author
Laura S. (Laura Smith) Haviland
1808–1898
A fearless abolitionist, suffragist, and reformer, she spent decades turning conviction into action. Best known for her work on the Underground Railroad, she also founded schools and aid efforts for people pushed to the margins.
1 Audiobook
A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. Haviland
by Laura S. (Laura Smith) Haviland
About the author
Born in what is now Ontario on December 20, 1808, and raised in a Quaker family, Laura Smith Haviland grew up with strong religious beliefs that shaped her sense of justice. After marrying Charles Haviland, she settled in Michigan, where the couple became deeply involved in antislavery work.
She is especially remembered as an important figure in the Underground Railroad. In addition to helping freedom seekers, she worked to expand access to education, including founding the Raisin Institute in Adrian, Michigan, a school open to Black and white students at a time when that was rare and controversial.
Her reform work continued long after the Civil War. She supported formerly enslaved people, worked for women's rights and temperance, and wrote about her experiences in A Woman's Life-Work. She died on April 20, 1898, leaving behind a life defined by courage, persistence, and practical compassion.