EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; SUSIE KING TAYLOR P/3

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Susie King Taylor. She lived from 1848 - 1912. Though Susie opened a number of schools, she had to eventually close all of them after chartered schools for African-Americans were established and she could no longer make a living through teaching. She then became a domestic servant to Mr and Mrs Green, a wealthy white family.

During the Reconstruction era, Susie became a civil rights activist after witnessing much discrimination in the South. She would travel once again to Boston in 1874 and entered into service for the Thomas Smith family in the Boston Highlands. After the death of Mrs Smith, Susie next served Mrs Gorham Gray until her marriage to Russell L. Taylor.

Susie devoted much of the rest of her life to work with the Women's Relief Corps, a national organisation for Female Civil War Veterans, where she held many positions, including guard, secretary and treasurer.

Susie died in 1912.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; SUSIE KING TAYLOR P/2

                                                  Read Part One HERE

In this story I will continue to focus on a woman named Susie King Taylor. She lived from 1848 - 1912. As the Civil War began, Susie was sent back to the country to her mother. She, along with her uncle and his family, fled to St Catherine's Island to seek protection from the Union Fleet. 

After two weeks, they were all transferred to St Simon's Island. While on the gunboat during the transfer, she was questioned by the commander of the boat, inquiring where she was from. Susie informed him that she was from Savannah. He then asked her if she could read and write. When he learned that she could he handed her a notebook and asked her to write her name and where she was from. 

After being on St Simon's Island for three days, Commodore Goldsborough visited Susie and asked her to create a school for children on the island. She agreed to do so, provided she be given the necessary books for study.She received the books from the North and began her first school.

Susie married Sergeant Edward King and they returned to Savannah after the Civil War. While there she opened a school for African-American children (whom she called the "children of freedom.") and an adult night school. Sadly, her husband died soon afterwards.

Read Part Three HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; SUSIE KING TAYLOR P/1

 

In this post I will share a story of a woman named Susie King Taylor. She lived from 1848 - 1912. Susie Taylor, born Susan Ann Baker was the first of nine children born to Raymond and Hagar Ann Reed Baker. She was born into slavery on a plantation owned by Valentine Creest on the Isle of Wight in Liberty County, Georgia. 

When Susie was about seven years old, her grandmother Dolly Reed was allowed by the plantation owner to take Susie to go live with her in Savannah, Georgia. Susie's grandmother sent her to be educated through what was known as an "underground education." Under Georgia law, it was illegal for enslaved peopled to be educated. Susie was taught by a friend of her grandmother, a woman known as Mrs Woodhouse. She was a free woman of colour who lived a half mile away from Susie's grandmother's house. Mrs Woodhouse had the students enter one at a time with their books covered to keep from drawing too much attention by the police or the local white population. 

Susie attended school with about 25 to 30 children for another two years, after which she would find instruction from another free woman of colour, Mrs Mathilda Beasley, who would continue to educate Susie until May 1860. Mrs Beasly then told Susie's grandmother that she had taught Susie all that she knew but that someone else would have to be found to continue Susie's education. Susie was then educated by the son of their landlord, a boy named James Blouis, until he entered the Civil War.

In 1862, Susie was given the opportunity to obtain her own freedom.

Read Part Two HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; ANNE WILLIAMS DUTTON P/6

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Anne Williams Dutton. She lived from 1692 - 1765. Anne was born in Northampton, England. Along with her parents, she attended the Independent Church at Catle Hill in Northampton where she experienced conversion. In her late teens Anne began to attend an open-membership Baptist Church, pastored by John Moore, where she was baptised.

In 1714, Anne married a Mr Cattell and they moved to London. While there, she worshipped with the Calvinistic Baptist Church that met at the premises on Wood Street, Cripplegate. When her husband died in 1720, she moved back to Northampton. The following year she married Benjamin Dutton, a Baptist preacher, who in 1732 became the pastor of the Baptist Congregation in Great Hansdon, Huntingdonshire.

