Photius Fisk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chaplain
Photius Fisk
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1809 Hydra, Greece |
| Died | February 4, 1890 (aged 80–81) Boston, Mass, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cedar Grove Cemetery, Dorchester, Massachusetts |
| Known for | Philanthropist Botanist Abolitionist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1842–1864 |
| Rank | Chaplain |
Photius Fisk (Greek: Φώτιος Καβασάλης Φισκ; January 1807/1809 – February 4, 1890) was a Greek-American who did many important things. He was a religious leader, a scientist who studied plants, and a kind person who gave a lot of money to help others. He also fought against slavery and for equal rights.
Photius Fisk is famous for helping to end a harsh punishment called flogging (whipping) in the U.S. Navy. Thanks to his efforts, a law was passed in 1850 to stop it. This was especially helpful for enslaved people forced to work in the Navy. Photius Fisk also gave money to many groups working to end slavery. He even paid for monuments to honor people who fought against slavery. He spent his life helping those who were poor and in need.
Contents
Photius Fisk's Early Life
Photius Kavasalis Fisk was born on the island of Hydra in Greece. When he was young, his family moved to Smyrna. His father worked there as an accountant. Around 1814, a terrible sickness called the plague swept through. Sadly, Photius lost his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters to the plague. Photius also got sick but thankfully recovered.
After this tragedy, Photius moved to Malta to live with his older brother, Athanasius. In 1821, the Greek War of Independence began. Photius was only about 13 years old. His brother Athanasius joined the fight for Greece's freedom.
Journey to America
In the summer of 1822, Photius met an American missionary named Pliny Fisk. Photius was living with his uncle, Panages Maneses, at the time. Photius decided he wanted to become a missionary too. His uncle talked to a local priest to understand what Photius would learn in America. The priest, John Karavelles, decided to send his own son, Anastasius, with Photius. Photius was told he could not marry if he became a missionary.
Both boys boarded a ship called the America in Malta. They spoke Greek, Italian, and Maltese, but no English. They arrived in the United States on February 22, 1823. This day is George Washington's Birthday. The boys traveled through New England and saw many beautiful churches. In Boston, they met important Americans, including former President John Quincy Adams.
School Days in America
Photius and Anastasius were sent to a mission school in Cornwall, Connecticut. Their principal, Mr. Daggett, taught them basic English. The boys were young and far from home. They met the governor of Connecticut, Oliver Wolcott Jr.. He invited them to his house for their next vacation. However, Deacon Loomis told Photius and Anastasius they had to plow fields instead. The boys secretly went to the Governor's house anyway. Everyone at school thought they had drowned! They had a wonderful summer vacation. The Governor helped them return to school and continue their education.
Later in 1823, Photius and Anastasius moved to New Haven, Connecticut. They attended Hopkins Academy for two years. They studied English, Greek, Latin, math, and geography. They were preparing to go to Amherst College. Sadly, the Board of Foreign Missions decided to separate Photius and Anastasius. They no longer lived together.
Photius then went to an academy connected to Amherst College. He continued to study languages, math, and astronomy. Because they were from another country, Photius and Anastasius needed special permission to leave the school. One summer, a friend invited Photius to vacation in Brattleboro, Vermont. Anastasius begged him not to go. But Photius went and had a great time riding horses in Vermont. When he returned, the president of Amherst College, Heman Humphrey, told him he was expelled. This was his second time disobeying the rules. Photius was sent back to his uncle in Malta. Anastasius stayed and studied law instead of becoming a pastor.
Photius Sees Slavery
Back in Malta, Photius's uncle helped him get a job with the new Greek government. Photius took a ship to Aegina. He was supposed to wait for news about a battle. Instead, he used money given to him to travel to Smyrna. He wanted to go back to the United States to finish his education. He found a ship going to New York, but it never made it there.
Photius ended up stranded in the Caribbean, on the island of Martinique. Luckily, he knew the American consul there from New Haven. On the island, Photius saw slavery for the first time. He was horrified by it. He had learned about the terrible Ottoman slavery as a child, and it filled him with fear. He hated slavery.
He found a way to get to New York, but the ship stopped in Wilmington, North Carolina. There, he saw American slavery, which he found even worse than what he had seen in Martinique.
Fighting for Freedom
In 1828, Photius was in New York City with no money. A rich helper named Gerard Halleck assisted him. Photius worked as a pharmacist and in a hardware store. He stayed in New York for several years. He became an abolitionist, meaning he wanted to end slavery.
He attended church meetings where he met Samuel Hanson Cox. Cox was an abolitionist minister who allowed African American members in his church. Cox even preached that Jesus might have had dark skin. This idea angered many people in New York City. A mob formed and attacked Cox's church and home during the New York anti-abolitionist riots. Cox, his family, and Photius had to flee the city.
