Harriet Beecher Stowe
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 â€“ July 1, 1896) was an American
author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
and
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...
. She came from the religious
Beecher family Originating in New England, one particular Beecher family in the 19th century was a political family notable for issues of religion, civil rights, and social reform. Notable members of the family include clergy ( Congregationalists), educators, au ...
and became best known for her novel ''
Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U. ...
'' (1852), which depicts the harsh conditions experienced by enslaved
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
. The book reached an audience of millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and in
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
, energizing anti-slavery forces in the
American North The Northern United States, commonly referred to as the American North, the Northern States, or simply the North, is a geographical or historical region of the United States. History Early history Before the 19th century westward expansion, the " ...
, while provoking widespread anger in the
South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
. Stowe wrote 30 books, including novels, three travel memoirs, and collections of articles and letters. She was influential both for her writings and for her public stances and debates on social issues of the day.


Life and work

Harriet Elisabeth Beecher was born in
Litchfield, Connecticut Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,192 at the 2020 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town. There are also three unincorpora ...
on June 14, 1811.McFarland, Philip. ''Loves of Harriet Beecher Stowe''. New York: Grove Press, 2007: 112. She was the sixth of 11 children born to outspoken
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
preacher
Lyman Beecher Lyman Beecher (October 12, 1775 – January 10, 1863) was a Presbyterian minister, and the father of 13 children, many of whom became noted figures, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella B ...
. Her mother was his first wife, Roxana (Foote), a deeply religious woman who died when Stowe was only five years old. Roxana's maternal grandfather was General Andrew Ward of the Revolutionary War. Harriet's siblings included a sister,
Catharine Beecher Catharine Esther Beecher (September 6, 1800 – May 12, 1878) was an American educator known for her forthright opinions on female education as well as her vehement support of the many benefits of the incorporation of kindergarten into children's ...
, who became an educator and author, as well as brothers who became ministers: including
Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery trial. His r ...
, who became a famous preacher and abolitionist,
Charles Beecher Charles Beecher (October 1, 1815 – April 21, 1900) was an American minister, composer of religious hymns and a prolific author. Early life Beecher was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, the fifth child of Lyman Beecher, an abolitionist Congr ...
, and
Edward Beecher Edward Beecher D.D. (August 27, 1803 – July 28, 1895) was an American theologian, the son of Lyman Beecher and the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Biography Beecher was born August 27, 1803, in East Hampton, New York. ...
. Harriet enrolled in the
Hartford Female Seminary Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut was established in 1823, by Catharine Beecher, making it one of the first major educational institutions for women in the United States. By 1826 it had enrolled nearly 100 students. It implemente ...
run by her older sister Catharine. There she received something girls seldom got, a traditional academic education, with a focus in the
Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
, languages, and mathematics. Among her classmates was Sarah P. Willis, who later wrote under the pseudonym
Fanny Fern Fanny Fern (born Sara Payson Willis; July 9, 1811 – October 10, 1872), was an American novelist, children's writer, humorist, and newspaper columnist in the 1850s to 1870s. Her popularity has been attributed to a conversational style and sense ...
. In 1832, at the age of 21, Harriet Beecher moved to
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
to join her father, who had become the president of
Lane Theological Seminary Lane Seminary, sometimes called Cincinnati Lane Seminary, and later renamed Lane Theological Seminary, was a Presbyterian theological college that operated from 1829 to 1932 in Walnut Hills, Ohio, today a neighborhood in Cincinnati. Its campus ...
. There, she also joined the
Semi-Colon Club The Semi-Colon Club was an informal organization of talented writers in Cincinnati, Ohio during the mid-19th century. Harriet Beecher Stowe was a member of the club while living in the city from 1832 until 1850. Stowe's experiences in Cincinnati an ...
, a literary salon and social club whose members included the Beecher sisters,
Caroline Lee Hentz Caroline Lee Whiting Hentz (June 1, 1800, Lancaster, Massachusetts – February 11, 1856, Marianna, Florida) was an American novelist and author, most noted for her defenses of slavery and opposition to the abolitionist movement. Her widely read ...
,
Salmon P. Chase Salmon Portland Chase (January 13, 1808May 7, 1873) was an American politician and jurist who served as the sixth chief justice of the United States. He also served as the 23rd governor of Ohio, represented Ohio in the United States Senate, a ...
(future governor of Ohio and
Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
under President Lincoln),
Emily Blackwell Emily Blackwell (October 8, 1826 – September 7, 1910) was the second woman to earn a medical degree at what is now Case Western Reserve University, after Nancy Talbot Clark. In 1993, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Bi ...
and others.Tonkovic, Nicole. ''Domesticity with a Difference: The Nonfiction of Catharine Beecher, Sarah J. Hale, Fanny Fern, and Margaret Fuller''. University Press of Mississippi, 1997: 12. Cincinnati's trade and shipping business on the
Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
was booming, drawing numerous migrants from different parts of the country, including many escaped slaves, bounty hunters seeking them, and Irish immigrants who worked on the state's canals and railroads. In 1829 the ethnic Irish attacked blacks, wrecking areas of the city, trying to push out these competitors for jobs. Beecher met a number of African Americans who had suffered in those attacks, and their experience contributed to her later writing about slavery. Riots took place again in 1836 and 1841, driven also by native-born anti-abolitionists. Harriet was also influenced by the Lane Debates on Slavery. The biggest event ever to take place at Lane, it was the series of debates held on 18 days in February 1834, between colonization and abolition defenders, decisively won by
Theodore Weld Theodore Dwight Weld (November 23, 1803 – February 3, 1895) was one of the architects of the American abolitionist movement during its formative years from 1830 to 1844, playing a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known ...
and other abolitionists. Elisabeth attended most of the debates. Her father and the trustees, afraid of more violence from anti-abolitionist whites, prohibited any further discussions of the topic. The result was a mass exodus of the Lane students, together with a supportive trustee and a professor, who moved as a group to the new
Oberlin Collegiate Institute Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of higher ...
after its trustees agreed, by a close and acrimonious vote, to accept students regardless of "race", and to allow discussions of any topic. It was in the literary club at Lane that she met Rev.
Calvin Ellis Stowe Calvin Ellis Stowe (April 6, 1802 – August 22, 1886) was an American Biblical scholar who helped spread public education in the United States. Over his career, he was a professor of languages and Biblical and sacred literature at Andover Theolo ...
, a widower who was a professor of Biblical Literature at the seminary. The two married at the Seminary on January 6, 1836. The Stowes had seven children together, including twin daughters.


