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Act establishing that all enslaved people would be free at the age of twenty
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Born in Canaan, CT to parents Revolutionary War Veteran, Jupiter and Fanny Mars. His fatherwas from Columbia County, New York, and his mother was from Loudin County, Virginia. Jupiter was enslaved by Canaan's Congregational minister, Amos Thompson who married Jane Evans (Fannie's enslaver). They had two children, James and Joseph. Evans wanted to relocate back to Virginia, so Thompson went with her to prepare. They left the Mars family in Canaan where they farmed in relative peace.
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90 years of an extraordinary life in a new nation.
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When the Reverend Thompson returned, he planned to settle his affairs and gather the Mars family to move back to Virginia. As his wife frequently threatened the Mars family with threats of violance once they were down South, Jupiter decides to flee to Norfolk with his family. James and his family are then protected by the people of Norfolk and hidden in their basement, attics, and barns as pickets hunted for them.
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Unable to discover the whereabouts of the boys or convince their parents to move to Virginia, Thompson eventually sells his rights to Mars boys. James went to a Norfolk man named Elijah Munger for a hundred dollars and Joe was bound to Caleb Bingham in nearby Salisbury.
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1818: Connecticut’s new constitution specifically bans African-Americans from voting
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Mars buys a 23 acre farm
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In 1827 the town granted an earmark to him to brand any cattle that he owned.
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and gives birth to a son
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After the death of Munger, Mars marries in Norfolk and has two children. He also becomes a Deacon Norfolk (later in Hartford and Pittsfield, MA as well).
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Bulloch brought his captive, Nancy Jackson, to Hartford and left her there when he traveled back to his Southern home. Jackson sought help when Bulloch planned to take her back to Georgia again. Mars signed papers to challenge Bulloch also challenging slavery in the state of Connecticut. Even with the threat of violence, Mars stood by Jackson's side, and the court ruled in her favor.
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Connecticut Anti-Slavery society was founded
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at the Talcott Street Church where Alexander Crummell spoke on the topic of oppression in society and urged that people support the Colored American newspaper as an "advocate for our social, political and religious privileges.
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From 1840 through 1843 Mars was involved with multiple petition efforts for political franchise by Connecticut Blacks folks. It was denied every time.
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and becomes a Deacon at the Second Congregational Church
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Mars attended his first and only national convention of African American leaders in October of 1847 when he went to Troy, New York as a Massachusetts delegate. During discussion regarding a national newspaper for blacks, he supported a resolution to create such a publication.
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The thirteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishes slavery throughout the country.
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The fourteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. It gives all native born and naturalized persons citizenship and gives blacks equal protection under the law.
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The fifteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, securing the right to vote for black adult males.
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and is buried in Norfolk's Center Cemetery
