Born: 1817 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Died: December 23, 1903 (Collingdale, Pennsylvania)
Biography:
Henrietta Duterte (1817 – December 23, 1903) was an African-American funeral home owner, philanthropist, and abolitionist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the first American woman to own a mortuary, and her business operated as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Henrietta Duterte, born Henrietta Bowers, was born into an affluent, free black family in Philadelphia. She was raised in Philadelphia’s Society Hill on Middle Alley, which is now called Panama Street. She was one of 13 children, including her brothers John C. Bowers, who was an entrepreneur, organist, and abolitionist, and Thomas Bowers, a renowned opera singer known as The Colored Mario.
Known for her fashionable attire, Henrietta started her career as a tailor. In 1852, she married Francis A. Duterte, a Haitian-American who owned an undertaking business. Unfortunately, none of their children survived infancy, and Francis passed away in 1858.
Following her husband’s death, Henrietta took over the funeral parlor and became the first American woman to operate such a business. Her mortuary quickly gained a reputation for providing quick undertaking service, a necessity in the era before modern embalming methods. Under her ownership, the funeral home was estimated to gross $8,000 per year, which would be equivalent to around $211,500 in today’s currency.
Henrietta Duterte played a significant role in the Underground Railroad, using her funeral parlor as a safe haven for fugitive slaves. She courageously aided runaway slaves from southern states who sought freedom in the North. Henrietta would often hide them in coffins or disguise them as part of funeral processions, helping them escape their pursuers.
In addition to her courageous activities as an abolitionist, Henrietta was a devoted philanthropist. The success of her funeral home allowed her to make generous contributions to her community. Among the organizations she supported were the AME Church of St. Thomas, the Philadelphia Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons, and the Freedman’s Aid Society. The latter was established after the Civil War to provide assistance to formerly enslaved individuals in Tennessee.
Later in her life, Henrietta transferred ownership of the funeral home to her nephew, Joseph Seth. She continued to be an active member of her community until her passing at the age of 86 on December 23, 1903. Henrietta Duterte was laid to rest at the historic Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.