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Home , Daniel Cady, Mary Baker Eddy, Mary Cassatt, Mother Jones

QUARTERLY NEWS c LONGYEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY and MUSEUM

VOL. 22, NO. 2 PUBLISHED BY LONGYEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY SUMMER 1985 WOMEN OF 'S TIME

Susan B. Anthony

To have been a notable woman in were enriched with a great sense of direction of two rather different Mrs. Eddy's time required much of love and caring for their fellow man. women - Elizabeth Cady Stanton and what it does today- courage, perse­ Most of them taught, many were Susan B. Anthony. verance, unselfed motives and often a and wives, several were Mrs. Stanton (1815-1902) was an singleness of thought. In the following wonderful speakers, and all are still an organizer. She certainly had to be since article we have selected some of the inspiration today. her combined work for the woman's prominent women of that period. movement and woman's (two These women shared qualities which Elizabeth Cady Stanton distinct goals in Mrs. Stanton's mind) Susan B. Anthony and the raising of seven children kept Though Mrs. Eddy was truly ahead her very busy. As the daughter of Judge Quarterly News Summer 1985 Daniel Cady, she learned to probe and C>Longyear Foundation 1985 Vol. 22, No. 2 of her time in her spiritual concept of ( true equality for men and women, the question. Unfortunately, her father Sent without charge to Members of Longyear cause for woman's suffrage was brew­ didn't approve of what she chose to ing during her lifetime under the question so she was almost disinher-

337 ited. Her husband, Henry Stanton, a 1879) and served as a recruiter. She of the railways. She even met Mr. lawyer, wasn't too keen on his wife's was a fiery speaker though her Rockefeller though that did not turn activities, so she depended upon sup­ demeanor was always quite ladylike. the strike around. port from others. One was Lucretia She continued her labor work Matt, a well-known preacher and throughout her lifetime, and when she abolitionist, who spoke at the first turned 100, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was Woman's Rights convention in 1848 in among her well-wishers. Seneca Falls, . It was here that woman's suffrage was first demanded. When met Harriet Susan B. Anthony (1829-1906) was Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) he report­ the co-founder of the National Wom­ edly said, "So this is the little woman an's Suffrage Association with Mrs. who wrote the book that made the big Stanton. Her working life began when war." she taught school to help pay off family Mrs. Stowe, like so many of Mrs. debts. She first met Mrs. Stanton in Eddy's contemporaries, was a dedi­ 1851 when Miss Anthony learned that cated school teacher. She married the women weren't allow to speak at tern­ widowed professor/clergyman Calvin perance meetings. Mrs. Stanton's Stowe of South Natick (now Natick), advice was not to fight but to form a in 1836 when she was separate temperance society. Miss 25. She raised six children. Her interest Anthony was also an active abolition­ and talent in writing developed when ist. They worked closely together as she temporarily returned to her fath­ publisher and editor of the magazine er's house in Cincinnati and helped her Revolution, 1868-1870. brother, Henry Ward Beecher, edit The Both were women not afraid to rock Cincinnati Journal. She then saw that the boat and risk the consequences. she could write stories to add to the Miss Anthony was jailed when trying family purse. In fact, she wrote pri­ to register to vote in 1872. Mrs. Stanton marily for money, not for her need for took the cause a step further when she Mary Harris Jones artistic expression. In 1850, the Stowe ran for Congress in the 8th district of Mrs. Jones would find herself family moved to Brunswick, Maine, New York City in 1866. She was not involved in many landmark labor where Mr. Stowe taught at Bowdoin jailed. Instead, she received 24 votes. strikes and would always be called in College. There, Harriet became pas to help in emergencies. She would be sionately involved in the anti-slavery Mary Harris Jones involved primarily with minors and it Possibly the least known activist of was by them she was named "." Mrs. Eddy's contemporaries is Mary She, interestingly enough, would also Harris Jones (1830-1930). She's also organize the miners' wives and that the only one who has a current maga­ would often turn a strike around. zine named after her-. A specific concern was for the chil­ Though she was born in Ireland, her dren who worked the mines. She father later settled the family in Bur­ organized the March of the Mill Chil­ lington, Vermont and it was from him dren which went from Kensington, that Mrs. Jones learned the "ins and to Oyster Bay, New York outs" of railway travel which would where President Teddy Roosevelt was serve her well in the years to come. She staying. Today this might be called a attended a teachers college in , publicity stunt, but it did its work graduated in 1859 and proved to be a because laws were passed in Pennsyl­ natural teacher. She married a black­ vania to keep children out of factories smith/organizer for the Iron Moulder's until they were 14 years old. Union in Memphis and with him had Mother Jones was also directly four children. involved in what some historians Twice her sense of home and secu­ consider the most serious labor con­ rity would be shattered. First in Mem­ flict in the , the Colorado phis, yellow fever wiped out her entire Mine Field Struggle which lasted 14 family. A few years later, in , months during 1913-1914. Miners her dressmaker shop was destroyed by were striking for an eight hour day, the great fire of 1871. She was never among other demands. However, the to accumulate any possessions after owners- including John D. Rocke­ that. "I reside wherever there is a good feller, Jr. -fought back, literally. There Harriet Beecher Stowe fight against wrong," she would say. was much bloodshed and though movement. The combination of her She began to attend Mother Jones was carefully watched, writing and her political feelings cul­ meetings and unofficially joined them she managed to stay close to the strike minated in the publication of her most (women couldn't be members until as a result of her working knowledge famous work- Uncle Tom's Cabin-

