Helen Louisa Thoreau (1812 - 1849) Abolitionist and a member of the Concord Women’s Anti-Slavery Society

Question

She is the sister Notable Henry David Thoreau and eldest of the 4 Thoreau children. She was born in Concord Massachusetts and was a school teacher, abolitionist and a member of the Concord Women’s Anti-Slavery Society. She passed away at the age of 36 from being ill of Tuberculosis having never married and no children of her own. I would like to add more to her bio and sources. Amazing woman of her generation and era!

I believe Louisa is her middle name

Answer 1

Oops wrong record!

Comments

Sister

Miss Sophia Thoreau – place of death was Bangor, Maine.

Calais Advertiser, Oct 25, 1876, Calais, Maine, p. 2
“The death of Miss Sophia Thoreau, sister of Henry Thoreau, on the 7th inst., at Bangor, closes the record of the Thoreau family of Concord, Mass., for she was the last of the four children of John Thoreau, and, with the exception of an elderly maiden aunt, the last of the name in America.”

Also, Bangor as the place of death for Miss Sophia Thoreau is listed in the following newspapers:
Waltham Sentinel Friday, Oct 20, 1876, Waltham, MA p. 2
New England Farmer, Saturday, Oct 14, 1876, Boston, MA p. 3
Maine Farmer, Saturday, Oct 21, 1876, Augusta, ME p. 3
New York Tribune, Thursday, Oct 12, 1876, New York, NY, p. 4
Christian Mirror, Saturday, Oct 21, 1876, Portland, ME, p. 3
Springfield Republican, Tuesday, Oct 10, 1876, Springfield, MA p. 4
Boston Journal, Tuesday, Oct 10, 1876, Boston, MA, p. 2
Massachusetts Spy, Friday, Oct 27, 1876, Worcester, MA, p. 4

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Thank you Marion : )

The Find A Grave has wrong place of death. She obviously passed away in Maine.

The brother John Thoreau died at age 27 of Lock-Jaw and none of them married or had children.