Laura Spelman Rockefeller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laura Spelman Rockefeller
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Laura Celestia Spelman
September 9, 1839 Wadsworth, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | March 12, 1915 (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Lake View Cemetery Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Elizabeth, Alice, Alta, Edith, and John Jr. |
| Relatives | See Rockefeller family |
Laura Celestia "Cettie" Spelman Rockefeller (born September 9, 1839 – died March 12, 1915) was an American teacher. She was also known for fighting against slavery (an abolitionist) and for giving money to good causes (a philanthropist). She was an important member of the Rockefeller family. Her husband was John D. Rockefeller, who helped start the company Standard Oil.
Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial were named after her.
Her Early Life
Laura Celestia Spelman was born in Wadsworth, Ohio. Her parents, Harvey Buell Spelman and Lucy Henry, were from Massachusetts. They were called "Yankees" and had moved to Ohio.
Laura's father, Harvey, was an abolitionist. This means he worked to end slavery. He was active in his church, the Congregationalist Church. He also helped the Underground Railroad, which was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
The Spelman family later moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Laura had an older adopted sister named Lucy Maria "Lute" Spelman.
Her Life and Career
In Cleveland, Laura and her sister Lute met John Davison Rockefeller. They were all taking accounting classes together. John was the oldest son of William Avery "Bill" Rockefeller and Eliza Davison.
Laura later went to the Oread Institute in New England. She planned to become a schoolteacher. After she finished her studies, she returned to Ohio to teach.
In 1864, Laura married John D. Rockefeller. After her wedding, Laura stayed very involved with her church. She joined John's church, the Northern Baptists. As John's business, Standard Oil, grew very successful, Laura spent more of her time on charity work and raising her children.
Her Children
Laura and John had five children together:
- Elizabeth ("Bessie") (born August 23, 1866 – died November 14, 1906)
- Alice (born July 14, 1869 – died August 20, 1870)
- Alta (born April 12, 1871 – died June 21, 1962)
- Edith (born August 31, 1872 – died August 25, 1932)
- John Jr. (born January 29, 1874 – died May 11, 1960)
Her Legacy
The Rockefeller family always gave a lot of their money to charity. They donated ten percent of their income. They gave large amounts of money to Spelman College. This college was started to educate Black women.
Laura Spelman Rockefeller passed away on March 12, 1915. She was 75 years old. She died from a heart attack at the family's home, Kykuit, in Pocantico Hills, New York.
After her death, John D. Rockefeller created the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund. He gave a lot of money to this fund. It helped many different charities. Later, it focused on supporting studies in social sciences. Laura Spelman herself was also the founder of Spelman College.
See also
- Rockefeller Foundation
- Philanthropy
