Elizabeth Riley facts for kids
Elizabeth Cook Riley (born Cook; 1792 – 1855) was an African-American woman from Boston who worked to end slavery. She played a key role in helping an enslaved man named Shadrach Minkins escape to freedom. Elizabeth was also part of a group that helped raise the first money for William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper, The Liberator. This newspaper was very important in the fight against slavery. She was active in the Boston community, helping to organize meetings and events for the cause.
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About Elizabeth Riley
Her Family Life
Elizabeth Cook Riley was born Elizabeth Cook. She married William Riley, who owned a clothing store in Boston. He had been running his store since 1827. Elizabeth had two daughters, Sarah and Ann Jackson, from an earlier marriage. With William, she had three more children: William Jr., George, and Eliza Riley. Her husband passed away in 1849 and left most of his money and property to her.
Fighting for Freedom
Even though she couldn't write, Elizabeth Riley was very involved in the movement to end slavery. She was a member of two important groups: the African-American Female Intelligence Society and the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. These groups worked hard to fight for equal rights and freedom.
There was once a rumor that Mrs. Riley had given a lot of her husband's money to their church, leaving their family poor. However, Mrs. Riley and her husband quickly explained in the newspaper that this wasn't true. They said they had only given a small amount, and while they sometimes had money troubles, they always managed to get by. When Mr. Riley died, he even left more money to the church's building fund.
Elizabeth Riley was very important in helping Shadrach Minkins, an enslaved man, escape. She bravely hid him in the attic of her home on Southac Street until it was safe for him to leave Boston. Thanks to her help, Minkins successfully escaped to Canada, where slavery was against the law.
Her home was located in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. This neighborhood was a central place for African-American people and those fighting against slavery. It was also very close to the famous Lewis and Harriet Hayden House, which was a frequent safe house for the Underground Railroad. The house next door was owned by Thomas Cole, another active abolitionist who gave a lot of money to the cause.
Later Years and Passing
After her husband passed away, Elizabeth Riley continued to live in their home. She stayed involved in her community. At one point, she even hosted a party at her house for the children of a nearby African-American Sunday school. Elizabeth Riley died in 1855 when she was 63 years old. Many people attended her funeral. Her obituary mentioned that she had cared for sick and needy people for "many years," suggesting she spent much of her later life helping others as a nurse.
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