338 in 1851. Shewasherownpublicistand ground. Her family was not too pleased spy. Unfortunately, her work for the sent copies of her book to everyone with her chosen field. Unlike Mrs. government was never acknowledged from Charles Dickens to Queen Vic­ Spencer, she never tried to combine and she was unable to get a pension. toria's Prince Albert. Two years later family and career. She studied abroad Nevertheless, Mrs. Tubman certainly she traveled through Europe and was in where she said "I began to made her mark on history. highly praised in Great Britain. She live." She was invited in 1877 by Edgar continued writing, contributing to the Degas to join a group of artists called new magazine Atlantic Monthly and Independents (later named by art his­ publishing more novels, including The torians as Impressionists). Miss Cassatt Minister's Wooing (1859). was capable of working in many mediums-oils and . Interest­ ingly enough, though never a mother herself, she eventually would devote Art has always been a somewhat more and more time to the mother and unconventional occupation for men child theme, and would explore this and women. In the , not subject in a variety of wonderful ways.

Harriet 'lUhman Heroines appear throughout history, and (1820-1913) was certainly one for her time. "The Moses of her people" Mrs. Tubman was the most successful conductor on the underground railroad. She was known for her incredible courage, cleverness and ingenuity. Mrs. Tubman, the child of Harriet Greene and Benjamin Ross, was born a Harriet Tubman slave and lived with the vivid memo­ Mrs. Tubman married twice. First, a ries of her two sisters being sold. This free black, John Tubman in 1844. Then, was a common plantation practice. Nelson Davis in 1869. Her second After Harriet suffered some physical marriage was a grand affair, even Sec­ mistreatment, there was a rumor that retary of State, Seward attended. the plantation was sinking and that the slaves would be sold. She and her two NellieBly brothers decided to run away. Though Women journalists were few and far the men turned back, she kept going on between during Mrs. Eddy's time to . Her success inspired though ironically Mrs: Eddy would her to set others free. During the years found an entire newspaper. The 1850-60, Mrs. Tubman made 19 trips to profession was considered a man's the South to bring back over 300 slaves field. Mary Cassatt worth a quarter of a million dollars. There was one notable woman many women painted. But there were Though the journeys were risky, she reporter- [the pen name of a few American ladies who dared. used wisdom and brought only the Elizabeth Cochrane (1867-1922)]. At Lilly Martin Spencer (1822-1902) number of slaves she knew she could 18 she began as a feature writer for The was born in of French parents. care for. She also incorporated Bible Dispatch, where the man­ Her parents were active in social references to let her passengers know aging editor suggested she take a pen reform so there was little uproar when where she was. name from a song by Stephen Foster. she decided to be an artist. In fact she She worked with John Brown, a AftermovingtoNewYorkin 1887 she began her in her teens - on leader who planned a slave revolt in wrote a series of expose-style pieces for the family walls. She studied in Cin­ 1859. Though the Harper's Ferry inci­ The including one on cinnati, and later in New York. She also dent failed and Brown was hung, she inhumane conditions in local asylums, married and raised seven children. She clung to Brown's vision of free blacks. which she researched by being admit­ concentrated on day-to-day moments She brought her last group of slaves ted to an institution as a patient. The in women's lives in her , and to Canada via New York in 1861, and piece brought about needed reforms. these "genre" paintings were her most returned to Boston to meet Alcott, Perhaps, she is best known for sailing popular. Though never quite able to Emerson, and . She from New York hoping to beat the support her family by her work, she did told them and many others of her record of the imaginary Jules Verne make a name for herself and is often work. Mrs. Tubman was a gifted character Phineas Fogg (Around the included in retrospectives of women speaker, though she often had to World in 80 Days). She did- it took ( artists. address anti-slavery meetings under her a little over 72 days. She married Far more famous was Mary Cassatt an alias as she was still considered a millionaire Robert Seaman in 1895, (1845-1926) a woman from an upper hunted woman. During the Civil War but after his passing returned to her class main line Philadelphia back- she served as a nurse, laundress and writing career.

