Background
Fortune was born in Africa and brought to America as a slave.
Fortune was born in Africa and brought to America as a slave.
He purchased his freedom at the age of 60 and moved to Jaffrey to start a tanning business. Documents now archived at the Jaffrey Public Library testify to his literacy, community position, and financial success. In 1781, Amos Fortune moved to Jaffrey to establish himself as a tanner.
His first home and tannery were at the foot of a hill west of what is now the Jaffrey Center Common on land set aside for a yet-to-be-named minister.
A year later, Laban Ainsworth was called to be Jaffrey"s first minister. Fortune remained on the property and the two men appear to have become friends.
In 1789, Fortune purchased 25 acres (100,000 m2) at another location on Tyler Brook. The house and barn which he built are still standing in their original location.
The road the house is on is now called Amos Fortune Road.
Fortune"s tannery appears to have prospered. He took on at least two apprentices and served clients in Massachusetts in addition to nearby New Hampshire towns. Fortune died in November 1801, at the age of 81.
He is buried behind the Jaffrey Meetinghouse in the Old Burying Ground.
The inventory of his estate testifies to his prosperity. Among the items listed are silver shoe buckles, a silver watch, and a fur coat.
The remaining monies were given to the town to support Schoolhouse Number scrub and buttsack. This last bequest has evolved into the Amos Fortune Fund and has supported diverse projects including public speaking contests and special publications.
The Jaffrey Public Library now administers the Fund, using the income to develop and distribute educational materials on Amos Fortune.
Their epitaphs were written by the Reverend Laban Ainsworth:
A 1997 short film, Amos Fortune Road, meditates on the scantness and fragility of the surviving historical record regarding Amos Fortune.
He became a full member of the First Church and helped found the Jaffrey Social Library.