Lydia Neal Dennett

Lydia Louisa Neal Dennett (1798 - June 4, 1881) was an abolitionist and suffragist from Portland, Maine. Her home was a station on the Underground Railroad and Dennett helped Ellen Craft escape to England. Later, Dennett became involved in women's suffrage and served on the executive committee of the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA).

Biography

Lydia Louisa Neal Dennett was born in Eliot, Maine in 1798 and was the first cousin of John Neal.[1][2] She was educated by Quakers.[3] Lydia married Oliver Dennett and moved to Portland, Maine.[1] The Dennett's home on Spring Street was a station on the Underground Railroad.[4] The couple kept a "closed carriage with a fine pair of horses" provided by the antislavery society to help aid escaped slaves reach safety.[5]

Lydia Dennett and abolitionist, Elizabeth Widgery Thomas, intervened in an anti-slavery riot that broke out in 1840s at a Portland Female Anti-Slavery Society meeting.[1] Dennett and Thomas helped lecturer, Stephen S. Foster, to safety during the riot.[1] Dennett also helped Ellen Craft, an escaped slave, and her husband flee to England.[4]

In 1852, Oliver Dennett died.[6] Lydia Dennett continued her work, especially for women's rights.[1] Dennett was on the executive committee of the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) in 1869.[1] In 1872, Dennett was the vice president of the committee.[1] That same year, she led a petition campaign for women's suffrage in Maine.[2]

Lydia Dennett died on June 4, 1881 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.[1]

References
  1. McNelly, Sue. "Biographical Sketch of Lydia Louisa Neal Dennett". Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920 – via Alexander Street.
  2. Risk 2009, p. 88.
  3. Beedy 1895, p. 239.
  4. Beedy 1895, p. 240.
  5. Beedy 1895, p. 240-241.
  6. Beedy 1895, p. 241.

Sources
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.