Eunice Russ Ames Davis (October 22, 1800 – 1901) was a multiracial

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

and one of the founding members of the

Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society The Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society (1833–1840) was an abolitionist, interracial organization in Boston, Massachusetts, in the mid-19th century. "During its brief history ... it orchestrated three national women's conventions, organized a mult ...

. In 1896, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' named her the "oldest living female abolitionist in the world".

Early life and family

Eunice Davis was born Eunice Russ in

North Andover, Massachusetts North Andover is an affluent town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 30,915. History Native Americans inhabited what is now northeastern Massachusetts for thousands of years prior to European c ...

. Her father, Prince Ames, was a black American Revolutionary War patriot. Her mother, Eunice Russ, was born to a white mother and a Native American father. Due to her father's Revolutionary War service, Eunice joined the

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

(DAR), where she stood out due to her mixed heritage. Eunice married her first husband in 1819, Robert Ames. With Ames she had two sons and a daughter. Her family resided in

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...

, until Eunice was widowed in 1825. Eunice moved to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

following the death of her husband, where she married her second husband, John Davis. Davis was an African American

Baptist minister Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

Abolitionist activities

Davis was religious. She was the president of the first independent Baptist Female Society and attended the Zion church in Boston, where she met other

abolitionists Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

. Davis worked with abolitionists Margarett Scarlett, Eliza Ann Logan Lawton, and Anna Logan to fight segregation in Boston's public schools. In 1833, Eunice became an officer and a founder of the

, where she helped to gather petition signatures in support of anti-slavery legislation. She actively supported other abolitionists, including

William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was a prominent American Christian, abolitionist, journalist, suffragist, and social reformer. He is best known for his widely read antislavery newspaper '' The Liberator'', which he found ...

, editor and publisher of ''

The Liberator Liberator or The Liberators or ''variation'', may refer to: Literature * ''Liberators'' (novel), a 2009 novel by James Wesley Rawles * ''The Liberators'' (Suvorov book), a 1981 book by Victor Suvorov * ''The Liberators'' (comic book), a Britis ...

'', which advocated against slavery among other issues. Support for Garrison caused a split in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society, as some members believed Garrison went too far with his anti-government and anti-church views in his newspaper. The people who did not support Garrison's views went to their own organization, the

American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society The American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society split off from the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1840 over a number of issues, including the increasing influence of anarchism (and an unwillingness to participate in the government's political proce ...

, in 1840. In 1839, Davis and other members petitioned the

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

legislature to denounce a law restricting interracial marriage. The law was ultimately repealed in 1843. When in her nineties, ''

'' proclaimed her the "oldest living female abolitionist in the world".

Death and legacy

Davis died in Boston in 1901, outliving her husband and children. She was buried at

Brookdale Cemetery Brookdale Cemetery is an historic cemetery in Dedham, Massachusetts. More than 28,000 people are buried there. Mother Brook runs behind it. History For nearly 250 years after it was established, Old Village Cemetery was the only cemetery in Dedha ...

. Davis is considered by the

(DAR) to be a Real Daughter, meaning that she is a daughter, and not just a distant descendant, of a Revolutionary soldier or Patriot. She was a member of DAR's Old South Chapter of the DAR.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Eunice American abolitionists 1800 births 1901 deaths American centenarians Women centenarians