As any Sharon resident knows, our town is saturated with rich history. However, Sharon’s past goes beyond Deborah Sampson. This Black History Month, the Sharon Historical Society held a presentation about forgotten figures of color from Massachusetts’ past.
(It is important to note that Sharon was once a much bigger property, so surrounding towns such as Canton used to be a part of Sharon. Many of these figures did not live within the property that is the town of Sharon today.)
Dorcas Blackmore (1620 – ~1677)
One of the earliest named African-American women in Massachusetts records, Blackmore was enslaved after the Pequot War and brought to Dorchester, where she joined The First Parish Church of Dorchester. Dorcas joined the church believing that she would be freed. Consequently, she was denied her freedom in a court case, which would result in the creation of the Massachusetts Body of Liberties that defined the rights of slaves. A few years later, the congregation was able to grant her freedom due to community fundraising. Afterwards, she devoted her life to taking care of Native American people who had been enslaved. Blackmore later married and had two children. Her legacy lives on today in the Dorcas House Movement, which provides support to abused and disadvantaged women through housing, classes, counseling, and guided worship.
Seymour Burr (1754/1762–1837)
Burr was a runaway slave named after his enslaver, the brother of Aaron Burr. After leaving his enslavement in Connecticut, Burr joined the British army but was recaptured. He later joined the American army after agreeing with his enslaver to fight for his freedom. During his tenure, Burr served in John Brooks’s regiment and fought at Valley Forge. After the war, he became a free man, married, and received land in what is now the town of Canton.
Job Lewis (1750 – 1838)
Lewis was a free black resident of Sharon. He served as a private in the Revolutionary War from 1776–1782, serving in a convoy to transport cannons. He lived in poverty after the war and had to prove financial need to receive a pension. Lewis will soon be honored with a town hero banner here in Sharon for his service on one of Sharon’s busy streets. He represents the many forgotten Black veterans who fought for independence but were not properly rewarded for their efforts.
These three names are only a small part of the complex history of the residents of Sharon. Are you interested in learning more about Sharon’s past? You can reach out to the Sharon Historical Society at [email protected] for more information. The society is also planning to offer volunteer opportunities for interested SHS students.
