Amos Noë Freeman
Encyclopedia
Amos Noë Freeman was an American
abolitionist
, Presbyterian
minister
and educator.
, and was orphaned and raised within the church from an early age. As a child, he was sent to attend the African Free School
in Manhattan
, then matriculated to Phoenix High School in New York City
, established by his mentor, Rev. Thedore Sedgwick Wright. Freeman returned to his native New Jersey to attend Rahway Academy, and later transferred to Oneida Institute in Whitesboro
, which was recently founded by radical Presbyterian minister, Rev. Beriah Green
. Upon graduating from Oneida Institute in the early 1830s, Freeman moved back to New Jersey
, first to New Brunswick
, then Newark
to teach in the Colored
public schools.
In 1839 in Newark, Freeman married Christiana Taylor Williams (1812-1903), a recently manumitted
domestic worker and a black scion of the aristocratic Livingston
family of New York.
, where he was installed as the pastor of the Abyssinian Congregational Church. In 1852, Rev. Freeman became the pastor
of Siloam Presbyterian Church, where he was the minister from 1852 to 1860.
While Rev. Freeman lived in Brooklyn
in the mid-1850s, he secreted Anna Maria Weems, a young girl fleeing slavery
, by disguising her as a boy and personally delivering her to freedom in Ontario
, Canada
. It is likely that is where he met radical abolitionist, John Brown
, who later stayed at the Freeman home in Brooklyn en route to his raid in Harpers Ferry
, Virginia
in 1859.
, Connecticut
, where Rev. Freeman was installed as pastor of the Congregationalist
Talcott Street Church. Rev. Freeman and family returned to Brooklyn in 1864 to rejoin his congregation at Siloam Presbyterian Church, where he stayed until his retirement in 1885. He died at his home in Brooklyn.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
, Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
and educator.
Early life
Freeman was a born in Rahway, New JerseyRahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
, and was orphaned and raised within the church from an early age. As a child, he was sent to attend the African Free School
African Free School
The African Free School was an institution founded by the New York Manumission Society on November 2, 1787. It was founded to provide education to children of slaves and freemen.-History:...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, then matriculated to Phoenix High School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, established by his mentor, Rev. Thedore Sedgwick Wright. Freeman returned to his native New Jersey to attend Rahway Academy, and later transferred to Oneida Institute in Whitesboro
Whitesboro, New York
Whitesboro is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. United States. The population was 3,943 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Hugh White, an early settler.The Village of Whitesboro is inside the Town of Whitestown....
, which was recently founded by radical Presbyterian minister, Rev. Beriah Green
Beriah Green
Beriah Green, Jr. was an American reformer and noted abolitionist.Greene was born in Preston, Connecticut. He graduated from Middlebury College, Vt., in 1819, and then studied for the ministry at Andover Theological Seminary but his religious beliefs did not agree with any denominational creed.In...
. Upon graduating from Oneida Institute in the early 1830s, Freeman moved back to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, first to New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, then Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
to teach in the Colored
Colored
Colored is a term once widely used in the United States to describe black people and Native Americans...
public schools.
In 1839 in Newark, Freeman married Christiana Taylor Williams (1812-1903), a recently manumitted
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
domestic worker and a black scion of the aristocratic Livingston
Robert Livingston the Elder
Robert Livingston the Elder was a New York colonial official, and first lord of Livingston Manor. He married Alida Schuyler in 1679. He was the father of nine children, including Philip, Robert and Gilbert...
family of New York.
Ministry
Freeman was ordained as a minister by the New York Presbytery in 1840. By 1841, he and his wife had moved to Portland, MainePortland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, where he was installed as the pastor of the Abyssinian Congregational Church. In 1852, Rev. Freeman became the pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Siloam Presbyterian Church, where he was the minister from 1852 to 1860.
While Rev. Freeman lived in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in the mid-1850s, he secreted Anna Maria Weems, a young girl fleeing slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, by disguising her as a boy and personally delivering her to freedom in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is likely that is where he met radical abolitionist, John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
, who later stayed at the Freeman home in Brooklyn en route to his raid in Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1859.
Later years
In 1860, the Freemans moved to HartfordHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, where Rev. Freeman was installed as pastor of the Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Talcott Street Church. Rev. Freeman and family returned to Brooklyn in 1864 to rejoin his congregation at Siloam Presbyterian Church, where he stayed until his retirement in 1885. He died at his home in Brooklyn.