Photius was invited to join the Congregationalist church. He decided to dedicate his life to religious work and fighting for freedom. He received a full scholarship from Dr. Samuel Hanson Cox. Cox took a job at the Auburn Theological Seminary in Upstate New York, which was a safer place. Photius studied there for three years to become a minister. He was no longer restricted like he had been in New England. He enjoyed his summer breaks, even traveling to Niagara Falls. After finishing his studies, he became a minister and started using the name Fisk.
Photius did not like the cold weather in Halifax, Vermont, where he was first placed. Vermont was a state that supported ending slavery. After a while, he traveled and preached in different cities. By 1840, he was in Washington D.C.
John Quincy Adams, who was now a member of Congress, knew Photius. He invited Photius to become a Navy Chaplain. Other government members approved, even though they knew he was an abolitionist. Photius was assigned to the frigate Columbia.
Aboard the Columbia
On July 22, 1842, the ship left New York to chase slave-trading vessels near Africa. Sadly, the captain and most officers on the ship owned slaves. They did not actively pursue the traders. Photius was very open about his anti-slavery views, which caused problems with some officers.
By November 1842, the Columbia was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photius was a smart scholar and interested in science. In Brazil, he collected rocks and minerals and made scientific observations. He collected these for colleges in the United States.
The Columbia sailed in South American waters for over a year. In February 1844, they were ordered to join another group of ships in the Mediterranean Sea. The captain, Edward Rutledge Shubrick, suddenly died on March 12, 1844. Chaplain Fisk led the funeral service at the American Naval Station in Mahón.
The Columbia traveled around Europe and reached Naples. Photius asked for time off, which was granted. He went to Hydra, Greece, and found some relatives. He found his first cousin living in poverty and gave her all his money. He then traveled to Athens and met Rev. Jonas King. He even met the king of Greece. The U.S. Consul gave Photius money to return to his ship because he had given all his own money away. After two and a half years, the Columbia arrived back in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 30, 1844.
In 1845, Photius was back in the United States. He was assigned as chaplain of the Washington Navy Yard for five years. He went to Washington to ask government members to support anti-slavery causes. He lived in the same boarding house as Congressmen Samuel L. Southard. John Quincy Adams and Joshua Reed Giddings, who were also abolitionists, were close friends with Photius.
Many Navy chaplains wanted to stop flogging (whipping) as a punishment. Photius joined them and worked very hard to end this practice. Important leaders like Samuel L. Southard, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and Joshua Reed Giddings supported this movement. However, the bill to end flogging was defeated many times during his five years at the Navy Yard. The country was divided on the issue.
Around December 21, 1847, a bill was introduced to officially change Photius Kavasales's name to Photius Fisk. Sadly, his close friend John Quincy Adams died on February 23, 1848. On May 3, 1848, the bill passed, changing his name. The government finally ended flogging in the U.S. Navy in 1850. Six months before the bill passed, Fisk was moved to the Frigate Raritan.
Collecting Rare Plants
Photius became well-known in the Navy for his work against flogging. Sailors admired him, but some officers disliked his views. On August 25, 1850, the frigate Raritan sailed for South America. By October, they were in Brazil. The ship sailed around Cape Horn and reached Valparaíso, Chile, by January 11, 1851.
Photius continued his scientific study of plants and minerals. On this trip, he collected rare plants and seeds for the United States Botanic Garden in Washington. He collected types of orchids like Stanhopea, Cattleya, Epidendrum, and Dendrobium. He also found the vanilla plant and other species, mostly from Brazil. He carefully guarded a butterfly orchid called Psychopsis papilio from Saint Thomas. He kept detailed notes about the plants he found.
Interestingly, the Raritan stopped at the Galapagos Islands on August 6, 1852. This was the same place Charles Darwin had visited in the 1830s. When the ship arrived back in the United States in February 1853, Photius immediately went to Washington. He gave his collected plants to W. D. Breckenridge, the superintendent and botanist of the United States Botanic Garden.
Fighting Slavery Before the Civil War
By the summer of 1853, Photius was moved to Pensacola Navy Yard in Florida. He stayed there for five years. He was known as an abolitionist. Officers and sailors knew he had worked to stop flogging, which helped enslaved people. In June 1855, the navy yard still had 155 enslaved people on its payroll.
Only a few people came to church services on Sundays. When Photius visited the local town, some people would shout angry insults and spit on him. He was afraid of trouble with local slave owners, so he often kept to himself. He spent time reading and playing with his pets. He stayed in touch with other abolitionists like Samuel L. Southard and Joshua Reed Giddings. In 1857, he paid for a monument for abolitionist Captain Daniel Drayton. In the fall of 1858, after five years, he was reassigned.
