Morning journal and courier., 1886-02-15
AN AGED WOMAN.

AN AGED WOMAN.
 Her Long, Worthy and Usefal L1fe-A
 Descendant ofAn African kfng-Her
 Declining Years and Poverty - A
 Sketch of Her History.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 In the upper part of New Haven, at 26 Eaton street, in a small frame structure, lives Mrs Sarah Wilson. After long and busy life devoted to the education and ele- vation of her own (colorsd) race her eyes are growing dim and the infrmities attending four-score years of activity of the highest type have left her without the means of self support Her mind still clear bell, she is the same hopeful, trusting, intelligent woman that all who knew her say she was years ago. Our neighbors in the South take the tenderest, almost reverential, care for the old 'mammiss" who nursed them in their childhood. Is it not hint to the citizens of city that boasts itself as the birthplace of the American Missionary association (that important factor in the abolition of slavery) to make the last days the best days of this "mother in Israel" showing her by substan tial acts of kindness their appreciation of her self-sacrihcing, lifelong educational work among the colored people in New Haven. For such has truly been her work.
 Her history is most remarkable one and her influence has had great deal to do with winning for her race in this city the respect of the most intelligent citizens.
 The tradition is that Sarah Wilson's great grandfather Con her mothers side) was king of one of the African tribes and that the kings son, together with 6 companion who later became the wife of the little African prince were coaxed on board of slave ship while playing on the coast of Africa and brought as slaves to Connecticut The boy was sold to g family named Bradley in East Haven and the girl to a Wolcott family in North Branford. Mrs. Sarah Wilson's maiden name was also Will son. Her mother was sold by the Wolcotts to the landlord of the Barker 'tavern, (which stood where the theological seminary now stands on Elm street, but she was subse- uuently purchased by Squire Mix, who also owned her husband, Peter Wilson. The squire allowed Peter, it is said, to purchase himself of his master. Freedom obtained, he sat himself to work and purchased the freedom of his wife and daughter Della. Sarah was not yet born. Cons equently she was born ''frse" Peter Wilson was @ gar dener for Miss Mary Hillhouse, who took a great interest in his little daughter Sally, teaching her to read and write, telling her that she must learn to teach others and giv- ing her much good advice that has shaped her whole life and is remembered by her to this day.
 At eight years of age Sally was ''put out'' to family in Madison, where she spent nearly nine years driving cows, milk ing and dsins all kinds of farm work, even to moving, and at tending school, for in Madison the colored children were allowed to attend school with the whites. This was not so in New Haven. Yet in Madison, where she surpassed her class in spelling, her teacher told her that she could not be allowed to Ego ahead" of the ''white" children, and the good deacon whe1 she lived told her that her teacher was right in not permitting her to rscite from gram mar presented to her by Miss Hillhouss ''be- cause she would never need to use it." But she did study it without assist anee until at seventeen years of age dislo cated knee, caused by a fall, brought her back to New Haven. The trouble grew steadily worse and surgeon with six as- sistants were about to amputate the limb when her mother announced that if that was all they could do for her they might turn the girl over to them. Her remedies proved eficacious, the girl recovered strength and subsequently, Dr. Alfred Monson became in terested in her and offered to take her into his family giving her treatment and allowing her to do what she was able to do in return. Some time after this Scipio Augustus, a colored man well known about the colleges, requested Sarah to give instruction to Lis boy and girl. This was the nucleus of A school and the germ of sixty years subse
  teacher among @ class of people to whom education was practically unknown. From the first Sarah Wilson has employed and paid competent instructors to assist her in her work. Albert Barnes, who subsequently became famous as the author of Barnes Notes," was the first teacher employed by her. To render her plan possible she was obliged to unite manu al labor with mental strain.
 When the Tontine Hotel began it's career in this city Sarah Wilson had commenced her school, and she took the contract for all the hotel washing and ironing, em- ploying woman to do the washing, teach ing by day herself, ironing by night.
 Thus sine toiled, controlled by one thought, | to benefit her race. Her first school was | held on State strest near Olive. Next at her l parents home on State street near Franklin | Thence she removed to Franklin street near | Grand. The attention of the public began | to be attracted and small appropriations l made for her work from the public school l funds. At times more than hundred of the l colored of all ages could be found receiving | instruction from Sarah Wilson and her white | assistants. Contemporaneously with her | work as teacher she pursued well her | own search after knowledge, supplying from ! time te time knowledge from paid instruc- | tions in branches which her im- | tied opportunities had left un- 1 touched. Many of our citizens are faml- l jar with her Court street school and later l with the schools in Artizan, York, Ashmun l and Goffe streets. Her pupils are not only 1 found among our best educated cololed citi- l zens in New Haven, but may be found to- | day scattered all over the land. Among such | are the names of Edward Bouchet, who | graduated from Yale some years ago, | and Rev. Edwin A. Birch, Baptist clergy ! man in Pittsburg, Pa. A few faithful schol- ars still gather every morning about the l desks in "Aunt Sally's" home on Eaton 1 street, hoping that her vision will fully re- turn again and that she will teach them as in days gone by.
 LIVINGSTON w CIEAyELAND