Asenath Smith

Asenath Caroline Smith (1797–1848) was an American woman whose experience being forced to undergo an abortion led to the first state abortion law being implemented in the United States.

Biography

Early life Smith was born in 1797 and grew up on a farm in Griswold, Connecticut. She and her younger sister Maria were raised by a single mother and lived with her and their maternal grandparents. Contemporary sources have described Smith as growing up in the "margins of society", though it is known that she did receive some education.

Relationship with Ammi Rogers In 1815, Smith first met Ammi Rogers, a preacher, when he had visited the family home in Griswold to pray for her dying grandmother. Rogers had been educated at Yale University in nearby New Haven; he had initially been ordained by the Episcopal Church, but had been subsequently been excommunicated from the church due to his constant criticisms of his leadership. Rogers preached during the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant revival movement that saw travelling preachers gaining significant followings. Rogers was well known in New England for his at times controversial talks, with audiences for his sermons often reaching the hundreds.

By 1817, Smith and Rogers were in a sexual relationship; he was two decades older than her. Their relationship was tolerated by Smith's family, who permitted Rogers to stay in the family home. Rogers had declared his "ardent and honourable affection" for Smith and had promised to marry her; sexual relationships were permitted by some families on the understanding that the couple would marry eventually.

At some point after the birth, Smith moved with Rogers to Massachusetts, where they lived for several months, with Rogers indicating he would propose to her. When this did not happen, Smith ended the relationship and returned to Connecticut.

Legacy It has been suggested that the case of Asenath Smith was the inspiration for the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Hawthorne was known to have mutual friends with the Smith family.