Lucretia Leonard

Courtesy of the Hingham Historical Society.

(Other Images Below)

Not a lot is known about Lucretia Leonard's early life. Of African-American descent, it is believed that she was born in Marshfield, Massachusetts in June of either 1817 or 1818. She received some education, as she could read and write. As an adult, she worked as a servant in the home of Eliza, Catherine, and Anna Thaxter, three unmarried sisters living in Hingham.

Slavery became illegal in Massachusetts in 1780, but segregation was still enforced in many public places in the 1800s, including at New North Church in Hingham. Lucretia attended services there with the Thaxter sisters and for some time had to sit alone in the slave galleries, as she was the only African-American in the church. (see the picture on the right for more information about the galleries).

By 1840 the Thaxter sisters had become very involved in the abolitionist movement, as did New North Church's new pastor, Rev. Oliver Stearns. The four became very good friends. In 1841, at Rev. Stearns' urging, the Plymouth County Anti-Slavery Society unanimously decided to end segregation. This meant that Lucretia was no longer required to sit in the gallery, and her employers invited her to sit with them in the family pew. It created a great deal of controversy, with at least one parishioner threatening to leave the church. Not to be deterred, the Thaxters stated that if Lucretia could not sit with them, all four women would worship from the front steps of the church. They stood firm and weathered the cricticism until eventually the complaints died down. Lucretia was able to sit with the Thaxters in the family pew, and continued to occupy it even after all three sisters died.

Lucretia was devoted to the Thaxters, taking care of them in sickness and old age. She survived all three of them, as well as their brother Norton Quincy Thaxter. She became impoverished in her later years when she received assistance from women at the New North Church and from the town. Despite her poverty, she was well-known and liked by the people of Hingham and attended many parties and funerals. . An unknown sponsor arranged for her photograph (seen above) to be taken. Lucretia died in 1904 of abdominal cancer and is buried in Hingham Cemetery.

This is a photograph of New North Church. Lucretia Leonard was a member of the church, and sat with the Thaxter sisters. Although the church was initially segregated, it became a hub of anti-slavery activity in the mid-nineteenth century.

Although slavery had been outlawed in Massachusetts for almost thirty years before New North Church was built, slave galleries were still included in the plans for the church. They can be seen in the upper corners of the photograph above. One side was reserved for men, the other for women. While the population of Hingham was predominantly white, there were some people like Lucretia who faced discrimination.

The Saturday Transcript reports on the festivities planned for the 125^th anniversary of New North Church. It says, "Within the memory of the oldest member of the New North the slave galleries contained but one occupant, a grizzled, faithful old Negress, named Lucretia." A photograph and brief story of the abandonment of the slave galleries follows.

Lucretia Leonard is buried in Hingham Cemetery with the three Thaxter sisters by whom she was employed: Catherine, Eliza and Anna. The row in front of these women contains the grave of Norton Quincy Thaxter and other members of the Thaxter family.