Other People of Note

Forten sister and poet under the names "Magawisca" and "Ada." "The Grave of the Slave," was set to music by black band leader Frank Johnson. She is credited with writing "An Appeal to Woman," published in The Liberator in 1834.

Sarah married Joseph Purvis in 1838. When he died In 1857, Sarah and her children moved to the Forten family home. (No existing photos.)

James worked as an apprentice sailmaker, and by the early 1800s invented one and made his fortune. He used more than half of his wealth to free slaves, finance The Liberator, operate an Underground Railroad station, and fund a school for black children in his house.

Father to Harriet and Margaretta. In 1834 young white thugs attacked and almost killed his son on the streets of Philadelphia.

Named Charlotte Vandine Forten. James' wife, and mother of Harriet and Margaretta. In 1833, she and her three daughters helped to found the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, the first integrated women's abolitionist organization.

Benjamin was a Philadelphia Mayor in 1831. When Philadelphia Mayor George Mifflin Dallas resigned in 1828, Benjamin was elected to fill out his unexpired term. He served as Mayor of Philadelphia in 1829, and then was elected into the position from 1830 to 1832.

Replaced Richards in 1832 and was mayor of Philadelphia in 1838. He addressed the anti-abolitionist mob saying: “I would, fellow citizens, look upon you as my police. . . and I trust you will abide by the laws. And keep order.”

When the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women returned to Philadelphia in 1839, he asked that attendees avoid walking through the city in racially mixed groups. They did not honor his request.

The second son of a wealthy cotton broker and a free woman of color. In 1831, Robert married Harriet Forten. Their home became know as the Purvis “safe house.”

In 1833, he helped establish the Library Company of Colored People. Robert served as President of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society between 1845 and 1850. He was the first African American to lead a predominately white anti-slavery organization.

In 1830, William Lloyd Garrison started an abolitionist paper, The Liberator whose motto read, "Our country is the world—our countrymen are mankind."

In 1832, he helped form the New England Anti-Slavery Society and in 1833 he founded the American Anti-Slavery Society. When the Civil War ended, he finally saw the abolition of slavery.

Sister of Angelina. Sarah moved to Philadelphia to become a Quaker in 1829. Both sisters were expelled from the group when Angelina chose to marry Thomas Weld.

In 1837, she made an appearance at the Anti-Slavery Convention in New York. Afterwards, the sisters launched a public speaking tour in New England. She published a series of letters in 1837 in the New England Spectator titled Letters on the Equality of the Sexes.

Andrew Jackson was the president of the United States from 1829–1837. Under his presidency, voting rights did not extend to women, American Indians, or free African Americans.

New Jersey restricted the right to vote to white men. Connecticut passed a law in 1814 restricting suffrage to white men only. In 1822, New York required that “men of color” possess property valuing more than $250—an exorbitant amount at the time.

Martin Van Buren was the president of the United States from 1837–1841. During his presidency, freemen in the North found their civil and political rights eroded or eliminated by state legislatures.

In the South, slaves had only the limited protections of the "Slave Codes" designed to prevent their inhumane treatment. Abolitionists still remained outside the American political and social mainstream.

Brother of Robert. In 1835, Joseph moved to Robert's property in Bensalem after acquiring 205 acres of land named the Eddington farm. He married Sarah Forten in 1838.

Records show that Robert continuously used Joseph's property as a transfer station for slaves on the Underground Railroad. Joseph died in 1857. (Pictured is his son, William.)

Theodore was a lecturer for the American Anti-Slavery Society. On May 14, 1838, he married Angelina Grimké in Philadelphia. Three days later, a mob burned down Pennsylvania Hall.

Theodore, Angelina, and Sarah Grimké produced American Slavery As It Is, which influenced Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He outlived Angelina and died at 91.