Levi Coffin
In his autobiography, Reminiscences of Levi Coffin, Levi Coffin dates “his conversion to Abolitionism from an incident which occurred when I was about seven years old” after his first interaction with an enslaved man. By the end of the Civil War, Levi Coffin had impacted the lives of up to three thousand freedom seekers.
Raised in an anti-slavery Quaker home in New Garden, North Carolina (now present-day Greensboro), Levi was brought up to believe that actions meant more than words when fighting slavery. By age fifteen he was directly involved in the concealing and moving of freedom seekers. But when he came to see that ”slavery and Quakerism could not prosper together,” he like many Quakers left North Carolina.
From October, 1826, until April, 1847, Levi and his wife Catharine Coffin called Newport (now Fountain City), Indiana, home. In his book, Coffin writes that he “was never too busy to engage in Underground Railroad affairs,” noting that “Soon after we located at Newport, I found that we were on a line of the U.G.R.R.” In twenty years of Underground Railroad support in Indiana, Levi estimated that he and Catharine assisted around one hundred individuals to freedom each year.
Along with his years supporting the Underground Railroad, Levi was a public advocate for abolitionism. Through his participation in attending various anti-slavery conventions, Levi supported abolitionist and New England Anti-Slavery Society founder Arnold Buffum, who stayed with Coffin for a period while working in Indiana. In addition, Levi allowed the printing of an anti-slavery newspaper in his dry goods store. In 1844, he committed to selling free labor goods in his store. Levi was also part of a small contingent of Quakers who broke with the Indiana Meeting of Friends to form the Indiana Yearly Meeting of Anti-Slavery Friends to continue support for abolitionist activities.
In the spring of 1847, Levi and Catharine relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, to provide stronger support for free labor goods. At first, Levi had no intention in being involved in the Underground Railroad in a city of over 100,000 residents. “We hoped to find in Cincinnati enough active workers to relieve us from further service, but we soon found that we would have more to do than ever.” And so, the Coffins continued to impact the lives of freedom seekers until the end of the Civil War and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.
Coffin’s endeavors as a public abolitionist continued in Cincinnati, a city which hosted impactful anti-slavery conventions in the 1850’s. With the connections he made, Coffin became involved with the Western Freedman’s Aid Society, working as an agent to raise funds and procure goods to be used in support of the nation’s newly freed slaves in the south during the Civil War.
With his work of almost fifty years, Coffin connected with many abolitionists from all parts of the United States. In his early years in Indiana, Coffin connected with Frederick Douglass, John Rankin, and Arnold Buffum. During his years in Cincinnati, his circle included William Still, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Salmon Chase, William Brisbane, William Lloyd Garrison, and Sarah Otis Ernst.
Levi and Catharine’s home is now a state historic site where visitors can tour their home, hear stories of the Coffin’s endeavors to aid anyone who came to their door and how Levi worked with others in moving freedom seekers further north. Being the only location dedicated to telling the story of the Coffin’s, it is one of the best provenanced homes connected to the Underground Railroad in the United States. The home and the stories that are told continue to impact lives today.
Written by Joanna Hahn, Nominator
Central Regional Director, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site, Fountain City, Indiana
Raised in an anti-slavery Quaker home in New Garden, North Carolina (now present-day Greensboro), Levi was brought up to believe that actions meant more than words when fighting slavery. By age fifteen he was directly involved in the concealing and moving of freedom seekers. But when he came to see that ”slavery and Quakerism could not prosper together,” he like many Quakers left North Carolina.
From October, 1826, until April, 1847, Levi and his wife Catharine Coffin called Newport (now Fountain City), Indiana, home. In his book, Coffin writes that he “was never too busy to engage in Underground Railroad affairs,” noting that “Soon after we located at Newport, I found that we were on a line of the U.G.R.R.” In twenty years of Underground Railroad support in Indiana, Levi estimated that he and Catharine assisted around one hundred individuals to freedom each year.
Along with his years supporting the Underground Railroad, Levi was a public advocate for abolitionism. Through his participation in attending various anti-slavery conventions, Levi supported abolitionist and New England Anti-Slavery Society founder Arnold Buffum, who stayed with Coffin for a period while working in Indiana. In addition, Levi allowed the printing of an anti-slavery newspaper in his dry goods store. In 1844, he committed to selling free labor goods in his store. Levi was also part of a small contingent of Quakers who broke with the Indiana Meeting of Friends to form the Indiana Yearly Meeting of Anti-Slavery Friends to continue support for abolitionist activities.
In the spring of 1847, Levi and Catharine relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, to provide stronger support for free labor goods. At first, Levi had no intention in being involved in the Underground Railroad in a city of over 100,000 residents. “We hoped to find in Cincinnati enough active workers to relieve us from further service, but we soon found that we would have more to do than ever.” And so, the Coffins continued to impact the lives of freedom seekers until the end of the Civil War and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.
Coffin’s endeavors as a public abolitionist continued in Cincinnati, a city which hosted impactful anti-slavery conventions in the 1850’s. With the connections he made, Coffin became involved with the Western Freedman’s Aid Society, working as an agent to raise funds and procure goods to be used in support of the nation’s newly freed slaves in the south during the Civil War.
With his work of almost fifty years, Coffin connected with many abolitionists from all parts of the United States. In his early years in Indiana, Coffin connected with Frederick Douglass, John Rankin, and Arnold Buffum. During his years in Cincinnati, his circle included William Still, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Salmon Chase, William Brisbane, William Lloyd Garrison, and Sarah Otis Ernst.
Levi and Catharine’s home is now a state historic site where visitors can tour their home, hear stories of the Coffin’s endeavors to aid anyone who came to their door and how Levi worked with others in moving freedom seekers further north. Being the only location dedicated to telling the story of the Coffin’s, it is one of the best provenanced homes connected to the Underground Railroad in the United States. The home and the stories that are told continue to impact lives today.
Written by Joanna Hahn, Nominator
Central Regional Director, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site, Fountain City, Indiana