Born: 15 September 1799, United States
Died: 1856 (circa)
Country most active: United States, International
Also known as: Nancy Gardner
The following is republished with permission from the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.
Nancy Gardner Prince (1799-1859) moved to Boston as a young woman in search of work in 1816 and was baptized at the African Meeting House the following year. In 1824, she married Nero Prince and moved with her husband to Russia. Prince lived in Russia until 1833, when she returned home due to health concerns. Her husband died in Russia. After returning to Boston, Prince became an important member of the free Black community. She helped to establish a society for orphans that unfortunately failed after three months, and in 1840, sailed to Jamaica to carry out abolitionist work.
In 1839, Prince was a member of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society and gave two lectures on Russian culture that were presented at the Abiel Smith School and Rev. J. C. Beman’s church on Cambridge Street. In 1847 Prince led the women of Smith Court in saving their neighbor Mrs. Dorsey from recapture by the slave catcher Woodfork. Woodfork did not return to Boston until after 1850 and the passage of the Federal Fugitive Slave Law. In 1853, Prince published A Narrative of the Life and Travels of Mrs. Nancy Prince Written by Herself in order to continue supporting herself.