Photius took three months off. The Navy told him to wait at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston for two years. Around early 1859, he became very active in the abolitionist community in Boston. He was close friends with William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Theodore Weld, and Parker Pillsbury. He gave large amounts of money to the cause of ending slavery.
In May 1859, Photius met John Brown in Boston. Brown was getting ready for his famous raid on Harpers Ferry. Photius gave Brown one hundred dollars, which would be about $3,000 today. He also got Brown's autograph, which was later given to the Kansas Historical Society.
During and After the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Photius was in Boston, helping the abolitionist cause. He mainly funded different efforts. Around 1861, Photius gave a lot of money to abolitionist William Shreve Bailey. Photius was very important in funding anti-slavery groups during the war. Another Greek American abolitionist, John Celivergos Zachos, was in Boston at this time, writing a book for newly freed people in the South.
Photius's time off from the Navy continued until 1864. He was officially retired by order of President Abraham Lincoln on July 18, 1864. After the war, Photius continued his generous giving. He had saved almost forty thousand dollars, which is about one million dollars today. He gave large sums of money to Berea College and the Holley School in Virginia. He also sent them crackers!
Helping Others and Honoring Abolitionists
After he retired, Photius bought a thirty-six-acre farm in Franklin, Massachusetts. He continued his interest in plants. Many of his abolitionist friends, like William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Theodore Weld, James Redpath, and Parker Pillsbury, often visited his farm.
He helped the local poor and gave away everything he grew to those in need. His farm was open to people of all backgrounds. Apples, pears, peaches, and berries were carefully picked. They were sent as free gifts to charities and anti-slavery friends. After two years, he sold the farm and moved back to Boston.
Photius continued his charity work. He rented rooms for poor people. He spent his time helping the needy and working with local newspapers. He also spent time with Wendell Phillips and other friends. In the fall of 1870, he paid for a monument for Henry Clarke Wright in Providence, Rhode Island. In one case, he gave one hundred dollars to a ship captain and crew for saving two lives.
He took six thousand dollars to travel around the world, including Greece. This amount would be about $130,000 today. He originally planned to go all the way to China, but his trip was cut short. He traveled to Greece for two years. He visited his relatives and gave them money again. He saw his childhood friend Anastasius Karavelles. The trip ended early in May 1873. Photius was worried the financial markets would crash, so he returned to the United States. He brought back art, pictures, old artifacts, seashells, and mineral samples.
Back in the United States, Photius gave a lot of money to anti-slavery monuments. He helped pay for a monument for Charles Turner Torrey. In 1875, the printing press of William Shreve Bailey, who printed anti-slavery papers, was burned down. Photius again gave a large amount of money to help Bailey continue his printing business. In 1878, Photius built a monument for Jonathan Walker. Six thousand people attended the dedication. This monument became a special place for people working for fairness and equality.
Another Greek American, Michael Anagnos, lived in Boston and was the head of the Perkins School for the Blind. Photius gave a large donation to this school. In 1881, he donated 129 old Greek books to the University of Iowa. In 1884, Chaplain Fisk gave one thousand dollars to the Paine Memorial Company. This company owned a building that hosted lectures. Photius's donation was to support these lectures. He also donated his valuable collection of pictures and artifacts from Europe and the United States. This collection was worth thousands of dollars and was sent to the Paine Memorial Building in Boston.
In the fall of 1886, Chaplain Fisk built another monument for his abolitionist friend William Shreve Bailey. Fisk continued his generous giving until he died. In 25 years, from the end of the Civil War until his death, Photius gave to many charities and countless individuals. He helped pay for the schooling of poor students at Harvard, Yale, Amherst, and Dartmouth Colleges. After he died, his large fortune was given to the poor and needy. The Colored Woman's Home was specifically mentioned. The people in charge of his will were told to give the money to the poor as they saw fit. Lyman F. Hodge wrote a book about Photius's life in 1891, detailing his good deeds.
Monuments Photius Fisk Helped Build
- Captain Daniel Drayton Monument (1857)
- Henry Clarke Wright Monument at Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island (1870)
- Charles Turner Torrey Monument (1873)
- Jonathan Walker Monument, Muskegon, Michigan (1878)
- William Shreve Bailey Monument (1886)
Organizations Photius Fisk Supported
- Berea College
- Holley School
- Office of American Secular Union
- The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
- Colored Home
- Male Orphan Asylum Athens, Greece
- Iowa College
- Perkins School for the Blind
- Thomas Paine Memorial Corp. Boston
- Office of Free Thought San Francisco
- Free Religious Index
- Salem Orphans and Children's Friend Society
- Boston Investigator
Monument Gallery
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William Shreve Bailey Monument
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Charles Turner Torrey Monument
See also
- George Colvocoresses
- Garafilia Mohalbi
- Joseph Stephanini
