Martha Ellicott Tyson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martha Ellicott Tyson
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Martha Ellicott Tyson (1795-1873), Quaker elder, co-founder of Swarthmore College, and author
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| Born | September 13, 1795 Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, US
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| Died | March 5, 1873 (aged 77) Baltimore, Maryland, US
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| Resting place | Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland |
| Spouse(s) | Nathan Tyson, son of Elisha Tyson |
| Children | 12 |
| Parent(s) | George and Elizabeth (Brooke) Ellicott |
Martha Ellicott Tyson (born September 13, 1795 – died March 5, 1873) was an important Quaker leader. She worked to end slavery and supported women's rights. Martha was also a historian and helped start Swarthmore College. She was married to Nathan Tyson, a merchant. His father, Elisha Tyson, was famous for freeing enslaved people. Martha Ellicott Tyson was honored in the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 1988.
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Early Life and Education
Martha was born on September 13, 1795. Her parents were George and Elizabeth Ellicott. They were a respected Quaker family in Maryland. Their home was a stone house built in 1789 near the Patapsco River. Martha's father often welcomed Native Americans to their home.
Martha was one of seven children. She grew up in Ellicott's Mills. This town is now called Ellicott City, Maryland. Her grandfather, Andrew Ellicott, and his brothers founded the town. Martha wrote about a Christmas visit from Chief Little Turtle in 1807. She was twelve years old at the time. Even though she only went to primary school, she learned a lot at home. She could also speak French very well.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1815, Martha married Nathan Tyson. Nathan's father, Elisha Tyson, was a Quaker from Baltimore who worked to end slavery. Nathan Tyson became the first president of the Baltimore Chamber of Commerce. He was also the first president of the Baltimore Corn and Flour Exchange.
Martha and Nathan had a loving marriage. People described Martha as a "woman of much sweetness and dignity." She was also very educated and talented.
The couple had twelve children. Ten of them lived to be adults. Martha made sure both her sons and daughters received a good education.
Nathan died on January 6, 1867. Leaders of the Baltimore Corn and Flour Exchange spoke highly of him. They said he showed "integrity, courtesy, and goodness of heart" every day.
Quaker Leader and Educator
Martha was a member of the Little Falls Meetinghouse in Harford County. When she was 35, she became an Elder of the Baltimore Quaker Meeting. This meant she was a respected leader in her religious community. At 66, she was officially named a minister.
Tyson worked hard to improve education for enslaved people and women. She and her husband helped start the Fallston Public Library. Martha also suggested creating a committee for education. This committee would train teachers and focus on higher education for Quaker children. She was a strong supporter of ending slavery.
Founding Swarthmore College
Martha was very dedicated to education. This led her to become a co-founder of Swarthmore College. She had tried for ten years to start a college without success.
Then, Martha and her husband tried a new plan. They invited Quaker leaders from New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland to their home. About 30 leaders attended this meeting. This gathering helped start the second college in the United States that allowed both boys and girls to study together. This created new learning chances for women.
Swarthmore College was founded in 1860, just before the American Civil War. Its goal was to create "a better educated generation." This generation would work for freedom, peace, and fairness. Martha was on the college's Board of Managers. In 1863, she wrote to the president of Vassar College. She encouraged hiring women professors at the new school. Swarthmore College finally opened its doors in 1869, after the war ended.
Author and Editor
Martha wrote two books about Benjamin Banneker. He was a free African-American farmer. Banneker became famous for his almanacs and surveying skills. He also knew a lot about astronomy, math, and nature. Banneker often visited Martha's childhood home. He and her family shared a love for learning. Martha's father, George Ellicott, was a friend and mentor to Banneker. Banneker lived about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Ellicotts in what is now Oella, Maryland.
Martha was eleven years old when Banneker died. She interviewed people and gathered information for her two biographies. Her daughter, Anne Tyson Kirk, edited the second book. Anne even asked Frederick Douglass for advice. Martha's two books about Banneker are:
- Sketch in the Life of Benjamin Banneker, published in 1854.
- Benjamin Banneker: The African-American Astronomer, published in 1884 after her death.
Martha also wrote A Brief Account of the Settlement of Ellicott's Mills. She co-authored American Family History: Fox, Ellicott, Evans. She also wrote stories about her family members. One was about Joseph Ellicott, which the Maryland Historical Society printed.
Martha's father and Gerald T. Hopkins traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana. This area was then called the Northwest Territory. They went there to meet with Native Americans. Hopkins kept a detailed journal of their trip. Martha edited this journal in 1862. She also wrote about her father's meetings with the U.S. government. These meetings discussed Native American issues.
Death and Legacy
Martha's health declined for about three months. She died on March 5, 1873, at 77 years old. Her family was with her when she passed away. She was buried at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore.
In 1910, John Russell Hayes wrote a poem. It was called A Portrait of Martha Ellicott Tyson. The poem remembered a painting of Martha at Swarthmore College. Martha was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 1988.
Martha Ellicott Tyson came from a tradition that encouraged and appreciated the intellectual accomplishments of the family's women. During her life, Tyson, continued to encourage and support the rights of women and slaves to achieve the freedom necessary to reach their full potential. As a pioneering spiritual leader and minister of the Society of Friends, her life was moved by a desire to do good.
—Maryland Women's Hall of Fame
