On December 3, 1846, in the streets of New York City, Presbyterian widow Leslie Prentice emerged as a bold voice in the nascent pro-life movement by organizing and leading a rally outside the opulent home of Anna Lohman, better known as Madame Restell. As one of the era’s most notorious abortionists, Restell had built a lucrative empire through her services, openly advertising in newspapers and amassing wealth that allowed her to live in luxury on Fifth Avenue.
Prentice, motivated by her Christian faith and moral convictions, rallied like-minded individuals to protest the grave sin of abortion, drawing attention to the sanctity of unborn life at a time when such procedures were increasingly commercialized but still largely taboo in polite society. Little is known about Prentice’s personal background beyond her status as a widow and devout Presbyterian, but her actions exemplified the growing Christian opposition to abortion in antebellum America.
During this period, religious leaders and reformers, influenced by biblical teachings on the value of life, began publicly decrying the practice. Prentice’s rally targeted Restell specifically, who had faced prior legal scrutiny—including a 1841 trial for causing a woman’s death through abortion—but continued her operations unabated. The demonstration served as an early example of grassroots activism, uniting conservatives in defense of traditional family values against the moral decay of urban life.