Zabeau Bellanton facts for kids

Elisabeth "Zabeau" Bellanton (born 1751, died after 1782) was a French businesswoman. She was known as one of the most successful businesswomen in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) before the Haitian Revolution.

Life Story

Not much is known about Zabeau Bellanton's early life. She lived in a city called Cap-Haïtien. People described her as a mulatresse, which meant she was a free woman of color. Her father's identity is not known. She had a daughter who also used the Bellanton name.

Zabeau Bellanton became a very successful businesswoman. This was quite unusual for a woman of color in Saint-Domingue at that time. Free people of color often ran businesses. The "Gens de couleur" in Saint-Domingue were known for being wealthy in the Caribbean. However, only a few were truly rich.

It was common for free women of color to start businesses. Many got money or property from white men they had relationships with. This money helped them become business owners. But Zabeau Bellanton was different. She seemed to have built her business success all by herself. She did not rely on money left to her by a former partner.

How She Did Business

Officially, Zabeau Bellanton was listed as a confiseuse, which means a jam or jelly maker. But her real business was buying and selling enslaved people. She would buy the cheapest enslaved people, called bossale. These were people who had just arrived from Africa on slave ships. They were often young or not in good health, so their price was low.

She would then rent these enslaved people out for a few months. This was like pawning them for a small amount of money. During this time, they would get healthier. Once they were strong enough, she would take them back and sell them for a higher price. This method helped her avoid big losses. If an enslaved person died, she only lost the small amount she paid to buy them.

During the American Revolutionary War, she also bought enslaved people illegally. She got them from British ships that were smuggling. She also had connections with slave traders in Martinique.

Officially, she worked alone, except for her business manager, Justin Viart. But it seems she had secret partners who invested money with her. Some of these partners were even white. For example, she paid Jean Baptiste Le Sueur Fontaine a large sum of money. This was likely his share of the profits from investing in her business.

Her business methods were seen as very harsh, even back then. But they made her very rich. She became as wealthy as the white plantation owners. She used her money to buy many houses in Cap-Français. One of her houses was worth a lot of money. She also owned six enslaved people for her own personal use.

Later Years

In 1782, Zabeau Bellanton moved from Saint-Domingue to France. Many rich people from the colony did this when they could afford it. Before she left, she made a will. Her will showed how wealthy she was.

She left property worth 1500 livres to her godmother. She gave 3000 livres to the local priest. This money was for poor white people and free people of color. She also left 132 livres each month for her mother. Her business manager, Viart, received 2000 livres and 10 percent of her property. She also gave him power of attorney to manage her daughter's affairs until she became an adult.

See also

In Spanish: Zabeau Bellanton para niños

• Julie Dahey
• Simone Brocard