaw House still stands. In fact, Illinois is preparing to spend funds to replace the roof, build a welcome center, and pave the driveway. In the near future, it appears, you will be able to visit there.
I went there \ith a friend back in the late 80"s. Whatever the history of the house really was, it was creepy.
What is salt work
Hello, @missmarycbell - Salt work refers to the government salines that once existed near the house in the early 19th century. The job required huge amounts of labor. For a short period, slavery - or indentured servitude - was permitted in the free state of Illinois to operate the salines - or salt works. Basically, it was a source of salt water that needed to be boiled to render salt. Salt was a strategic commodity because it was used to preserve food. The Illinois government salines closed after a more plentiful source was found somewhere in the east. I can't remember the location. Salt was incredibly valuable. The indentures (or slaves) would cut down timber to feed the fires used to boil the water.
Only place I have had eerie feelings that made your hair standup on my neck was in baubenhausen, Germany military post . Never saw any ghost butt the battalion building was kind of eerie feeling . Baubenhausen Germany military base was featured as most haunted places in Germany. Have never had such feelings of like this before or after . Many Army folks have sworn too have seen ghost in battalion building. Thanks for your video .
It’s sounds like it was intended to be more of an Airbnb than a slave house.
Does anyone know where Uncle Bob lived at in Virginia?
Interesting video
Glad you think so!
A new roof, welcome center and new driveway are coming soon.
Good news!
Why are the belongings of the plantation buried? Why are, plates and stemware buried?
Hello @justred5164, everything is buried because it's trash. One side of the house was used as a dump for decades. They found stuff in the crawl space because it was easy to toss things in there. A button that had been lost for over a hundred years was found in the yard. It probably fell off a jacket while someone carried logs into the house. The object sits in the grass, which is eventually covered with leaves and, over time, sinks into the topsoil after countless rain showers and snowfalls.
Did i see they got some funds to remodel the house ??? Im posting on 01/02/2024... Thanks for any information, we went on a school field trip back in the early 80's to the house...
Yes. What I heard - and is not confirmed - is the state is spending money to stabilize the property. And I believe the target timeframe is sometime in 2025. Not sure how much they're spending.
@Richkuenneke thank you for your information and what you and your team does to try to help us with the history of the Crenshaw House ...
If you see the house now, it is falling apart.
That’s a shame.
That's a goddamn shame. I'd love to visit if it was restored and turned into a museum. This history cannot be forgotten
Very interesting
Glad you think so!
Nice old home but the researchers failed to confirm the original thoughts and premise that opened this vid. I enjoy seeing and listening to the regret that ensues with that kind of failure.
Crenshaw and the state have been in bed since the 1800s. A simple Google search will prove this. Don't need a court order .lol
I liked what I saw, but I hate how this investigator reframed the discussion about the atrocities that happened here. Changing it from the old slave house to Mr. Crenshaw seems like discounting the stories handed down by those victimized by the home's original owner, opting to call the home by a more "respectable" name. Also, why would they expect people who were enslaved to be able to write notes on the walls regarding their status and treatment while captive there? Any historian should know the enslaved were mostly illiterate-by design. And if a literate slave was being held there, I would assume they would be terrified to write on the walls of the place for dear of being punished.
Nope. Old Slave House is what the last owners of the house called it to attract tourists. In other words, Old Slave House is not historically accurate. As the chief investigator tells us in the video, no direct evidence proves the attic space was used to hold people against their will. The previous owners put the bars on the windows, leg irons, and other props to stage the place to look like a jail. And you misunderstood the comment regarding the graffiti. The specific graffiti the investigator was talking about was written by teen-age girls sometime in the late 19th century. The scrawled messages do not reference the horrible past. In other words - they weren't afraid to visit there (so the past wasn't horrible). The point being that Old Slave House is a made-up history by a family interested in attracting tourists. The video tells the story of a scientific investigation with provable facts based on real evidence. My advice is to not accept what others want you to believe without proof. Be skeptical. Ask questions. Consider the source. Publishing anything other than the provable facts would be unprofessional and irresponsible.