''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' and Civil War

In 1850,
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
passed the
Fugitive Slave Law The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of enslaved people who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The idea of the fugitive slave law was derived from ...
, prohibiting assistance to fugitives and strengthening sanctions even in free states. At the time, Stowe had moved with her family to
Brunswick, Maine Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 21,756 at the 2020 United States Census. Part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area, Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin Intern ...
, where her husband was now teaching at
Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...
. Their home near the campus is protected as a National Historic Landmark. The Stowes were ardent critics of slavery and supported the
Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...
, temporarily housing several fugitive slaves in their home. One fugitive from slavery, John Andrew Jackson, wrote of hiding with Stowe in her house in Brunswick as he fled to Canada in his narrative titled "The Experience of a Slave in South Carolina" (London: Passmore & Albaster, 1862). Stowe claimed to have a vision of a dying slave during a communion service at Brunswick's First Parish Church, which inspired her to write his story. However, what more likely allowed her to empathize with slaves was the loss of her eighteen-month-old son, Samuel Charles Stowe. She even stated the following, "Having experienced losing someone so close to me, I can sympathize with all the poor, powerless slaves at the unjust auctions. You will always be in my heart Samuel Charles Stowe." On March 9, 1850, Stowe wrote to
Gamaliel Bailey Gamaliel Bailey (December 3, 1807June 5, 1859) was an American physician who left that career to become an abolitionist journalist, editor, and publisher, working primarily in Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C. Anti-abolitionist mobs attacked his ...
, editor of the weekly anti-slavery journal ''
The National Era ''The National Era'' was an abolitionist newspaper published weekly in Washington, D.C., from 1847 to 1860. Gamaliel Bailey was its editor in its first year. ''The National Era Prospectus'' stated in 1847: Each number contained four pages of ...
'', that she planned to write a story about the problem of slavery: "I feel now that the time is come when even a woman or a child who can speak a word for freedom and humanity is bound to speak... I hope every woman who can write will not be silent." Shortly after in June 1851, when she was 40, the first installment of ''
Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U. ...
'' was published in serial form in the newspaper ''The National Era''. She originally used the subtitle "The Man That Was a Thing", but it was soon changed to "Life Among the Lowly". Installments were published weekly from June 5, 1851, to April 1, 1852. For the newspaper serialization of her novel, Stowe was paid $400. ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' was published in book form on March 20, 1852, by John P. Jewett with an initial print run of 5,000 copies. Each of its two volumes included three illustrations and a title-page designed by
Hammatt Billings Charles Howland Hammatt Billings (1818–1874) was an artist and architect from Boston, Massachusetts. Among his works are the original illustrations for ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (both the initial printing and an expanded 1853 edition), the Nat ...
. In less than a year, the book sold an unprecedented 300,000 copies. By December, as sales began to wane, Jewett issued an inexpensive edition at 37½ cents each to stimulate sales. Sales abroad, as in Britain where the book was a great success, earned Stowe nothing as there was no international copyright agreement in place during that era. In late 1853 Stowe undertook a lecture tour of Britain and, to make up the royalties that she could not receive there, the Glasgow New Association for the Abolition of Slavery set up Uncle Tom's Offering. According to Daniel R. Vollaro, the goal of the book was to educate Northerners on the realistic horrors of the things that were happening in the South. The other purpose was to try to make people in the South feel more empathetic towards the people they were forcing into slavery. The book's emotional portrayal of the effects of slavery on individuals captured the nation's attention. Stowe showed that slavery touched all of society, beyond the people directly involved as masters, traders and slaves. Her novel added to the debate about abolition and slavery, and aroused opposition in the South. In the South, Stowe was depicted as out of touch, arrogant, and guilty of slander. Within a year, 300 babies in Boston alone were named Eva (one of the book's characters), and a play based on the book opened in New York in November. Southerners quickly responded with numerous works of what are now called
anti-Tom novels Anti-Tom literature consists of the 19th century pro-slavery novels and other literary works written in response to Harriet Beecher Stowe's ''Uncle Tom's Cabin''. Also called plantation literature, these writings were generally written by autho ...
, seeking to portray Southern society and slavery in more positive terms. Many of these were bestsellers, although none matched the popularity of Stowe's work, which set publishing records. After the start of the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, Stowe traveled to the capital, Washington, D.C., where she met President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 â€“ April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
on November 25, 1862. Stowe's daughter, Hattie, reported, "It was a very droll time that we had at the White house I assure you... I will only say now that it was all very funny—and we were ready to explode with laughter all the while." What Lincoln said is a minor mystery. Her son later reported that Lincoln greeted her by saying, "so you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war." Her own accounts are vague, including the letter reporting the meeting to her husband: "I had a real funny interview with the President."


