Maria Mitchell Association Logo

Simplicity

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • August 19, 2024

This summer, I created a small exhibit in the Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory to highlight some of the other Mitchell family members. We were celebrating the renovation of the Seminar Room addition at the MMO – completed with a gift from MMA board member and Mitchell family descendant, Richard Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe is a descendant of Maria Mitchell’s younger brother, William Forester. I have mentioned him before but thought I would share some more details of another remarkable member of the Mitchell Family.


Named by his parents, William and Lydia Mitchell, for the famous English Quaker, Forster as he was called was educated like his siblings – in his father’s schools, at home, and in Quaker-led schools on the island. Forster married Charlotte Coffin Dow in 1846. While he left Quaker meeting – as all of his siblings did – he later returned with a reinstatement by the Meeting. Following in the footsteps of his father, Forster became a teacher serving at several schools, including heading a Penn Charter School in Philadelphia and helping a financially floundering school for people of color in Philadelphia. Forster served as Haverford College Superintendent from 1861-1862 and then was made principal at the Roberts Vaux Public School in Philadelphia. An abolitionist and educator, he became a supervisor and teacher in the Freedmen’s Aid Commission, working in the South with formerly enslaved people. His daughter, Annie Maria joined him in his work there for several years. 

 

Founded in 1859 during the Civil War, the Commission was created by several religious denominations that hired teachers and provided housing so that they could establish and run schools in the South to help and support those who had been enslaved. The Commission also assisted formerly enslaved peoples with finding jobs, housing, and basic necessities for life. The work of the Commission’s teachers helped to raise the literacy rate of the formerly enslaved people by an incredible amount – it founded over 500 schools and colleges in the South where the newly freed could gain professional degrees as well. Children, men, and women all attended the schools to learn to read or to improve their limited literacy. Forster Mitchell found himself a part of a Commission that included many Quakers and quite a few Nantucketers, including island teacher Anna Gardner.

 

As a young man, Forster apprenticed to his uncle, Peleg Mitchell Jr – William Mitchell’s youngest brother – who owned a tinsmithing shop. His apprenticeship proved very useful, as Forster became a founding faculty member at Howard College (now University) where he taught tinsmithing in the Industrial Arts Department – a craft he learned from his Uncle Peleg. In ill health later in his life, Forester returned to Nantucket at the invitation of his younger brother, Henry, who had a home on the Cliff called Sunnycliff. Forster would die on Nantucket, in another house down the street from Henry, in 1892. 

 

JNLF


Recent Posts

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger March 24, 2025
I have posted this during Women’s History Month before but because it is March and Women’s History Month, I think it’s worth repeating. It’s clever and helps to tell an important story in women’s history while giving it a bit of a 21 st century twist. It comes via the National Women’s History Project. http://soomopublishing.com/suffrage/ JNLF
By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger March 17, 2025
March is Women’s History Month (though all months should be women’s history month.) Maria Mitchell was one of the founders of the Association for the Advancement of Women (AAW), was its president (1875), and founded its Science Committee, which she chaired for the remainder of her life. When the fourth Congress of the AAW met in Philadelphia in October 1876, Julia Ward Howe (also a friend of Maria’s) was serving with Maria on the executive committee. Maria presented a paper, “The Need for Women in Science.” In it she stated, Does anyone suppose that any woman in all the ages has had a fair chance to show what she could do in science? . . . The laws of nature are not discovered by accidents; theories do not come by chance, even to the greatest minds; they are not born of the hurry and worry of daily toil; they are diligently sought, they are patiently waited for, they are received with cautious reserve, they are accepted with reverence and awe. And until able women have given their lives to investigation, it is idle to discuss the question of their capacity for original work. She is not saying that women cannot be scientists – she is saying they need to be given the opportunities. Maria was incredibly busy with the AAW – it took up a great deal of her time – and at the next meeting in November of that year some aspects of the meeting were wonderful according to her account –“excellent” papers, “newspapers treated us very well. The institutions opened their doors to us, the Centennial gave us a reception. But – we didn’t have a good time!” It appears there was discord among the women. A few opposed the subject of “Woman Suffrage,” but Lucy Stone was able to present her paper on the subject despite this. And, some women felt that the West was not well represented and was overshadowed by New England thus women representing the western states protested the nomination and election of Julia Ward Howe as president of the AAW. But she won. Whew! It was not always easy and controversies constantly abounded with many schisms over time within the women’s rights movement. I often wonder what Maria might think of the place of women today – how far things have come from her time or would she be surprised that there still can be inequality? In honor of Women’s History Month, take a look at other organizations that represent different women in our history and their legacies. A good place to start is the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites . JNLF
March 11, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Pam Murphy and Kim Shulam of the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket (MMAN), as featured presenters for its February Science Speaker Series. Their presentation will take place on Wednesday, February 26 at 7pm via Zoom. This event is free to all. Join Pam Murphy, the MMAN Executive Director, and Kim Schulam, the MMAN Vice President and Stranding Coordinator, in a discussion on the importance of seals and other marine mammals in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem, and how we can all help keep these populations safe. The mission of the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket is to monitor, rescue, and protect marine mammals on Nantucket, advocate for their well-being, and educate the public. MMAN belongs to the Greater Atlantic Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and is among thirteen organizations dedicated to protecting, rescuing, and advocating marine mammals along the Atlantic coast from Virginia to Maine. You can learn more about the animals they rescue, their partner teams, useful tips, and statistical maps here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5d29b842996d44eea0c4517f71ecca4d Pam Murphy has been involved in animal rescue for many years, from creating a Be Kind to Animals Club at the age of seven, to being one of the founders of Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals (NiSHA) in 2011; serving eight years as board president. Her extensive board experience with TWN, NiSHA, and NAC put her in a solid position to manage MMAN’s board and see it develop into a stronger organization, capable of attracting the donor support the mission deserves. A lifelong vegetarian, Pam has never been able to stand idly by when an animal is suffering. To be allowed to approach injured and entangled marine mammals legally and help was what drew her to MMAN. She became Level A trained, learning to restrain and disentangle seals and went on to attend a Cetacean Stranding Workshop with IFAW. “I have learned a great deal about marine mammals and how to help through the vast knowledge of my teammates.” Kim Schulam began visiting Nantucket in 2013 and fell in love with the remote, natural qualities of the island. A Biological Sciences major in college, she initially considered the fields of Marine Biology or Veterinary Medicine but ultimately pursued a career as a Physician’s Assistant. Now retired from medicine, she met former Stranding Coordinator Scott Leonard and learned of MMAN. She immediately joined the team and became Level A trained. She regularly attends IFAW’s Marine Mammal Mass Stranding training, and is 24-Hour HAZWOPER certified for oil spill wildlife rescue. Now a full-time resident of Nantucket, she serves as the team’s Stranding Coordinator and Board Vice President. She coordinated MMAN’s first team-conducted large whale necropsy last year and works closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to maintain the team’s Stranding Agreement as Nantucket's sole agency legally permitted to handle marine mammals. She feels strongly that humans have an obligation to marine life to help them survive given all we have done to injure them and destroy their environment. Pre-registration is required to attend Zoom. To register for Zoom, use the registration link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7UnSEop1RKyxgl0LBio2Kw#/registration This series is generously sponsored by our lead sponsor, Bank of America.  The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages ###
Show More
Share by: