William Still (1821 - 1902)

Born 7 Oct 1821 in Burlington, New Jersey, United States

Husband of Letitia (George) Still — married 1860 in Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 14 Jul 1902 at age 80 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

William Still is Notable.

William Still was a part of the Freedom Movement.

William Still was an African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, businessman, writer, historian and civil rights activist.

Born a free man in Burlington County, New Jersey, William Still became a member of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society and director of the General Vigilance Committee of Philadelphia. He managed the committee's finances, which were used to assist Harriet Tubman's rescue efforts. Still also established a network of safe houses and contacts stretching from the upper South to Canada.^[1]

Birth

William Still was born October 7, 1821 in Burlington County, New Jersey, to Sidney (later renamed Charity) and Levin Still, the youngest of 14 children.

His parents had come to New Jersey separately. First, his father bought his freedom in 1798 from his master in Caroline County, Maryland on the Eastern Shore. Charity escaped twice from Maryland. ^[2]

Marriage

William Still married Lititia George about 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania^[3]

Census Data

1860 US Federal Census Wm Still M 32 New Jersey Letitia Still F 30 Pennsylvania Caroline Still F 12 Pennsylvania Wm Still M 6 Pennsylvania Frances Still M 2 Pennsylvania Letitia Still F 0 Pennsylvania Jonathan Gibbs M 30 Pennsylvania Sarah Potter F 30 Pennsylvania Rebecca Underwood F 22 Pennsylvania Jos Lee M 40 Maryland Josiah Stokes M 21 Maryland Louisa Williams F 20 Maryland [blank] Stokes F 40 Maryland Clara Boulden F 19 Georgia

1880 Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wm Still Other M 57 New Jersey, Occupation: Coal Dealer Lititia Still Wife 57 Pennsylvania Caroline Still Daughter F 30 Pennsylvania Wm W Still Son 25 Pennsylvania Occupation: Coal Business Francis A Still Daughter F 20 Pennsylvania, Robt G Still Son 15 Pennsylvania,

1900 Philadelphia city Ward 8, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania William Still Head M 81 New Jersey Letilda Still Wife F 81 Pennsylvania Children: 2 / 2 living William H Still Son M 36 Pennsylvania Carolina Still Daughter-in-law F 31 Maryland Ellen F Still Daughter F 25 Pennsylvania Martha M Franklin Boarder F 29 Connecticut Rose Johnson Servant F 51 Maryland

Children

They had 4 that survived infancy. Their oldest was Caroline Virginia Matilda (Still) Anderson (1848-1919), a pioneering female medical doctor. Caroline attended Oberlin College and the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia (much later known as the Medical College of Pennsylvania). She married Edward J. Wyley and, after his death, the Reverend Matthew Anderson, longtime pastor of the Berean Presbyterian Church in North Philadelphia. She had an extensive private medical practice in Philadelphia and was also a community activist, teacher and leader.

William Wilberforce Still (1854-aft.1914) graduated from Lincoln University and subsequently practiced law in Philadelphia.

Frances Ellen Still (1859-1943) became a kindergarten teacher (she was named after poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who had lived with the Stills before her marriage).

Robert George Still (1865-aft.1890) (1861–1896) became a journalist and owned a print shop on Pine at 11th Street in central Philadelphia.

According to the 1900 U.S. Census, William W., his wife, and Frances Ellen were living in the household of the elderly William Still and his wife. It was customary for extended family to live together.

Death Record for Letitia Still

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates

Name Letitia Still

Event Type Death

Event Date 11 Oct 1861

Age: 15 Months

Event Place Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Gender Female

Father's Name William Still

Mother's Name Letitia

Legacy

"Indefatigable worker in the Philadelphia underground, Still kept rare day-to-day records, which were published in 1872. A successful coal merchant, he continued to campaign against discrimination." ^[4]

"The story of his slave family and how they made it to freedom." ^[5]

"Stand by the River (2003), a musical based on Still's life and rescue of Jane Johnson, was written and composed by Joanne and Mark Sutton-Smith. It has been produced in New York and Chicago, and at universities and other venues across the country. ^[6]

Writing

See this space page to create profiles for the people mentioned in his book/compilation of letters. William Still's Underground Railroad Records

Will

William Stil signed his will on December 16, 1899, in Philadelphia. He died on July 14, 1902. The will was proved in Philadelphia on August 15, 1902. As the property left to his daughters was in Florida, the will was recorded in Duval County, Florida on November 7, 1906.^[7]

In his will, he named the following legatees

• daughter Doctor Caroline Virginia Anderson of Philadelphia (executor)
• son William Wilberforce Still of Philadelphia (executor)
• friend Asa S Wing of Philadelphia (executor)
• wife, Letitia Still
• daughter, Frances Ellen Still
• granddaughter Agnes E Still
• son Robert George Still, deceased

Research Notes

Received from: via the private messaging system on WikiTree.com. "I Twanda AM THE GREAT X4 GRANDDAUGHTER OF WILLIAM STILL. HIS MOTHER AND FATHER WERE LEVI AND CHAIRTY." ""The sender, Twanda (deniceyoung49@----), The sender was on this profile page when they sent the message: [2]

The sons, William W and Robert George Still, are a dead end as to having children to carry on the name............. nothing more found for them on familysearch.org

There is a Death record for a Signa Still born to Robert G and Mary STILL in 1889 Philadelphia. But nothing on a census record.

Sources

1. ↑ https://libguides.rowan.edu/c.php?g=248151&p=1652361
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Still
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M37D-N62 : accessed 28 October 2018), William Still, Philadelphia city Ward 8, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 151, sheet 3A, family 39, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,455.
4. ↑ Geographic Society
5. ↑ Geographic Society
6. ↑ "Wikipedia; The Free Encyclopedia - Various Contributors"; [1]
7. ↑ Will: "Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1827-1950"
   Last Wills and Testaments, 1856-1922; Author: Florida. County Judge's Court (Duval County); Probate Place: Duval, Florida
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry ca Record 8993 #551686 (accessed 6 January 2024)
   Will of William Still of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, granted probate on 15 Aug 1902.

See Also:

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXTQ-576 : 19 March 2020), Wm Still, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWJH-NVN : 21 August 2017), Wm Still in household of Lydia Rhoads, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district ED 147, sheet 453A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,171.
• National Geographic Vol 166,.No 1 July 1984
• Find A Grave: Memorial #11212035
• "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKZF-MVG : 8 March 2018), William Still in entry for Letitia Still, 11 Oct 1861; citing v 2 p 151, Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; FHL microfilm 1,003,690.
• "The Underground Railroad: Crash Course Black American History #15." Crash Course (channel). 28 Aug 2021. YouTube.com. Retrieved 28 Aug 2021. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byh-HityBIM&list=TLPQMjgwODIwMjHFj0KgkLqkjQ)
• Wikipedia: William Still
• Wikidata: Item Q3568976, en:Wikipedia
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-forgotten-father-of-the-underground-railroad-180981088/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20221116daily-responsive&spMailingID=47649149&spUserID=MTAwNjk0NDYwMjAyNgS2&spJobID=2342416723&spReportId=MjM0MjQxNjcyMwS2
• William Still's National Significance; By Dr. Diane D. Turner