@Richkuenneke www.nps.gov/places/old-slave-house-crenshaw-house.htm#:~:text=His%20victims%20surfaced%20all%20over,%2C%20state%2Downed%20salt%20works.
@@arlenemitchell5185 Please try to understand this: The NPS article is not sourced. No one can fact-check it because we do not know where the information originated. One sentence starts with "it was thought," which is a very dangerous thing to say if you're trying to be true to the facts. The video profiles a scientific study based on reliable, proven facts. The NPS article proves absolutely nothing - zilch. Call them and ask them where they got their information. Your original comment related to the use of the name "Old Slave House," and I tried to explain it is not a historically accurate reference. You link the article with zero references.
Because not just black people were enslaved. Do smell research.
I feel like this home was a safe haven loved by those who lived there , because it's one of very few that still exist .
Actually, I always got that feeling, too.
Previous owner, George Sisk, told me when his people purchased the property, the third floor was finished out like the rest of the home, with faint vines and flowers painted in the main hall. It was always thought, he said, that Mrs. Crenshaw had that built out for all the grandchildren she hoped to have in the house. Sadly, most of all her 12 children died at an early age, only a few living into adulthood. When it was clear there wouldn't be a horde of grandchildren afoot, the attic saw other uses.
Also, when I was small, the 3rd floor had transom windows, front to back, for ventilation. When it was roofed in the lat 60s or 70s they were removed and covered over. It was cheaper than working around them.
Interesting
How ironic the town is named Equality, huh?
He should have had a respirator if talcum powder was underneath as it can cause lung cancer. But may be said talcum consistently.
He was wearing a mask.
Flowers of the attic?
My wifes families are from there
Maybe it was a inn
Never heard of it.
As for being haunted, makes a good story..If the story about the slave being held there,only God knows the truth about the house and the goings on within the house... I have hope that it's not true 😢
It's so difficult to pin down the truth because of the property's history as a tourist attraction
His 'servants'???
The house is a rotting mess now. The state doesn't have the money to fix it. Sad. Like historical digs on properties like this. Well done.
We believe there is movement behind the scenes to repair the house.
@@Richkuenneke I know that the state of Illinois could hardly muster the funds to repair/replace a bridge across the Mississippi, so it would pleasantly surprise me to see it keep this property alive.
Really interesting property and project to find out the true history of the place and its great they have a giant to help with the heavy lifting 😂
Damn like 30mins from this place I see it all the time mybe like 3 times a month i always wondered if there was slaves in Illinois and seeing this is letting me know the feeling i have when i first seen that house i said slaves been there before ... just because theres no writting of scary stories u must remember to talk about what was ddone to them was a sin in there lives and must obey master
Left out alot
I’m curious: Uncle Bob- (pains me to think of this -but seems cogent)- was a “stud slave”- if I heard correctly? Hmm… the young [fertile] African American slaves were weighing themselves.
Most women, happily pregnant[escaping field work] young women are tracking their weight until birth to track baby’s health. Perhaps, Uncle Bob… . Was a man, a slave, but a man of honor who would not have owned that dastardly slave job as his “home”- no man of honor would.
This reminds me of Booth Homes for wayward pregnant girls…
Don't fool yourself about pregnancy getting anyone out of field work. Women often had babies in or at the field.
Uncle Bob was a man of honor, according to my research. After he was free he became a traveling preacher.
As recently as 2003 there was a recording on TH-cam of an 'Uncle Bob' interview. It told who was there, but I don't remember. He did speak of Hickory Hill and the other plantations he'd been on as the 'stud slave'. He was not proud of it. It was just a job he had to do. He had no other choice.
I have scanned TH-cam for hours but have not been able to find it again.
I believe it was made shortly before Bob passed, in about 1912 or 14? The voice in the video sounded exactly like 'George Sisk', only it must have been his father or grandfather because George wasn't born until the 1930s. George has a very unique, distinctive voice.
Wasn't Illinois a Free state for African Americans?
Sounds like they found a loophole. Typical.
Did you watch the start of the video? It’s explained
How sad he was a SLAVE TRADER!!😡😡
Grow up. Many people around the world were slave traders. There are many slaves today.
