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

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

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'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' 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 a 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 colonizati ...

. 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 National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

(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, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...

, until Eunice was widowed in 1825. Eunice moved to

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

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

Baptist minister Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...

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 political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. T ...

. 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 an Abolitionism in the United States, American abolitionist, journalist, and reformism (historical), social reformer. He is best known for his widely read anti-slavery newspaper ''The ...

, editor and publisher of '' The Liberator'', 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. The key issue was whether women could participate in abolitionist organizations; this Society was opposed. The origin of the split, according t ...

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

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

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. 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 women centenarians Daughters of the American Revolution people