John Tarleton (slave trader) facts for kids
John Tarleton (1718–1773) was an English businessman who owned ships and was involved in the transatlantic slave trade. He also served as the Mayor of Liverpool in 1764.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John Tarleton was born in 1718. His father, Thomas Tarleton, and his uncle, John, were also involved in trade with the West Indies and Africa. This trade often included the buying and selling of enslaved people.
Business and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Tarleton became a successful merchant in Liverpool. He was a part-owner and manager of several ships. These ships were used in the transatlantic slave trade. This was a system where people were forcibly taken from Africa and transported across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold as slaves.
Some of his ships included the Tarleton and the Swan in the 1750s. Later, in the 1760s, he owned a ship called the John. These ships mainly transported enslaved people to Jamaica. When Tarleton died in 1773, he also owned enslaved people on an estate in Dominica.
Public Life and Property
John Tarleton became a very important businessman in Liverpool. In 1764, he was elected as the Mayor of Liverpool. After this, he was asked to become a Member of Parliament, but he chose not to.
In his later years, Tarleton invested a lot of money in land and buildings. He owned large estates in places like Carriacou and Dominica. He also had shops and houses in Grenada and Carriacou. In England, he owned several houses in Liverpool and an estate near Buxton. He also bought part of Aigburth Hall Estate, which was an old family property near Liverpool.
Family and Legacy
John Tarleton married Jane Parker. She was the daughter of Banastre Parker. John Tarleton died in 1773. He had five sons. Three of his sons continued in the family's business, which included involvement in the slave trade. His son, John Tarleton, became a Member of Parliament and was also a slave trader. Another son, Banastre Tarleton, became a famous soldier and also served as a Member of Parliament.
