John Smith (abolitionist) facts for kids

John Smith was an important businessman in Andover, Massachusetts, during the 1800s. He owned the Smith & Dove Co. mill, which made twine and thread from flax. This mill was quite large, employing up to 300 people! John Smith was also a very kind person who helped others. He inspired the building of Andover's Memorial Hall Library. He was also against slavery and helped start the Free Christian Church, which believed in freedom for everyone.

John Smith's Early Life and Journey

John Smith was born in a town called Brechin, Scotland, in 1797. When he was only 8 years old, his father passed away. To help his family, John started working on farms and in flax mills.

In 1816, John Smith traveled across the ocean to the United States. He arrived on December 15, 1816, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He worked as a machinist, which is someone who builds or repairs machines, in places like Watertown and Medway. Later, he started his own company, John Smith & Co., in Plymouth. He even asked his brother, Peter, to come join him in America.

In 1824, John Smith and his business partners, Joseph Faulkner and Warren Richardson, moved their company to Andover. They built a mill by the Shawsheen River. There, they made machines for the cotton industry. After his partners passed away in 1829, John Smith teamed up with his brother, Peter, and Peter's friend, John Dove.

John Smith bought a large farm and home on North Main Street. He made it into a beautiful "mansion house" with fancy porches. This home was later called Shawsheen Manor. John Smith lived a long life and passed away on February 25, 1886, when he was 89 years old. He and his brother, Peter, are buried in the West Parish Garden Cemetery in Andover.

The Smith & Dove Company

The Smith & Dove Company started when John Smith's brother, Peter, and John Dove began making machines to spin flax. John Smith later joined them. Their first mill was in an area of Andover called Frye Village, which is now known as Shawsheen Village. In 1843, they moved their business further up the Shawsheen River to a bigger mill.

In 1864, their business officially became a company called Smith & Dove Co. They made linen thread, which was very important. During the Civil War, their company supplied the linen thread used to make boots for the Union soldiers.

The company even brought workers from their hometown of Brechin, Scotland. By 1896, about 300 people worked at Smith & Dove. The company was sold in 1927 and the mills closed the next year.

John Smith's Generosity

John Smith was a very wealthy man, especially compared to others in Andover. In 1850, his property, including his home, land, and factories, was valued at over $31,000. He also owned many stocks in railroads and banks, worth over $47,000.

John Smith and the other founders of Smith & Dove Co. were known for their generosity. John Smith, in particular, gave money to schools like Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy.

John Smith also played a big part in building Andover's Memorial Hall Library. He first suggested the idea of a reading room and library to honor the town's residents who had died in the Civil War. He got the idea after seeing a public library during his travels in Dresden, Germany. John Smith offered $25,000 of his own money and asked others to help. His business partners gave $15,000. In the end, they raised $63,000, which was used to build the town's library in 1873 and buy many books.

Standing Up Against Slavery

John Smith became strongly against slavery after a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. There, he saw a slave auction, which deeply affected him. In 1819, he traveled to learn more about the country. He went to New York and then took a ship to Charleston.

He described seeing a crowd of people gathered. He went to see what was happening and saw a sale of enslaved people. He watched as a young man named Anthony was sold for $750. Then, a woman with three children was put up for sale. She was crying, and it made him cry too. He said, "If there is anything wicked it is for one man to take another, to make him his beast." This experience made him believe that slavery was terribly wrong.

This experience was a major reason why John Smith helped start the Free Christian Church. He believed that churches should stand against slavery. Because of his strong beliefs, he and others left their old church, West Parish Church. On March 21, 1846, John Smith and others founded the Free Christian Church based on their strong belief in freedom for all people.