Couldn't continue watching after 15min of boring info. I am one to believe that "Uncle Bob" was at the house. As accounts of those who were there with him have been passed down and documented. There had been information, and not just made up stories from others. The attic was a horror place for those of the past. I feel like this "documentary" isn't giving all that had truly happened within those dark horrific walls of it's time.
The research could not confirm that Uncle Bob had ever set foot on the property, let alone served as a stud slave. Maybe he did. But no proof exists. As the lead investigator on the project concluded, all the statements about Bob came from other people. Even though Bob was interviewed as a patient at the state hospital, he never talked about the Crenshaw House or southern Illinois. The third floor was staged to look like a jail by the Sisk family to embellish the site as a tourist trap. The "bars" on the windows, for example, could easily be removed by hand. Did Crenshaw hide African-Americans in the space before selling them into slavery? I don't know. Maybe he did - but no proof exists other than speculation. The video tells the story of a scientific investigation with provable facts based on real evidence. My advice is to not accept what others want you to believe without proof. Be skeptical. Ask questions. Consider the source. Publishing what others "feel" or "think" would be irresponsible.
theres no reason to tear up the yard. some pottery shards and a button... whoopee
@lmLisaMoore - Those "pottery shards and a button" tell an important story that will help researchers decide how to prepare the site for a museum and visitors. Whoopee!
Lol my grear grandma is vina Crenshaw daughter of Gideon Crenshaw n my great grandfather Ike Oliver Crenshaw son of Abraham. Ike and vina
Did they leave good jobs in the city?
What about prostitution?
No, not while Crenshaw's owned it! JHC was a lot of things, but the one thing he definitely valued was his family and friends. Although, as people do sometimes, his demeanor changed as his financial issues changed.
Once he road up to the house and a big laundry cauldron was boiling the white clothes and he could smell it beginning to scorch. He climbed down from his horse with his 'buggy whip' (but it must have been a riding crop...) he began whipping the young girl, both of them yelling and screaming as she ran in a circle because he had her arm. It was winter so she probably had several layers of clothes on. Her father was over clearing some trees and immediately ran to her, knocked Crenshaw down and chopped of his leg with a broad ax. The picture they showed of him in the documentary was part of a portrait of John Hart Crenshaw and his wife , Francine (Sina) Taylor Crenshaw. He has his stumped propped up on her knee, almost as if he was proud of it. That portrait was painted from a tintype, but the person who painted it never returned the picture to the family, so the amateur portrait is all that is left of the couple.
One of the house people who helped Sina raise her children was named Jemina or Jemima in census records I was able to dig out at the time. They called her 'Aunt Jem'. When she was too old to work and could no longer climb the stairs, John Hart Crenshaw bought her a small home in Equality, just over the hill.
(I did years of research on the Crenshaws and Hickory Hill.)
Lol
It was just a big ole Chicken Coop! LOL
Who were these endentured people ?, Where did they come from?.
They should have fixed that railing on the second floor instead of digging up rocks and junk in the yard. Should have left the soil in place,I wonder if there are erosion problems today?oh well somebody spent there grant money so they will get more in the following year.
I understand a significant amount of money is earmarked to completely restore the property [as of summer 2024]. Thanks to the archaeological work, artifacts related to those who lived in the house before the Civil War will be on display and properly interpreted.
Servants? you mean Slaves. whats going on?
Crenshaw had over 700 slave's I'm sure they all was loved and taken care of like family. Lol. Look up the real history of him .not the lies by the state of illinois or thier professors and hired help all paid for by the state of Illinois. And Crenshaw leased 30,000 acres from the state of Illinois. Think of all that salt money. He was a big millionaire. In bed with the state since the 1800s, don't need a court order to know that !
The annoying piano playing behind the dialog is so annoying. Why do people do this?
Interesting video though.
That's an excellent point. I'll take this into consideration for future projects. If I could produce a video without music, it would make my life so much easier. Thanks for the feedback!
Beyond creepy
Wheres the proof though?? Innocent Until PROVEN Guilty,people can make up stuff all the time. sadly,Those rooms were used as hotels for travellers like they said in the Videos!
Thank you.
Thank you
You're welcome