Ann Shatteo

Shay Clements portraying Anne Shatteo

NPS Pnoto

Quick Facts

Significance:

Early African American business woman in Kansas

Place of Birth:

Palestine, Crawford County, Illinois

Date of Birth:

Early 1800s

Place of Death:

Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas

Ann Davis Shatteo was an African American woman born free in Palestine, Crawford County, Illinois, in the early 1800’s. Ann was kidnapped by Green Crisp at the age of 10 years old.

Green Crisp didn’t have any legal documentation that she was born a slave, so he hired her out to different residences to make money off her services. 

At the age of 11, she was hired out to the Presbyterian mission in Harmony, Mo. By the age of 18, Ann Davis had 3 children by her captor: Sampson, Jack, and Jordan.

At the age of 19, Green Crisp sold her to George Douglas in Bates County, Mo. Mr. Douglas made a proposition for Ann to buy her freedom for 550 dollars; she worked faithfully for seven years and compliantly paid him his money. However, Douglas went back on his word and refused to give Ann her bill of sale. Ann began talking to lawyers about her situation and this worried Douglas, so he sent her to John Crisp, who sold her children off to Texas.

John Crisp became her new owner, in which he provided her a working pass to travel. He hired her out in the Sutler store at Fort Scott. She was hired out to earn her freedom as a clerk in the Sutler store. As a clerk, she served for two years and was paid a total of $107.50 for her services. At the age of 29, Ann gave birth to her daughter Elizabeth while in Fort Scott.

She was hired by Edward Shatteo, and became acquainted with his brother, Clement Shatteo who was actually his business partner. Edward Shatteo’s place of business was eight miles away from Fort Scott.

Armed with the pass, Ann went to a trading post on the Neosho River to sub trader Samuel Lewis. At the age of 31, Ann gave birth to her son William.

In 1847 it was decided that the Pottawatomie Indians were to be moved to a new reservation on the Kaw River. Ann, for that reason went with her employer to Sugar Creek in Linn County. Eventually they had ended up in Shawnee County.

In Shawnee County, Ann acquired her freedom for 450 dollars. In 1850, Ann married Clement Shatteo. After Ann acquired her freedom, she lived a prosperous life. Ann and Clement relocated to Topeka, Kansas. She ran a boarding house and provided food for trains of settlers. Ann Davis Shatteo gave birth to 5 more children while in Topeka, Kansas. Ann Davis died in the late 1800s with a 100-acre farm to her name.