Later years

Stowe purchased property near
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
. In response to a newspaper article in 1873, she wrote, "I came to Florida the year after the war and held property in Duval County ever since. In all this time I have not received even an incivility from any native Floridian." Stowe is controversial for her support of
Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll Elizabeth Georgiana Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (''née'' Leveson-Gower; 30 May 1824 – 25 May 1878) was a British noblewoman and abolitionist. Born into the wealthy Sutherland-Leveson-Gower family, she was the eldest daughter of the 2nd Du ...
, whose father-in-law decades before was a leader in the Highland Clearances, the transformation of the remote Highlands of Scotland from a militia-based society to an agricultural one that supported far fewer people. The newly homeless moved to Canada, where very bitter accounts appeared. It was Stowe's assignment to refute them using evidence the Duchess provided, in Letter XVII Volume 1 of her travel memoir ''Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands''. Stowe was criticized for her seeming defense of the clearances. In 1868, Stowe became one of the first editors of ''
Hearth and Home ''Hearth and Home'' was an American weekly illustrated magazine which was published from 1868 to 1875. Founding and editors The advertising company of Pettengill, Bates & Company founded the publication, which had a debut issue dated December 2 ...
'' magazine, one of several new publications appealing to women; she departed after a year.Mott, Frank Luther. ''A History of American Magazine, 1865–1885'', p. 99 (1938) Stowe campaigned for the expansion of married women's rights, arguing in 1869 that: In the 1870s, Stowe's brother
Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery trial. His r ...
was accused of adultery, and became the subject of a national scandal. Unable to bear the public attacks on her brother, Stowe again fled to Florida but asked family members to send her newspaper reports. Through the affair, she remained loyal to her brother and believed he was innocent. After her return to Connecticut, Mrs. Stowe was among the founders of the Hartford Art School, which later became part of the
University of Hartford The University of Hartford (UHart) is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut. Its main campus extends into neighboring Hartford and Bloomfield. The university attracts students from 48 states and 43 countries. The university and it ...
. Following the death of her husband, Calvin Stowe, in 1886, Harriet started rapidly to decline in health. By 1888, ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reported that as a result of dementia the 77-year-old Stowe started writing ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' over again. She imagined that she was engaged in the original composition, and for several hours every day she industriously used pen and paper, inscribing passages of the book almost exactly word for word. This was done unconsciously from memory, the author imagining that she composed the matter as she went along. To her diseased mind the story was brand new, and she frequently exhausted herself with labor which she regarded as freshly created.
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 â€“ April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...
, a neighbor of Stowe's in Hartford, recalled her last years in the following passage of his autobiography:
Her mind had decayed, and she was a pathetic figure. She wandered about all the day long in the care of a muscular Irish woman. Among the colonists of our neighborhood the doors always stood open in pleasant weather. Mrs. Stowe entered them at her own free will, and as she was always softly slippered and generally full of animal spirits, she was able to deal in surprises, and she liked to do it. She would slip up behind a person who was deep in dreams and musings and fetch a war whoop that would jump that person out of his clothes. And she had other moods. Sometimes we would hear gentle music in the drawing-room and would find her there at the piano singing ancient and melancholy songs with infinitely touching effect.
Modern researchers now speculate that at the end of her life she was suffering from
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
. Harriet Beecher Stowe died on July 1, 1896, in
Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 17 days after her 85th birthday. She is buried in the historic cemetery at
Phillips Academy ("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness , address = 180 Main Street , city = Andover , state = Ma ...
in
Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...
, along with her husband and their son Henry Ellis.


