William Henry Brisbane
Encyclopedia
Reverend Dr. William Henry Brisbane (12 October 1806 Beaufort County, South Carolina
- 5 April 1878 Arena, Wisconsin
) was a Baptist
minister of the southern United States
who, having convinced himself of the immorality of slavery
, freed and settled a group of slaves he had inherited, and became an active abolitionist.
. He was adopted by his rich childless uncle William Brisbane (1759–1821) (whom Brisbane later described as “tho' not remarkably pious, yet one of the most excellent men I ever knew, in whom was combined almost every quality worthy of admiration”) and aunt Mary Ash Deveaux (?-1845). He married 28 May 1825 at Lawtonville Glorianna Lawton (15 July 1805-17 February 1878) who bore him eight recorded children of whom three survived to adulthood.
Brisbane inherited a large number of slaves, but became convinced that slavery was wrong, and in 1835 brought 33 of them to the north, manumitting them and aiding them to settle in life. Since much of Brisbane's wealth was in slaves this act resulted in a considerable loss of income and equity. A this time many family and friends in his social circle, including rice
planters, led lives that were economically dependent on slavery. Freeing his slaves and becoming an outspoken abolitionist resulted in his making enemies with many of those closest to him.
Brisbane came to his abolitionist views because of his inability to refute the claims made by an abolitionist pamphlet he received in the mail. He was especially disturbed by his inability to reconcile the values in the Constitution with those of the slavery institution.
Because of his radical views on slavery, for Antebellum South Carolina
, he had to move north to Cincinnati. There he became the associate of prominent abolitionists, and a constant worker in their cause. In the decades of anti-slavery agitation before the American Civil War
he was an active campaigner for abolition.
In 1855 he moved to Wisconsin
, was chief clerk of the state senate in 1857, and became pastor of the Baptist church in Madison
. He was able to return to South Carolina
(temporarily) as an officer of the victorious Yankee
s in 1864 as a tax commissioner. In June 1874, he took an active part in the reunion of the old abolition guards in Chicago.
Beaufort County, South Carolina
-National protected areas:*Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge *Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155,215 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per...
- 5 April 1878 Arena, Wisconsin
Arena, Wisconsin
Arena is a village in Iowa County, Wisconsin, USA. The population was 685 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Arena. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Arena is located at ....
) was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister of the southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
who, having convinced himself of the immorality of 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...
, freed and settled a group of slaves he had inherited, and became an active abolitionist.
Biography
His father, Adam Fowler Brisbane (1783–1830) appears, from Brisbane's own writings, to have suffered from alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. He was adopted by his rich childless uncle William Brisbane (1759–1821) (whom Brisbane later described as “tho' not remarkably pious, yet one of the most excellent men I ever knew, in whom was combined almost every quality worthy of admiration”) and aunt Mary Ash Deveaux (?-1845). He married 28 May 1825 at Lawtonville Glorianna Lawton (15 July 1805-17 February 1878) who bore him eight recorded children of whom three survived to adulthood.
Brisbane inherited a large number of slaves, but became convinced that slavery was wrong, and in 1835 brought 33 of them to the north, manumitting them and aiding them to settle in life. Since much of Brisbane's wealth was in slaves this act resulted in a considerable loss of income and equity. A this time many family and friends in his social circle, including rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
planters, led lives that were economically dependent on slavery. Freeing his slaves and becoming an outspoken abolitionist resulted in his making enemies with many of those closest to him.
Brisbane came to his abolitionist views because of his inability to refute the claims made by an abolitionist pamphlet he received in the mail. He was especially disturbed by his inability to reconcile the values in the Constitution with those of the slavery institution.
Because of his radical views on slavery, for Antebellum South Carolina
Antebellum South Carolina
Antebellum South Carolina is typically defined by historians as the period of between the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. Due to the invention of the cotton gin in 1786, the economies of the Upcountry and the Lowcountry became fairly equal in wealth...
, he had to move north to Cincinnati. There he became the associate of prominent abolitionists, and a constant worker in their cause. In the decades of anti-slavery agitation before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he was an active campaigner for abolition.
In 1855 he moved to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, was chief clerk of the state senate in 1857, and became pastor of the Baptist church in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. He was able to return to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(temporarily) as an officer of the victorious Yankee
Yankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
s in 1864 as a tax commissioner. In June 1874, he took an active part in the reunion of the old abolition guards in Chicago.