Francis Jackson Meriam (sometimes misspelled Merriam) was an American

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 ...

, born on November 17, 1837, in

Framingham Framingham () is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Incorporated in 1700, it is located in Middlesex County and the MetroWest subregion of the Greater Boston metropolitan area. The city proper covers with a popula ...

, Massachusetts, and died on November 28, 1865, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He was named for his grandfather, Francis Jackson, who had been president of the

American Anti-Slavery Society The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist society in the United States. AASS formed in 1833 in response to the nullification crisis and the failures of existing anti-slavery organizations, ...

. Hinton describes him as "handsome, well-to-do, cultivated, and traveled". Instead of college, he lived in Paris for some time. In contrast, Sanborn described him as "enthusiastic and resolute, but with little judgment, and in feeble health; altogether, one would say, a very unfit person to take part actively in Brown’s enterprise." He was blind in one eye. He was the only one of John Brown's raiders who helped him financially.

Participation in John Brown's raid

Meriam is unique among Brown's raiders, as so far as is known, he is the only one to have sent Brown an application letter, asking to participate. He had previously gone to Kansas with a letter of introduction from

Wendell Phillips Wendell Phillips (November 29, 1811 – February 2, 1884) was an American abolitionist, labor reformer, temperance activist, advocate for Native Americans, orator, and attorney. According to George Lewis Ruffin, a black attorney, Phillip ...

, hoping to meet Brown, but did not find him. He wrote to John Brown on December 23, 1858, that he was going to

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

for a few months. He continued: "I already consider this rown's projectthe whole present business of my life. I am entirely free from any family ties which would impede my action. I was much disappointed in not meeting you in Kansas last winter, with a letter of recommendation from Wendell Phillips. Immediately upon my return in the spring, I should wish to be employed in any manner to be of service to you; and, if convenient, to go through your system of training which I propose studying." In October 1859 he participated in the raid on Harpers Ferry led by

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

. He remained at the Kennedy Farm in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, "to guard the arms and ammunition stored on the premises, until it should be time to move them." Once he learned the raid turned badly, he managed to escape.

After Harpers Ferry

During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, Meriam became a Captain in the Union Army in the 3rd South Carolina Colored Infantry Regiment (at the time, all colored units had white officers). Meriam was wounded in the leg during an engagement under Grant. After the war, he "went to Mexico to join enitoJuárez in 1865. He has not since been heard from."

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meriam, Francis Jackson 1837 births 1865 deaths American abolitionists American rebels American revolutionaries John Brown's raiders People from Framingham, Massachusetts