Amos Fortune

Amos Fortune’s resilience and determination led him to create a remarkable life for himself beginning
at the age of 60, when after some 45 years as a slave he bought his own freedom, built up a prosperous business as a tanner, bought the freedom of several other enslaved Africans, and became one of the most respected men in the predominantly white town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where he finally settled.

Because good records were not kept on the Africans who were kidnaped from their native land, Amos Fortune’s African name is not known, nor are any of the details of his early life. Scholars believe that he was born around 1710 in western Africa, either on the Gold Coast (which today includes regions in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana), or in the West African country that is today known as Guinea. The earliest records on Fortune date from 1752, when he was owned by Ichabod Richardson, a tanner in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Although Richardson had promised Fortune his freedom several times, when he died unexpectedly in 1768, his new will made no mention of Amos Fortune. In theory, Fortune was still a slave, but since he was 58, it was unlikely that anyone would want to buy him. In November 1769, papers were finally drawn up giving Fortune his freedom.

There is no information about Fortune’s life between the years 1770 and 1774, but he must have found ways to earn and even to save money, for on July 20, 1774, he bought a half-acre of land in Woburn, Massachusetts, where he built a small house. Unusually for most people of the time, Fortune knew how to read and write, and enjoyed a high level of trust among his fellow African Americans.

In 1777, for example, an enslaved man in Lexington, Massachusetts, Pompey Blackman, authorized Fortune to act as his business representative. On June 23, 1778, Fortune bought the freedom of the African American Lydia Somerset from her owner in Billerica, Massachusetts. He married her on July 8, 1778, in Lexington; sadly, she died three months later, on October 3, 1778. On November 9, 1779, Fortune went on to buy the freedom of Violate Baldwin from her owner James Baldwin of North Woburn. He married her the following day. At the time, Violate was 50, while Amos was 69. Violate remained his wife for the rest of his life. Fortune later bought the freedom of other enslaved Africans, including fouryear-old Celyndia, whom he and Violate adopted. In the summer of 1781, the couple moved to
Jaffrey, New Hampshire. When the Fortunes arrived in Jaffrey, they were “warned out” by town constable Joseph Thorndike. Although some historians have interpreted the incident as racially based, all new arrivals were given a similar warning, so that if they were unable to support themselves, the town would not be required to take care of them. The Fortunes ignored the warning, stayed in Jaffrey, and built up a prosperous business.

For eight years, Fortune lived on land owned by the town, but in 1789, he bought his own 25 acres on a road that is now known as Amos Fortune Road. It was here that he dug tanning pits, built a house, and erected a barn. The house and barn are still standing today. Fortune’s tannery quickly prospered, and Fortune became known as one of the best tanners in the area, drawing business from eastern Massachusetts as well as New Hampshire. He was a full member of the local church (as he had been in Woburn), and an active supporter of its activities. He is listed as the town’s first benefactor (meaning that he made the first donation to support the town). He helped to found the local library and reportedly bound several of the library’s books (books were then bound in leather, to which, as a
tanner, Fortune would have had easy access).

On November 17, 1801, Fortune died at the age of 91. He was buried in the Old Burying Ground behind the Meetinghouse, where one year later Violate was interred beside him. His inscription reads, “Sacred to the memory of Amos Fortune who was born free in Africa, a slave in America, he purchased liberty, professed Christianity, lived reputably and died hopefully Nov. 17, 1801 . . .”

Fortune left a $100 legacy to the church and $243 to the local school. When the school closed, the money was unused for many years. Eventually the funds, which with interest have grown to about $10,000, were put into trust for the Jaffrey Public Library children’s department. The library helped publish a biography of Fortune and is exploring other ways to honor his memory.