Benjamin perished at sea in 1747. By that time Anne had begun to write. As for the isssue whether she could write as a woman, she maintained that she wrote not for fame, but only for the glory of God, and the good of souls.

To those who might accuse her of violating 1 Timothy 2:12, she answered that her books were not intended to be read in a public setting of worship, which the text was designed to address. Rather, the instruction that each of her books gave was private, for they were to be read  by believers in their own private houses. Her public use of her pen for God's glory broke the convention of her days and inspired other women to do the same.

 Anne died in 1765.

P.S. This is my last story in the series on Evangelical women in 1600. In my next post I will return to sharing stories on Evangelical womn in 1800.                                                          

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; ELIZBETH BATHURST P/5

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE                                                                                                           

In this post I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Elizabeth Bathurst. She lived from 1655 - 1685. She was born in London, England. Her father was Charles Bathurst and her step-mother Grace Bathurst. She attended a Presbyterian Church but in 1678 two prominent Friends visited the Bathurst home where religious seekers were often welcomed. As a consequence of that visit, she became a Quaker. 

During the 1680's, Elizabeth travelled in the minstry, often with her father,  enduring persecution and time in jail. She was imprisoned at least once in the Marshalsa prison.

Elizabeth was recognised during her lifetime by the Quaker community as a gifted writer. George Whitehead, who discussed her major work with her before its publication in 1683, commented on her "excellent gift, both of understanding, life and utterance." She has been described by historian Sarah Apetrei as "by far the most theologically sophisticated" of the numerous women leaders among early Quakers.

One of her writings was "The sayings of Women... in several places of the Scriptures" presenting a theological defence of women's authority to preach and teach.

Elzabeth died in 1685.

Read Part Six HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; HESTER BIDDLE P/4

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE          

In this story I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Hester Biddle. She lived from 1629 - 1697. Hester was born in Oxford, England and brought up as an Anglican. Her conversion to the Quakers took place after hearing Edward Burrough and Francis Howgil preach in 1654.

Hester stated that she found "Peace of Conscience" in joining the Quakers. She began to write a number of pamphlets. However, it was stil illegal for a woman to deliver an address in public. Consequently Hester suffered a probable 14 arrests and imprisonments and in some cases was beaten as well. Nevertheless, she continued to write more pamphlets. Her 1662 pamphlet was written while she was actualy imprisoned in Newgate.

Hester travelled within Britain, as well as Ireland and Scotland. Moreover, she travelled abroad to Canada, the Netherlands, Barbados and Alexandria. Most famous of all was her visit to France in 1694 - 1695. Having previously visited Mary II of England, she obtained permission to address Louis XIV of France, during which - in line with her Quaker beliefs - she urged him to pursue policies of peace.

Hester died in 1710.

Read Part Five HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; ANNE WALDEGRAVE DOCWRA P/3

                                                                                 Read Part One HERE

In this story I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Anne Waldegrave Dowcra. She lived from 1624 - 1710. Anne was born in Bures, Essex, England. Her father was William Waldegrave, who was a Justice of the Peace. Anne received a very good education, including, very unusally for women, the study of law.

Anne married James Dowcra, of an old landed family who by 1665 had become a supporter of the Quaker movement. After her husband died in 1672, Anne moved to Cambridge where she welcomed Quakers, local or travelling, into her home.

Quakers were teaching in Cambridge from as early as 1653, when two women were condemned to a public whipping after discussing their religious views with some students. George Fox, the founder, himself visited Cambridge in 1655 and was heckled and harrassed by students, but managed to hold a meeting with Friends.

Anne wrote several tracts on the subject of religious tolerance as from 1682. She also strongly upheld the role of women in the Friends, to be one of active support. As a final gift to the Quakers of Cambridge, she bequeathed her property in Jesus Lane on a thousand year lease with other property and money, to fund a graveyeard.

Anne died in 1710. 

Read Part Four HERE