Jesse Torrey

Jesse Torrey, Jr., (May 25, 1787 – ca. 1834) was a Philadelphia physician who gathered first-hand narratives by African Americans and eye-witness accounts by white observers of slavery and kidnapping. He published these, along with his personal observations, in an early anti-slavery book, A Portraiture of Slavery in the United States (Philadelphia, 1817).[1][2][3][4] He also wrote juvenile guides to moral philosophy and natural history.[5] He was born in New Lebanon, New York; his father was Jesse Torrey, and he had a brother, Royal Torrey.[6]

Portrait of Jesse Torrey (1912)
Jesse Torre, Jr., depicted recording the narrative of free people who had been kidnapped

Publications
  • A portraiture of domestic slavery, in the United States: with reflections on the practicability of restoring the moral rights of the slave, without impairing the legal privileges of the possessor; and a project of a colonial asylum for free persons of colour: including memoirs of facts on the interior traffic in slaves, and on kidnapping (Philadelphia: published by the author; John Bioren, printer, 1817). Republished as American Slave Trade or, An Account of the Manner in which the Slave Dealers take Free People from some of the United States of America, and carry them away, and sell them as Slaves in other of the States; and of the horrible Cruelties practised in the carrying on of this most infamous Traffic (London: J. M. Cobbett; printed by C. Clement, 1822).
  • The moral instructor and guide to virtue and happiness. In five parts. With an appendix containing a constitution and form of subscription for the institution of free public libraries (Philadelphia: Balston Spa [N.Y.] Printed for the author by U. F. Doubleday, 1819.) This book went through several editions into the 1830s.

References
  1. "Historical Documents "The Author noting down the narratives..."". Africans in America: Resource Bank. PBS. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  2. "Founders Online: Jesse Torrey to Thomas Jefferson, 15 August 1815". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  3. Ronald H. Bayor (14 July 2004). The Columbia Documentary History of Race and Ethnicity in America. Columbia University Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-231-50840-7.
  4. Elizabeth Dowling Taylor (3 January 2012). A Slave in the White House: Paul Jennings and the Madisons. St. Martin's Publishing Group. pp. 57–8. ISBN 978-1-137-00018-7.
  5. Ockerbloom, John Mark. "Online Books by Jesse Torrey". The Online Books Page. The Online Books Page. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  6. "Jesse Torrey". House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College. Dickinson College. Retrieved 5 June 2020.


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