Significance

David and Lucy Spaulding (Spalding) represent those European American abolitionists whose commitment to equality was rooted in spiritual values, in their case probably Quaker values, and who supported abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass. They also illustrate the close connection between abolitionism and the early woman’s rights movement, because they attended the Seneca Falls woman’s rights convention in 1848 and signed the Declaration of Sentiments.

Biographies

David and Lucy (Lucelia) Spaulding (Spaulding) were abolitionists and woman’s rights activists who lived in the Town of Spafford,, just north of the village of Borodino, on what is now Eibert Road. David Spaulding was born about 1794. Lucy Spaulding was born about 1796. In 1850, the Spauldings had three children living at home.

In 1850, he listed his occupation in the census as a farmer, with real estate worth $4000. His land holdings included at least twelve purchases from 1831 to 1865, although he likely sold some of these during that time, as well. (See attached list of deeds from grantee index to 1874, Onondaga County.)

Both Spauldings were probably Quakers affiliated with Skaneateles Preparative Meeting and Scipio Monthly Meeting. In 1848, both of them attended the woman’s rights convention in Seneca Falls and signed the Declaration of Sentiments. In 1849, they hosted Frederick Douglass, who published an account in The North Star of his stay with the Spauldings. After speaking in Skaneateles (perhaps in the Friends’ Meeting House), Douglass wrote that

I was met at Skaneateles by David Spalding, from Borodino, who kindly came to convey me from the former to the latter of my appointments, and after meeting, he took me in his wagon, and brought me on to his house, eight miles toward Borodino. The meeting was held in the Methodist church, and was well attended. That on Sunday, was held in the Baptists church, and was equally well attended. My visit to Borodino was a very pleasant one. Mr. Spalding and family know well how to make the weary stranger at home, and I left feeling grateful for their kind attentions, and the aid they mutually rendered me. The anti-slavery lecturer need never fear to go to the home of David Spalding; for though unpretending, and in humble circumstances, he takes sincere pleasure in lending a helping hand to all devoted laborers in this cause.

(North Star, April 13, 1849)

Site

The house stands on the north side of Eibert Road, just east of East Lake Road, about eight miles from the Skaneateles Friends’ Meeting House. It is a gable-and-wing, with narrow brackets under unsoffited eaves. A porch with five columns (or pillars) fronts the wing. Second floor windows on the south and north sides of the wing and on the west side of the gable are half size. Family tradition suggests that the gable section was built earlier than the wing, with a basement kitchen accessible through a door still visible on the west side.

The house still sits in the middle of farmland, on a high ridge, with a spectacular view facing south toward Borodino.

This house is on Lot 34 in the Town of Spafford, where David Spaulding purchased property in 1839. By 1874, the house was owned by the Mason family, from whom the Eiberts purchased it. Robert and Betsey Eibert still live there.

Bibliography

Deeds

Maps, 1852, 1856, 1874

1850 Census

Frederick Douglass, North Star, April 13, 1849

List of signers of Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

Further Research Needs

Further research in assessments might help identify dates of construction and change for this house. Complete records for Skaneateles Preparative Meeting of Friends in this period are located in Friends’ Historical Library at Swarthmore College and should be checked to verify the relationship of the Spauldings to this group. Checking the index for the Liberator might reveal more information about the abolitionist acitivies of the Spauldings.

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