Legacy


Landmarks

Multiple landmarks are dedicated to the memory of Harriet Beecher Stowe, and are located in several states including Ohio, Florida, Maine and Connecticut. The locations of these landmarks represent various periods of her life such as her father's house where she grew up, and where she wrote her most famous work. The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, is the former home of her father Lyman Beecher on the former campus of the Lane Seminary. Her father was a preacher who was greatly affected by the pro-slavery
Cincinnati Riots of 1836 The Cincinnati riots of 1836 were caused by racial tensions at a time when African Americans, some of whom had escaped from slavery in the Southern United States, were competing with whites for jobs. The racial riots occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, Un ...
. Harriet Beecher Stowe lived here until her marriage. It is open to the public and operated as a historical and cultural site, focusing on Harriet Beecher Stowe, the Lane Seminary and the Underground Railroad. The site also presents African-American history. In the 1870s and 1880s, Stowe and her family wintered in
Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
, Florida, now a neighborhood of modern consolidated
Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
, on the
St. Johns River The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...
. Stowe wrote ''
Palmetto Leaves ''Palmetto Leaves'' is a memoir and travel guide written by Harriet Beecher Stowe about her winters in the town of Mandarin, Florida, published in 1873. Already famous for having written ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), Stowe came to Florida after ...
'' while living in Mandarin, arguably an eloquent piece of promotional literature directed at Florida's potential Northern investors at the time. The book was published in 1873 and describes Northeast Florida and its residents. In 1874, Stowe was honored by the governor of Florida as one of several northerners who had helped Florida's growth after the war. In addition to her writings inspiring tourists and settlers to the area, she helped establish a church and a school, and she helped promote oranges as a major state crop through her own orchards. The school she helped establish in 1870 was an integrated school in Mandarin for children and adults. This predated the national movement toward integration by more than a half century. The marker commemorating the Stowe family is located across the street from the former site of their cottage. It is on the property of the Community Club, at the site of a church where Stowe's husband once served as a minister. The Church of our Saviour is an Episcopal Church founded in 1880 by a group of people who had gathered for Bible readings with Professor Calvin E. Stowe and his famous wife. The house was constructed in 1883 which contained the ''Stowe Memorial stained glass window'', created by
Louis Comfort Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art NouveauL ...
. The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in
Brunswick, Maine Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 21,756 at the 2020 United States Census. Part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area, Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin Intern ...
, is where Stowe lived when she wrote ''Uncle Tom's Cabin.'' Her husband was teaching theology at nearby
Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...
, and she regularly invited students from the college and friends to read and discuss the chapters before publication. Future
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
general, and later Governor,
Joshua Chamberlain Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (born Lawrence Joshua Chamberlain, September 8, 1828February 24, 1914) was an American college professor from Maine who volunteered during the American Civil War to join the Union Army. He became a highly respected and ...
was then a student at the college and later described the setting. "On these occasions," Chamberlain noted, "a chosen circle of friends, mostly young, were favored with the freedom of her house, the rallying point being, however, the reading before publication, of the successive chapters of her ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'', and the frank discussion of them." In 2001, Bowdoin College purchased the house, together with a newer attached building, and was able to raise the substantial funds necessary to restore the house. It is now open to the public. The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in
Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, is the house where Stowe lived for the last 23 years of her life. It was next door to the house of fellow author
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 â€“ April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...
. In this cottage-style house, there are many of Beecher Stowe's original items and items from the time period. In the research library, which is open to the public, there are numerous letters and documents from the Beecher family. The house is open to the public and offers house tours on the hour. In 1833, during Stowe's time in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, the city was afflicted with a serious
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
epidemic. To avoid illness, Stowe made a visit to
Washington, Kentucky Washington is a neighborhood of the city of Maysville located near the Ohio River in Mason County in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is one of the earliest settlements in Kentucky and also one of the earliest American settlements west of the Appal ...
, a major community of the era just south of Maysville. She stayed with the Marshall Key family, one of whose daughters was a student at Lane Seminary. It is recorded that Mr. Key took her to see a slave auction, as they were frequently held in Maysville. Scholars believe she was strongly moved by the experience. The Marshall Key home still stands in Washington. Key was a prominent Kentuckian; his visitors also included Henry Clay and
Daniel Webster Daniel Webster (January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the U.S. Congress and served as the U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison, ...
. The Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site is part of the restored Dawn Settlement at
Dresden, Ontario Dresden is an agricultural community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It is located on the Sydenham River. The community is named after Dresden, Germany. The major crops in the area are wheat, soybeans, ru ...
, which is 20 miles east of
Algonac, Michigan Algonac is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,110 at the 2010 census. Algonac is located at the southern end of the St. Clair River, just before it splits into a large delta region known as the St. C ...
. The community for freed slaves founded by the Rev. Josiah Henson and other abolitionists in the 1830s has been restored. There's also a museum. Henson and the Dawn Settlement provided Stowe with the inspiration for ''Uncle Tom's Cabin''.


