Thankful Southwick facts for kids

Thankful Southwick (born July 2, 1792 – died April 29, 1867) was an important Quaker activist. She lived in Boston, Massachusetts. Thankful worked to end slavery (she was an abolitionist). She also fought for women's rights.

Thankful was against slavery her whole life. In 1835, she joined the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society with her three daughters. She was present during two big events: the 1835 Boston Mob and the Abolition Riot of 1836. Thankful also helped restart the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society after a disagreement in 1840. She later joined the New England Non-Resistance Society.

She held many leadership roles in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. She was a counselor in 1837. She also served as President in 1840, 1841, 1842, and 1844. Thankful was also active in the women's rights movement. She attended and signed the call for the first National Women's Rights Convention. This important meeting happened in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1850.

Thankful and her husband, Joseph Southwick, had a special home. It was a meeting place for other abolitionists. It was also a safe stop on the Underground Railroad for people escaping slavery. During her time as an activist, Thankful and her family knew many famous people. These included William Lloyd Garrison, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Frederick Douglass.

Thankful Southwick's Life Story

Early Years

Thankful Hussey Southwick was born on July 2, 1792. Her hometown was Portland, Maine. Her father, Samuel F. Hussey, was a Quaker and also an abolitionist. He believed strongly that slavery was wrong. Samuel learned about the anti-slavery movement from letters and pamphlets. These came from his friends in England.

Samuel was known for helping people who had escaped slavery. He helped them find freedom in Canada. Thankful learned her strong anti-slavery beliefs from her father. She had two sisters named Sarah and Comfort.

Family Life

On October 1, 1818, Thankful married Joseph Southwick. He was also from Portland and shared her anti-slavery views. Thankful and Joseph had three daughters.

• Abigail Southwick (born 1819) became an abolitionist. She represented the group at the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention.
• Sarah Southwick (born 1821) was also an abolitionist. She was a secretary for the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. She also wrote a book about early anti-slavery days.
• Anna Southwick (born 1823) joined the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society when she was only 12 years old.

In 1834, the Southwick family moved to South Danvers, Massachusetts. This town is now called Peabody. They later moved to Boston in 1835.

Later Life and Legacy

Thankful died peacefully in her sleep on April 29, 1867. She was 75 years old. She passed away in Grantville, which is now Wellesley, Massachusetts. Her obituary (a notice of her death) was written by Lydia Maria Child. Her eulogy (a speech praising her) was given by William Lloyd Garrison.

Thankful and her husband were much loved by their friends. These friends were also involved in the anti-slavery and women's rights movements. Frederick Douglass once said they were "two of the noblest people I ever knew." Thankful, her husband, and their daughters are buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts.

Fighting for Freedom: The Abolitionist Movement

Joining the Boston Movement

When the Southwicks moved to Boston, they didn't know many families. However, their reputation as strong abolitionists was already known. They quickly met other important anti-slavery families in Boston. They became very involved in the city's movement. Thankful and her daughters became close friends with the Chapmans and Westons.

Thankful Southwick became a key leader in the Boston abolition movement. She was also very important in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. Thankful and her daughters joined this society after moving to Boston in 1835. Even their two household helpers joined the group.

As a member, Thankful did many things. She wrote and signed petitions. She also raised money for the anti-slavery cause. She helped organize the yearly Anti-Slavery Fair. This fair raised money for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Thankful also went to state legislature meetings and court hearings. This was unusual for women at that time. However, Thankful and other women activists helped change this. They showed that women could take part in political life.

Because the Southwicks were a wealthy family, Thankful could spend a lot of time and money on the cause. She and her daughters became very powerful in the Boston abolition movement. In her first two years, Thankful saw two major riots. These were the 1835 Boston Mob and the 1836 Abolition Riot.

The 1835 Boston Mob

In October 1835, George Thompson was invited to speak. The meeting was at the office of The Liberator newspaper. Thankful and 49 other women from the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society were there. A large crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 people gathered outside. They were against abolition and were looking for Thompson.

While the crowd rioted and damaged the office, Thankful and the other women stayed calm. They continued to read and talk among themselves. The mayor eventually convinced the women to leave. Thankful and the others walked through the rioting streets unharmed. During his visits, Thompson often stayed at the Southwick home. Thankful would serve him dinner, and he would share stories from England.

The 1836 Abolition Riot

Thankful also took part in the Abolition Riot of 1836. This event was also known as the Baltimore Slave Cases. In August 1836, two women, Eliza Small and Polly Anne Bates, were captured. A slave catcher claimed they were runaway slaves. However, the women had legal papers proving they were free.

Thankful and four other women from the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society attended their trial. They wanted to offer comfort to Eliza and Polly Anne. The judge ruled that the women should be set free. A riot then broke out in the courtroom. People rushed forward and helped Eliza and Polly Ann escape. After they were safe, Thankful bravely told the slave catcher, "thy prey hath escaped thee."

Changes in the Anti-Slavery Society

In 1837, the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society worked with Sarah and Angelina Grimke. These sisters gave public speeches against slavery. Their speeches were very controversial. Some ministers and Bostonians did not like women speaking in public. They called the women "petticoat politicians."

This led to a split in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. One group believed women should not be so public. The other group, including Thankful Southwick, believed women should play a public role. They thought women should be seen as equal to men in the movement.

For a few years, the two groups disagreed. Thankful and her group continued to attend political meetings. They fought for their ideas. In 1840, the society voted to dissolve (break up). However, a week later, Thankful's group voted to restart the society. Thankful became President of the new Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1840, 1841, 1842, and 1844. The Anti-Slavery Fairs became a major focus for the group. Thankful and other members continued to work for the cause.

The Underground Railroad

Thankful and Joseph Southwick's home was a well-known meeting place. It was a safe haven for abolitionists. Elizabeth Cady Stanton said their home was "always a harbor of rest for the weary." She added that it was a place where "one was always sure to meet someone worth knowing."

The Southwick home was also open to people escaping slavery. It was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. This secret network helped people travel from the South to freedom in Canada.

Non-Resistance Movement

In 1838, William Lloyd Garrison started the New England Non-Resistance Society. This group believed in peaceful protest. They were against any kind of violence, even for defense. Unlike other peace groups, this society allowed both men and women to be members and leaders. Thankful Southwick joined this society. She was later elected to its Executive Committee.

Fighting for Equality: Women's Rights

Like many other abolitionists, Thankful also supported women's rights. In October 1850, Thankful and her daughter Sarah attended a very important meeting. It was the National Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. This was the first national convention for women's rights. It called for "equality before the law without distinction of sex or color." This meant equal rights for everyone, no matter their gender or race.

See also

• Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society
• New England Non-Resistance Society
• Abolitionist Movement