Eliza Starbuck Barney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliza Starbuck Barney
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Eliza Starbuck
April 9, 1802 Nantucket, Massachusetts
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| Died | March 18, 1889 (aged 86) Nantucket, Massachusetts
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Abolitionist, Suffragist, Historian |
| Spouse(s) | Nathaniel Barney |
Eliza Starbuck Barney (born April 9, 1802 – died March 18, 1889) was an important American woman. She was a Quaker who worked hard for women's rights and to end slavery. Eliza is famous for her amazing handwritten records. These records traced the family history of over 40,000 people from Nantucket, Massachusetts. Her work covered the 17th to 19th centuries. Today, her records are called the Eliza Starbuck Barney Genealogical Record. The Nantucket Historical Association keeps them safe. You can even find them online now!
Eliza's Life Story
Eliza Starbuck was born on April 9, 1802, in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She was the third child of Joseph Starbuck and Sally Gardner. Her family was quite rich because they were involved in the whale oil industry.
When Eliza was 18, she married Nathaniel Barney. Even though they were wealthy, Eliza and Nathaniel shared their home. They lived with Eliza's sister, Eunice, and her husband, William Hadwen. The two husbands became business partners. They opened a whale oil refinery together. This refinery was built where the Nantucket Whaling Museum stands today.
Eliza Starbuck Barney was very active in her community. From 1839 to 1840, she served as the secretary for Nantucket's Anti-Slavery Society. This group worked to end slavery. In 1841, Eliza and Nathaniel welcomed famous anti-slavery leaders to their home. These leaders included William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass. They even hosted an important anti-slavery meeting there. Nathaniel Barney also showed his support. He refused money from the New Bedford Railroad. He did this to protest their unfair rule. The railroad would not allow black passengers.
In 1851, Eliza attended a very important meeting. It was the first women's suffrage convention in Massachusetts. This meeting was about getting women the right to vote.
After 1857, Eliza and Nathaniel moved from Nantucket to Pennsylvania. Eliza returned to Nantucket after her husband died in 1869. In 1871, her son, Joseph, built a new home for her. This house is located at 73 Main Street and is now known as the Eliza Barney house.
Amazing Family Records
Eliza Barney created a huge collection of family history. She gathered information for people who lived in Nantucket. Her collection filled 1,702 handwritten pages. These pages were spread across six large books.
Her records included many details. She wrote down family trees, births, marriages, and deaths. She also noted when people moved or died at sea. Her work started with the very first European settlers in Nantucket. After Eliza's death, her granddaughter continued to add to the records until 1912.
Today, staff and volunteers at the Nantucket Historical Association have made her work even more useful. They took all the information from her books. Now, you can search this genealogical data online! Eliza's records also have some unique touches. For example, she sometimes added "Jr." to the names of women. She did this if they had the same name as their mother.
See also
In Spanish: Eliza Starbuck Barney para niños
