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Farmington Freedom Trail
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Noah Porter built his home in 1808, after marrying his wife, Mehitable ("Metty"). The couple raised several children, including Sarah Porter who would go on to create a school, and Noah Porter Jr., who would go on to be president of Yale University from 1871-1886. Noah Porter served as the minister of the First Church of Christ from 1806 to 1866. From his pulpit, Noah Porter preached against slavery despite anti-abolitionist factions within the church. Noah and Metty also agreed to provide shelter to a young girl, Margru, from the Amistad ship during the Mende's stay in Farmington. Margru would later return to the United States where she attended college.

The Noah Porter House is part of the Farmington Freedom Trail.

The Noah Porter House is part of the Farmington Freedom Trail.

In 1839, 53 kidnapped Mendi Africans rebelled against their Spanish slave-trader captors aboard the Amistad. The surviving Africans would go on to win their freedom in the United States Supreme Court. While they raised funds to return to present-day Sierra Leone, they found refuge in the town of Farmington, Connecticut, the history of which is represented via the Farmington Freedom Trail.

Noah Porter served as the minister of the First Church of Christ from 1806 to 1866. From his pulpit, he would preach against slavery despite anti-abolitionist factions within the church. He and his family housed a young girl, Margru, from the Amistad ship during the Mende's stay in Farmington. Margru would later return to the United States to attend Oberlin College; she was the only member of the Amistad Africans to return the country after their return to Sierra-Leone.

Noah Porter House, National Parks Service. Accessed October 17th 2020. https://www.nps.gov/places/noah-porter-house.htm.

The Reverend Noah Porter House (1808), Historic Buildings of Connecticut. Accessed October 17th 2020. http://historicbuildingsct.com/the-rev-noah-porter-house-1808/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

http://historicbuildingsct.com/the-rev-noah-porter-house-1808/