Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, and died in Brooklyn, New York. He was a progressive Congregational minister, abolitionist, and social reformer, famed for his oratorical skills. In 1847, he accepted the pastorate of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, a position he would hold until his passing. Under Beecher's tenure, the services at Plymouth Church were famous for their mock slave auctions, in which the congregation would bid for real slaves who would then be set free. In addition to lecturing and preaching, Beecher wrote several books, including: Evolution and Religion (1885), Life of Jesus the Christ (1871-91), and a novel, Norwood: A Tale of Village Life in New England (1867). Beecher was also the great-uncle of Isabella A. Beecher, a student of Mary Baker Eddy's.

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