Amos Beman

Amos Gerry Beman (1812-1872) na he be a 19th-century African American pastor den social activist wey komot Connecticut. Na he be a prominent African American abolitionist.

 Early life 
Na dem born Beman insyd Colchester, Connecticut, wey na later he move to Middletown, Connecticut. Na ein grandpoppie, Cesar, earn ein freedom by fighting insyd de Revolutionary War in place of ein master. Plus ein freedom, na he take de name Beman, wey he dey claim ein right to "be a man." Na Cesar be a shoemaker, a trade na he pass down to ein son Jehiel, wey he then pass dis on to Jehiel ein eldest son Leverett. Unlike Leverett, na Amos follow a path of study, wey he enroll insyd de Oneida Institute, wey na he be destined to enter de ministry. Na Jehiel Beman, Amos ein poppie, be de first pastor of de Cross Street AME Zion Church insyd Middletown, CT, wey he later be pastor of de Boston AME Zion Church.

Na dem tutor Amos Beman for a short time by Wesleyan University student Samuel Dole, buh na dem drive am from de university by a letter from "The Twelve of Us," wich na threaten ein safety. Dey follow dis, na Beman move go Hartford, Connecticut, to begin ein professional career. Thru out ein life, na Beman follow insyd de footsteps of ein poppie, Jehiel Beman. In addition to serving as pastor of an African-American church insyd Connecticut, na Jehiel Beman be heavily involved insyd chaw social activist movements. Ein son go lead a similar life.

 Ein life matter 
Insyd about 1835, na Beman marry Eunice Jeffrey, plus whom na he get three daughters den two sons: Mary, Amos, Fannie, Charles, den Emma. Na dema daughter Mary marry Richard Mason Hancock on July 20, 1856. Mary, ein new husby, den ein bro Charles move to Lockport, New York. Insyd August of dat year, na Amos ein wifey den son Amos die of typhoid fever. Six months later, na dems daughter Fannie die of consumption. Insyd 1858, na Beman marry Eliza Kennedy Howell, a white woman — a decision wey drastically undermine ein standing at de Temple Street Church. Na Eliza ein first husby be John William Howell, a man of color dem born insyd de West Indies, wey na dema daughters Eliza den Catherine Romena be listed as mulatto on census records. Na both daughters marry ministers insyd 1864: on 1 November, na Eliza marry de Rev. Hezekiah Hunter, den on 20 December, na Catherine marry de Rev. Francis Lewis Cardozo, wey na he be de pastor of Temple Street Congregational Church wey he go go on to cam be South Carolina ein Secretary of State. Na Eliza Beman die of cancer on 5 November 1864.

Na Amos ein son Charles serve insyd de U.S. Army during de Civil War wey he die of consumption insyd 1875. Na Amos ein daughter Emma live insyd New Haven, Connecticut, til ein death insyd 1910.

Na Amos Beman marry a third time to an African American dem name Mary (née Allen), widow of Chester Thomas, buh for chaw of ein acquaintances, na e be too late for Beman to atone for ein decision make he marry a white woman.

 Abolitionism den social activism 
Na Beman serve on chaw conventions den councils wey promote anti-slavery causes den African American civil rights. Notably, na Beman be a leading advocate of de African American suffrage movement insyd Connecticut. Yet, na ein efforts make dem grant African Americans de right to vote fail, wey he subsequently increase ein activity writing for Frederick Douglas ein North Star den oda African American publications. Na Beman be known for opening up ein church to fugitive slaves, buh as na de Civil War near, Beman begin dey travel around de country, wey he dey lecture on de anti-slavery movement. Dem fi find ein speeches insyd chaw newspapers, wey dey include de Emancipator, de Weekly Anglo-African, den de anti-slavery Bugle.

Additionally, na Beman be a moral activist, wey be highly involve insyd de temperance movement. Na he serve as presido of de Connecticut Society of the Negro Temperance Movement. Na Beman sanso be de Presido of de 1855 Colored National Convention insyd Philadelphia, wey he hold to discuss slavery, suffrage, den moral reform.1855 Colored National Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Na Beman keep four scrapbooks of articles wey dey document important moments den ideas na he value. Dem fi be viewed at de Yale library.Scrapbook of Amos G. Beman, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University

 References 

External links
 Amos Gerry Beman Scrapbooks. Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Category:1872 deaths
Category:1812 births
Category:Human
Category:African-American abolitionists
Category:Abolitionists wey komot Connecticut
Category:African-American Methodists
Category:American Methodists
Category:African Methodist Episcopal Church clergy
Category:Temperance activists wey komot Connecticut
Category:Colored Conventions people
Category:Methodist abolitionists
Category:Oneida Institute alumni
Category:People wey komot Colchester, Connecticut
Category:African-American temperance activists
Category:American temperance activists