Gerrit Smith

Gerrit Smith – Life, Principles, and Legacy

Learn about Gerrit Smith (1797–1874), the American philanthropist, abolitionist, and political radical. Explore his life, activism, famous quotes, and enduring lessons from his bold vision of justice.

Introduction

Gerrit Smith (March 6, 1797 – December 28, 1874) was a wealthy landowner, reformer, and committed abolitionist whose moral convictions drove him to support radical change in 19th-century America. Though born into privilege, Smith dedicated much of his life and wealth to causes such as the abolition of slavery, land reform, equal rights, temperance, and philanthropy. He was simultaneously a public intellectual, political candidate, and financial backer of more militant figures like John Brown. His life challenges us to consider how wealth, conscience, and activism can intersect—and sometimes collide.

Early Life and Family

Gerrit Smith was born in Utica, New York, on March 6, 1797.

In 1807, his family moved to Peterboro, New York, located in what is now central New York State. The town and land holdings would become central to his later philanthropic and activist efforts.

From a young age, Gerrit was exposed to wealth, land management, and public life. He inherited vast property and financial means, and later treated those resources as tools for social transformation.

He attended Hamilton College, graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1818.

Intellectual & Moral Development

Smith’s convictions evolved over time. Though early in life he supported more moderate reforms (including temperance and colonization efforts)—he later adopted more uncompromising abolitionist stances.

One turning point: in 1835, following an instance of mob violence disrupting an antislavery meeting in Utica, Smith moved decisively toward abolitionism.

He began to view land, money, and privilege as instruments to be deployed for justice rather than mere possessions. His Christian moral framework infused much of his activism, though he also evolved into a “radical Christian” critic of institutional church complicity in injustice.

Political & Activist Career

Early Reform Work

Smith engaged in the temperance movement and attempted to establish a “temperance hotel” in Peterboro—one of the early examples of social entrepreneurship in moral reform.

Abolitionism & Anti-Slavery Leadership

Over time, Smith became one of the prominent financial backers of abolitionist causes. He provided funding for anti-slavery newspapers, legal defense of those prosecuted under the Fugitive Slave Law, and support to fugitive slaves seeking refuge.

He was a member of the so-called Secret Six, a group of abolitionists who helped finance John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.

Peterboro, Smith’s home base, was also a station on the Underground Railroad—he welcomed fugitive slaves and helped coordinate their passage.

In 1850, Smith helped organize the Fugitive Slave Convention in Cazenovia, New York, a major gathering of antislavery advocates challenging the Fugitive Slave Act.

Land Redistribution & “Timbuctoo”

One of Smith’s boldest—and more controversial—experiments was a land redistribution initiative. Believing that land ownership could enable African Americans to become politically enfranchised and self-sufficient, he attempted to grant small plots (e.g. 50 acres) of his own land in the Adirondacks to free Blacks.

He called this settlement region Timbuctoo, New York. However, the land was remote, heavily wooded, poor in fertility, and many grantees never relocated or succeeded in farming it. The initiative largely failed, though its ambition remains significant.

Smith later acknowledged: “I was perhaps a better land-reformer in theory than in practice.”

Congressional Service & Political Candidacies

Smith served a short term in the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (March 4, 1853 – August 7, 1854).

He also ran for President several times (1848, 1856, 1860) on platforms centered on abolitionism.

Civil War & Reconstruction Views

During the Civil War, Smith supported its prosecution as a battle against slavery, but after the war he advocated for lenient treatment of the former Confederate states, arguing that Northern complicity in slavery also bore moral guilt.

Personality, Beliefs & Traits

Gerrit Smith has been described as earnest, uncompromising, generous, and morally forceful.

Though Christian, he grew impatient with churches that failed to take moral stands against slavery, and he distanced himself from denominational constraints.

His convictions often led him into conflicts—both political and personal. In the wake of John Brown’s raid, he was psychologically troubled and was hospitalized briefly in an asylum in Utica.

Famous Quotes by Gerrit Smith

Here are some representative quotations that capture themes of liberty, justice, and moral clarity:

• “We must continue to judge of slavery by what it is, and not by what you tell us it will, or may be.”

• “I believe that government is for the use of the people, and not the people for the use of the government.”

• “But as well may you, when urging a man up-hill with a heavy load upon his back, and with your lash also upon his back, tell him, that he has nothing to do either with the load or the lash.”

• “My rights all spring from an infinitely nobler source – from favor and grace of God.”

• “But I love honesty, and, therefore, do I make great account of facts.”

• “Our concern, however, is with slavery as it is, and not with any theory of it.”

These quotes reflect his insistence on concrete moral judgment, his distrust of abstraction that softens injustice, and his religiously grounded sense of rights.

Legacy & Influence

1. Abolitionist Moral Consistency
   Smith is remembered as one of the most ardent white abolitionists of his era—willing to put his money, land, and reputation on the line for justice.

2. Philanthropy as Activism
   His approach to wielding private wealth for public reform set a model of principled giving, especially in contexts where public policy lagged.

3. Land Equity & Voting Rights Strategy
   His land grants to African Americans were rooted in strategic thinking: landownership often served as a requirement for suffrage. Though largely unsuccessful, the idea remains provocative about structural empowerment.

4. Bridge to Militant Movements
   His support for John Brown and his financial risk placed him at a crossroads between moral persuasion and militant resistance.

5. Complex Legacy
   He wasn’t perfect: some of his causes drifted, some experiments failed, and his later advocacy for leniency toward former Confederates drew criticism. But the tension in his life—between moral idealism and practical reform—is precisely what makes his story instructive.

6. Commemoration & Historical Preservation
   The Gerrit Smith Estate in Peterboro is a designated National Historic Landmark.

Lessons from Gerrit Smith’s Life

• Wealth carries moral obligation: Smith treated inherited wealth not as passive privilege, but as active responsibility to reshape injustice.

• Courage may demand risk: He did not shy from supporting radical action in service of principle, even when it threatened his reputation or sanity.

• Experimentation is inevitable in Reform: His land redistribution project failed in many respects—but the attempt itself pushed public imagination about structural change.

• Consistency over popularity: He often alienated moderates; yet his consistency lent him moral authority over time.

• Don’t wait for perfect systems: Smith acted even when public institutions were unwilling—he sought to fill moral and political vacuums.

Conclusion

Gerrit Smith remains a compelling figure in American reform history. He was a man of contradictions: privilege used to challenge power; quiet morality allied with political daring. His life draws attention to how individuals, especially those with resources, can seek to align means with ends in the struggle for justice. His bold experiments, convictions, and failures all serve as historical mirror—and a provocation—to our own age.