The Raritan Bay Union was a

utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', which describes a fictiona ...

n community in

Perth Amboy, New Jersey Perth Amboy is a city (New Jersey), city in northeastern Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area, New York Metro Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city' ...

, active from 1853 until 1860.

History

Raritan Bay Union was started by Marcus Spring and his wife Rebecca Buffum Spring (1811–1911). Theodore Dwight Weld was in charge of the connected boarding school, active from 1854 until . Maud Honeyman Green writes, "The Union established a progressive boarding school that was a pioneer in co-education. Girl students were encouraged to speak in public, engage in sports, and act in plays, activities that were frowned upon in other schools. Abolitionists Angelina Grimké and Sarah Moore Grimké were teachers in the school, which was run by Angelina’s husband, Theodore D. Weld. Several other noted reformers came to teach and lecture at the school. The Welds’ school operated until about 1861. Others who lived at Raritan Bay Union included

Charles Kingsley Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 – 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the workin ...

, Caroline Kirkland, and James G. Birney. The early women's rights activist Clarina I. H. Nichols left her two youngest children at Raritan Bay Union when she set out with the New England Emigrant Aid Company for

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

in 1855.

Archival material

The New Jersey Historical Society jas papers of the Raritan Bay Union and Eagleswood Military Academy Papers, 1809-1923.

References

{{Perth Amboy, New Jersey Utopian communities in the United States Perth Amboy, New Jersey Populated places established in 1853 1853 establishments in New Jersey Intentional communities in New Jersey

History

See also

Archival material

Further reading

References