339 children. After three years, she She decided to return to England to returned to her grandmother's home rest, however her "restful" vacation and educated herself to become a became a two year crusade on behalf of qualified teacher. During this time, the mentally ill in 14 countries. Miss Dix experienced a broken The Civil War brought her stateside, engagement and a broken heart but and she served as Superintendent of once again never allowed herself to Nurses for the War Department. One of give in to her sorrows. She did become her nurses was . interested in Unitarianism (a far cry She continued touring and inspect­ from her father's Methodist teachings) ing after the war and spent her last and through this she met the years as a guest at a care renowned Unitarian teacher- Wil­ facility. liam Ellery Channing. She opened another school but the Gabrielle Winkel work was too much for her and an emotional and physical collapse fol­ lowed. In 1835, she closed her board­ SOURCES: ing school for and sailed to The Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art. England to recover. She met William New York: Simon and Schuster. Rathbone, a friend of Channing's. He Harris, Ann Sutherkind and Nochan, Linda. was involved in urban reform and , 1550-1950. New York: Alfred sparked her particular interest in the A. Knopf, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, human plight of the mentally ill. When 1977. she finally returned to America in the Peterson, Karen and Wilson, J.J. Women Artists. New York: New York University Press, 1976. fall of 1837, she was invited to teach "Recognition and Reappraisal from the Early Sunday School in an East Cambridge Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century." Dorothea Dix jail, and there saw the horrible con­ Nies, Judith. Seven Women - Portraits from the Social work has always received ditions which existed. She began American Radical Tradition. New York: The much support from women, Miss to canvas the state of Massachusetts VikingPress, 1977. Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) is a fine for two years and this culminated Bailey, Janice. Those Meddling Women. Valley example of a noble crusader with a in a study with recommendations Forge: Judson Press. great singleness of purpose. She was addressed to the state legislature. Her Truman, Margaret. Women of Courage. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., also a born teacher. proposals were adopted. 1976. Though experiencing a lonely In 1845, after traveling through nine The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Micro­ childhood -lacking in love and sup­ thousand facilities and sixty thousand paedia. 15th Edition. port- Dorothea never wallowed in miles, she conceived the idea of des­ self-pity. She spent most of her time ignating federal ground- 5 million with relatives. She lived with a acres-for care facilities. The proposal PHOTOS: grandmother in Boston, later an aunt in passed both houses. However, much to National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institu­ Worcester and there Miss Dix, at 14, Miss Dix's disappointment, President tion, Washington, D.C., Mary Harris Jones on successfully opened a school for young vetoed the bill in 1848. loan from the U.S. Department of Labor.

LONGYEAR FOUNDATION: Board of Trustees: June A. Austin, Chairman, Marian H. Holbrook, and Robert C. Dale. Constance C. Johnson, Director. QUARTERLY NEWS is published four times annually by Longyear Historical Society, 120 Seaver Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02146. U.S.A. (617) 277-8943. Inquiries about membership and activities are welcome. Printed in the United States of America

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