U. S. Navy to Name Ship USNS Lucy Stone

An article posted 20 September 1916 on Worcester Telegram.com gives information about, and local reaction to the news that the U.S. Navy will name a fleet replenishment oiler in honor of 19 century West Brookfield native Lucy Stone.  Lucy was active in both the Women's Suffrage, and the Abolitionist movements.
My previous post about Lucy may be found here.

Update : A U. S. Navy press release dated 29 September 19, 2024 announced the christening of the USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), a fleet replenishment oiler at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California.  A full account of the ceremony may be found at this link. https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3913761/usns-lucy-stone-christened-as-mscs-newest-fleet-replenishment-oiler/ 

An 1839 Antislavery Petition Signed by the Legal Voters of West Brookfield

Harvard University has a collection of Massachusetts Anti-Slavery and Anti Segregation Petitions available online.  One such petition was Senate Unpassed Legislation 1839, Docket 10525, SC1/series 231, Petition of Seth Field .  This was a petition against the admission of Florida or any other slave state to the union.  It was signed by the legal voters of West Brookfield. The eighty-five signatures included such names as Alanson Hamilton, (for whom the GAR chapter was named,) Ebenezer Merriam, Eli Chamberlain, (father of Daniel Henry Chamberlain, who commanded colored troops in the Civil War and served as governor or South Carolina during Reconstruction). Other signers were Alfred White, Seth Field, and Francis Stone (the father of Lucy Stone who was an abolitionist and suffragette.) 


Those researching West Brookfield families or town history should find this interesting. 

Lucy Stone - Abolitionist and Suffragette

Lucy Stone, daughter of Francis and Hannah (Mathews) Stone was born Aug. 13, 1818 on Coy Hill, in what is now West Brookfield, MA.  Her parents were staunch Congregationalists who also shared abolitionist views.  Francis Stone also believed in advanced education for his sons, but did not support higher education for Lucy. 

Lucy, after graduating from local schools, earned money teaching school, and doing housework in order to further her own education.  She eventually graduated from Oberlin Collegiate Institute in Ohio, and at the age of thirty, was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a bachelor's degree.  Dedicated to the causes of anti-slavery and the advancement of women's rights, Lucy began speaking out publicly.  Women in those times, were discouraged and sometimes prevented from speaking in public, but Lucy found work speaking for the American Anti-Slavery Society and made many important speeches throughout the United States. 

In 1855 Lucy married Henry Brown Blackwell after a two year courtship.  A statement was read at their marriage ceremony announcing that Lucy would keep her maiden name.  This was unheard of at the time, and later, women who retained their maiden names were referred to as "Lucy Stoners."

Later, Lucy and Henry co-edited a suffrage newspaper called, "The Woman's Journal."

Lucy died in Boston, Oct. 18, 1893 and was the first person to be cremated in Massachusetts.

[This post really does not due justice to Lucy's many accomplisments.  I hope to have time to write a more thoughtful and thorough post in the future.]

A daguerotype image of Lucy is held by theNational Portrait Gallery