Isaac Hopper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Isaac Tatem Hopper
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| Born | December 3, 1771 Deptford Township, New Jersey
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| Died | May 7, 1852 (aged 80) New York, New York
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Philanthropist, Children's Village co-founder |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Tatum Hopper |
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Isaac Tatem Hopper (born December 3, 1771 – died May 7, 1852) was an important American abolitionist. An abolitionist is someone who works to end slavery. Isaac Hopper was very active in Philadelphia, helping to protect people who had escaped slavery. He also helped free Black people from kidnappers who tried to sell them into slavery. He was also one of the people who helped start Children's Village.
In 1829, he moved to New York City to manage a Quaker bookstore. From 1841 to 1845, he worked for the American Anti-Slavery Society. After 1845, he focused on improving prisons. He spent the rest of his life working with the Prison Association of New York.
Isaac Hopper's Early Life and Work
Isaac Tatem Hopper was born in 1771 in Deptford Township, New Jersey. His family were Quakers, a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs. In 1795, he married Sarah Tatum Hopper. They had ten children together. One of their children, Abigail Hopper Gibbons, also became a famous abolitionist. His grandson, DeWolf Hopper, became well-known too.
Isaac Hopper became a Hicksite Quaker. This was a specific group within the Quaker faith. Even though he lived in Philadelphia, he joined the Darby Friends Meeting in 1827.
After the American Revolutionary War, the state of Pennsylvania ended slavery. This made Philadelphia a safe place for people escaping slavery from the South. However, kidnappers would sometimes come to Philadelphia. They would try to capture free Black children to sell them into slavery. They also hunted for people who had escaped slavery to return them to their owners for money.
Hopper became a key member of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. This group worked to protect the rights of African Americans. They also worked to end slavery across the United States. People in Philadelphia knew Isaac Hopper as a trusted friend and helper for Black communities.
He was also a supervisor at the Negro School for Children in Philadelphia. This school was started by an early abolitionist named Anthony Benezet. Hopper also taught as a volunteer at a free school for African-American adults.
Isaac Hopper helped many people. He was a founder and secretary of a group that helped poor people find jobs. He volunteered to inspect prisons and was part of a fire company. He also looked after young people who were being treated badly by their employers. Even with a large family and limited money, he and his wife often welcomed poor Quakers into their home. Their children learned early to care for others.
In 1829, Isaac Hopper and his family moved to New York. He went there to run a bookstore started by the Hicksite Quakers. In 1830, he traveled to Ireland and England for family business. At first, some Quakers there were unsure about him. They had heard he caused "trouble" in America. But his kind personality quickly changed their minds.
By 1841, fewer people were buying Hicksite books. So, Isaac Hopper became the treasurer for the American Anti-Slavery Society in New York. He also handled their book sales.
Working for Prison Reform
In 1845, Isaac Hopper left his work with the Anti-Slavery Society. He decided to spend the rest of his life on prison reform. He joined the Prison Association of New York. This group worked to make prisons better and to improve the justice system. His daughter, Abigail Hopper Gibbons, also lived in New York. She started the Women's Prison Association to help with prison reform. She also created a safe house for women released from prison. This home helped them get back into society, and she named it the "Isaac T. Hopper Home" after her father.
Isaac Hopper often visited Albany, New York, the state capital. He would speak to lawmakers about the Prison Association's goals. Governor John Young of New York once told him, "Friend Hopper, I will pardon any convict whom you say you honestly believe I should pardon." This shows how much the governor trusted Isaac Hopper.
Isaac Hopper passed away in New York on May 7, 1852.
