John Woolman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Woolman |
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| Church | Religious Society of Friends |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19, 1720 New Jersey, British America |
| Died | October 7, 1772 (aged 51) York, Great Britain |
| Buried | York, Great Britain |
| Denomination | Quaker |
| Parents | Samuel Woolman (father) Elizabeth Burr (mother) |
| Spouse | Sarah Ellis (née Abbott) |
| Children | Mary |
| Occupation | Trade |
John Woolman (born October 19, 1720 – died October 7, 1772) was an important American figure. He was a Quaker preacher and writer. During the colonial era, he spoke out against many injustices.
Woolman was one of the first people to fight against slavery and the slave trade. He also spoke against cruelty to animals, unfair economic practices, and being forced into the military. He lived in Mount Holly, New Jersey, near Philadelphia. From there, he traveled widely to share his beliefs.
He wrote many essays, especially about ending slavery. He also kept a journal throughout his life. This journal was published after he died, called The Journal of John Woolman. It is considered a very important American spiritual book. Many famous writers have admired it for its clear and powerful writing. The Journal has been printed continuously since 1774.
Contents
Who Was John Woolman?
Early Life and Family
John Woolman was born in 1720 in Rancocas, New Jersey. His family were members of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. His father, Samuel Woolman, was a farmer. Their home was in the New Jersey colony, close to the Delaware River. John's grandparents were among the first Quaker settlers in the area.
A childhood event deeply affected Woolman. He once killed a mother robin by throwing rocks. He then felt terrible about the baby birds left without their mother. This experience made him promise to love and protect all living things.
Woolman married Sarah Ellis, who was also a Quaker. They had a daughter named Mary. He chose to live a "life of simplicity." This meant making choices that were sometimes difficult for his family.
His Work and Beliefs
As a young man, Woolman worked as a clerk for a merchant. When he was 23, his boss asked him to write a bill of sale for an enslaved person. Woolman told his boss that he felt owning slaves was wrong for Christians. However, he still wrote the bill of sale.
By age 26, he became a successful independent tradesman. Later, a customer asked him to write a will that would give ownership of a slave to someone else. Woolman refused. Instead, he convinced the owner to free the enslaved person. Many Quakers believed that slavery was a sin.
Woolman eventually stopped his business work. He felt that making money distracted him from his religious calling. He became a tailor instead. This job gave him more free time. He used this time to travel and share his concerns with other Quakers.
Living a Simple Life
Woolman strongly believed in the Quaker idea of "Testimony of Simplicity." This means living a simple life and avoiding unnecessary things. He felt that retail trade took up too much of his time. He believed he was called to preach "truth and light."
He wrote in his Journal that he left his shop because it caused "much outward care." He said his "mind was weaned from the desire of outward greatness." He felt that success in business did not satisfy a heart set on greatness.
Woolman also cared about economic fairness. He knew that international trade affected local people. As a tailor, he refused to use dyed fabrics. He had learned that dye workers often got sick from the chemicals. He also avoided riding in stagecoaches later in life. He believed the horses were often treated cruelly.
In 1746, he took his first trip to preach. He traveled about 1,500 miles in three months, going as far south as North Carolina. On this trip and others, he preached about many topics, including slavery.
Fighting Against Slavery
Woolman published a book called Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes in 1754. He continued to refuse to write wills that passed on slave ownership. Over time, he personally convinced many Quaker slaveholders to free their slaves.
When Woolman stayed with slaveholders, he insisted on paying the enslaved people for their work. He refused to use fancy silver dishes. He believed that enslaved people in other places were forced to dig for such precious metals. He saw that some owners used slave labor to live easy lives. He felt this was bad for both the slaves and the owners' spirits.
Woolman worked within the Quaker tradition. This meant seeking guidance from God and patiently waiting for agreement. He visited many Quaker meetings. He shared his concerns about slaveholding. Slowly, more and more Quaker groups began to see that slavery was evil. By the end of the American Revolution (1776–1783), almost all North American Quakers had freed their slaves. Those involved in the slave trade also stopped.
Promoting Peace
Woolman also lived by the Quaker "Peace Testimony." This means believing in peace and opposing war. He protested the French and Indian War (1754–1763). This war was part of the larger Seven Years' War.
In 1755, he decided not to pay colonial taxes that supported the war. He encouraged other Quakers in Philadelphia to do the same. This was even when settlers on the frontier were being attacked. Some Quakers joined his protest. The Philadelphia Meeting sent a letter about this issue to other groups.
His Views on Animals
Woolman was a vegetarian. His brother once offered him poultry to eat. Woolman replied, "What, would you have me eat my neighbors?" He was against overworking draft animals. He avoided stagecoaches because he believed the horses were abused.
Woolman believed that "true religion" meant loving God and being fair and kind. This kindness should extend not only to all people but also to animals.
Final Journey and Legacy
Woolman's last journey was to England in 1772. During the ship voyage, he stayed in the cheaper "steerage" section. He spent time with the crew instead of in the nicer cabins. He attended the British London Yearly Meeting of Quakers. The Friends there decided to include a statement against slavery in their official letter to other Quakers.
Woolman then traveled to York, England. Sadly, he caught smallpox and died there. He was buried in York on October 9, 1772.
It's important to note that the portrait often shown as John Woolman might not be him. There is no known true picture of him.
His Published Works
Woolman's writings helped spread his important ideas.
- Essays:
- "Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes" (1753)
- "Some Considerations on Keeping Negroes, Part Second" (1762)
- "Considerations on Pure Wisdom and Human Policy, on Labor, on Schools, and on the Right Use of the Lord's Outward Gifts" (1768)
- "Considerations on the True Harmony of Mankind, and How it is to be Maintained" (1770)
- Books:
- The Journal of John Woolman (published after his death in 1774). This book has been continuously in print since then.
- Serious Considerations on Various Subjects of Importance by John Woolman, of Mount-Holly, New-Jersey, with some of his dying expressions (published after his death in 1805).
Honors and Recognition
John Woolman did not see the end of slavery in his lifetime. However, his efforts greatly changed Quaker views during the Great Awakening. In 1790, after the American Revolutionary War, Quakers in Pennsylvania asked the U.S. Congress to end slavery. While slavery was not ended nationally then, Quakers helped Pennsylvania abolish it. They also helped many slaveholders in the Upper South free their slaves.
- Today, the "fair treatment of people of all races" is a key part of the Quaker "Testimony of Equality."
- The Journal of John Woolman has been included in The Harvard Classics since 1909. It is seen as a very important American spiritual work. It is also one of the longest-published books in North America, besides the Bible.
- The John Woolman Memorial Association in Mount Holly works to share his teachings.
- The John Woolman Memorial in Mount Holly, New Jersey is a house museum. It is near one of his old orchards.
- The John Woolman School was founded in 1963 in Nevada City, California. It is a boarding school named in his honor.
- The Woolman Institute was created at Wilmington College in the 1980s.
- In 2003, scholars founded the John Woolman College of Active Peace. This group aims to bring Quaker ideas of peace into higher education.
- The John Woolman room at Friends House, London, UK, is named after him.
See also
Images for kids
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The John Woolman Memorial in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
