Darby Vassall

In this timeline, the journey of Darby Vassall (c. 1769-1861) and his family is filtered through the lenses of place, agency, community building, networking across differences, and voice as they work with others to sustain their lives and abolish slavery in America.

Place
Agency
Voice
Community Building
Networking Across Differences

Royall—Vassall—Vassall Family Interconnections

1796

Darby and his brother Cyrus become founding members of the African Society, a mutual aid organization for free Black citizens in Massachusetts.

Networking Across Differences
Courtesy of Library of Congress, Theological Pamphlet Collection, Israel Thorndike Pamphlet Collection, Thomas Waterman Pamphlet Collection, and Daniel Murray Pamphlet Collection
A discourse delivered before the African Society in Boston, 15th of July, on the anniversary celebration of the abolition of the slave trade. 5
Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center
Map of Cambridge 1
Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center
A map of Cambridge, Mass. 2

1816

Darby’s sister Catherine and her husband Adam Lewis purchase a triangular lot at Garden Street and Concord Street, adding to the growing Lewisville Community in Cambridge.

Place
Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Anti-Slavery (Collection of Distinction)
"The Liberator." 3
Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Anti-Slavery (Collection of Distinction)
"The Liberator." 4

1844

Darby and his son-in-law Jonas W. Clark are signatories to resolutions at the New England Anti-Slavery Society convention.

Agency
Courtesy of Boston Public Library, Anti-Slavery (Collection of Distinction)
Abolitionists who donated to support the New England Anti-Slavery Convention6

1851

Darby is listed among a who’s-who of New England abolitionists who donated to support the New England Anti-Slavery Society convention. William Cooper Nell, famous author and abolitionist, was also listed.

Community Building
Courtesy of Harvard Radcliffe Institute
Darby Vassall's Tomb at Christ Church in Cambridge7

1861

Darby passes away.

Place

Image Citations

1. Hastings, Lewis M. "Map of Cambridge." Map. Boston: W.A. Greenough & Co., 1895. Digital Commonwealth
2. Hayward, James. "A map of Cambridge, Mass." Map. Boston Mass.: Eddy's Lith., 1838. Digital Commonwealth
3. Newspaper. Boston, Mass.: William Lloyd Garrison and Isaac Knapp, June 14, 1844. Digital Commonwealth
4. "The Liberator." Newspaper. Boston, Mass.: William Lloyd Garrison and Isaac Knapp, June 14, 1844. Digital Commonwealth
5. Harris, Thaddeus Mason, et al. A discourse delivered before the African Society in Boston, 15th of July, on the anniversary celebration of the abolition of the slave trade. Boston: Printed by Phelps and Farnham, 1822. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress5. "The Liberator."
6. Garrison, William Lloyd, and James Brown Yerrinton. "The liberator." Newspaper. Boston, Mass.: William Lloyd Garrison and Isaac Knapp, June 13, 1851. Digital Commonwealth, https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/rf55zn63w
7. Christ Church, Cambridge MA. Photography by Kevin Grady/Harvard Radcliffe Institute.