Jane Elizabeth Jones facts for kids

Jane Elizabeth Jones (born March 13, 1813 – died January 13, 1896) was an important American activist. She fought for women's right to vote (a suffragist) and worked to end slavery (an abolitionist). She was also a key member of the early women's rights movement.

Her Early Life

Jane Elizabeth Hitchcock was born in Vernon, New York on March 13, 1813. Her parents were Reuben and Electra Hitchcock.

Fighting to End Slavery

Jane Elizabeth Jones was well-known for her strong views against slavery. She traveled a lot, giving speeches in places like New England, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She spoke about ending slavery, following the ideas of William Lloyd Garrison.

In 1845, she went to Salem, Ohio, with another abolitionist speaker named Abby Kelley. Together, they organized many activities to fight against slavery. Jane also helped edit a newspaper called the Anti-Slavery Bugle. She worked on this paper with Benjamin Jones, who later became her husband.

Standing Up for Women's Rights

In 1850, Jane Elizabeth Jones gave an important speech at the Ohio Women's Convention in Salem, Ohio. In her speech, she talked about the struggles of enslaved people and women. She hoped that people would stop using the term "Women's Rights." Instead, she wanted everyone to focus on "human rights for all."

In 1861, Jane worked with other activists like Frances Dana Barker Gage and Hannah Tracy Cutler. They successfully pushed for a new law in Ohio. This law gave married women some limited rights to own property. This was a big step forward for women at the time.

Writing for Change

Jane Elizabeth Jones also wrote a children's book called The Young Abolitionist; or Conversations on Slavery. In this book, she used a mother character who talks with her children about slavery in American history. Through these conversations, Jane taught her young readers about the full history of slavery. She also showed how women could use their voices to make political changes.

Jane Elizabeth Jones passed away on January 13, 1896.