, ▁Massachusetts , ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 5 . ▁Sed g wick ' s ▁family ▁later ▁moved ▁to ▁Stock bridge , ▁Massachusetts ▁where ▁her ▁great - gre at - gre at ▁grand father ▁Judge ▁The odore ▁Sed g wick ▁had ▁settled ▁after ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁The odore ▁married ▁Pam ela ▁D w ight ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁England ▁D w ight ▁family ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Ab ig ail ▁( née ▁Williams ) ▁D w ight . ▁E ph ra im ▁Williams , ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁Williams ▁College , ▁was ▁Sed g wick ' s ▁fifth - gre at ▁grand father . ▁Judge ▁The odore ▁Sed g wick ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁ple ad ▁and ▁win ▁a ▁case ▁for ▁the ▁freedom ▁of ▁a ▁black ▁woman , ▁Elizabeth ▁Fre eman , ▁under ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Bill ▁of ▁Rights ▁that ▁declared ▁all ▁men ▁to ▁be ▁born ▁free ▁and ▁equal . ▁Her ▁pat ernal ▁great - gre at - gre at ▁grand father , ▁William ▁Ell ery , ▁was ▁a ▁sign atory ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence . ▁ ▁Sed g wick ' s ▁mother , ▁Alice , ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Henry ▁Whe eler ▁de ▁Forest , ▁the ▁President ▁and ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Pacific ▁Rail road , ▁and ▁a ▁direct ▁desc endant ▁of ▁Jess é ▁de ▁Forest , ▁of ▁H ug uen ot ▁ancest ry , ▁whose ▁Dutch ▁West ▁India ▁Company ▁helped ▁to ▁sett le ▁New ▁Amsterdam . ▁Jess é ▁de ▁Forest ▁was ▁also ▁Ed