Honors

* In 1986, Stowe was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. * On June 13, 2007, the United States Postal Service issued a 75¢
Distinguished Americans series The Distinguished Americans series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Postal Service which was started in 2000 with a 10¢ stamp depicting Joseph Stilwell. The designs of the first nine issues are reminiscent of the earlier Gr ...
postage stamp in her honor. *
Harris–Stowe State University Harris–Stowe State University is a historically black public university in St. Louis, Missouri. The university offers 50 majors, minors, and certificate programs in education, business, and arts & sciences. It is a member-school of the Thurg ...
in St. Louis, Missouri, is named for Stowe and
William Torrey Harris William Torrey Harris (September 10, 1835 – November 5, 1909) was an American educator, philosopher, and lexicographer. He worked for nearly a quarter century in St. Louis, Missouri, where he taught school and served as Superintendent of Sch ...
. * In 2010, Stowe was proposed by the
Ohio Historical Society Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...
as a finalist in a statewide vote for inclusion in Statuary Hall at the
United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...
(
Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...
was chosen instead).


Selected works


Books


Novels

* (First two chapters of serialized version which ran for 40 numbers.) (Digitized version of entire series b
University of Virginia
) * (Published in 2 volumes; stereotyped by Hobart & Robbins.) (One volume 1853 edition is hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (Title from first number.) * (First English illustrated edition.) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * * * * (Ebook available a
Project Gutenberg
) * (Digital copy hosted b
Archive.org
* (Digitized version a

* (1871 printing available a
Internet Archive
) * (Ebook available a
Project Gutenberg
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (co-authored with Adeline D.T. Whitney, Lucretia P. Hale, Frederic W. Loring, Frederic B. Perkins and Edward E. Hale.) (Digital copy a
Google Books
) *
875 __NOTOC__ Year 875 ( DCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * August 12 – Emperor Louis II dies in Brescia, after having named his c ...
(Sequel to ''My wife and I''.) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
)


Drama

* (Closet drama or reading version based on ''Uncle Tom's Cabin.'') (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
)


Poetry

* (Digital copy hosted b
Internet Archive
)


Non-fiction

* (As Harriet E. Beecher.) * a. 1845 *
849 __NOTOC__ Year 849 (Roman numerals, DCCCXLIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Battle of Ostia: A Saracen Arab fleet from Sardi ...
* 1852?. (Self-published book to raise funds to educate Emily and Mary Edmonson, former slaves redeemed by a public subscription in 1848, supported by Stowe.) * (Digital Copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (Digital copy hosted by HathiTrust
Volume I
an
Volume II
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) *
865 __NOTOC__ Year 865 ( DCCCLXV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Louis the German divides the East Frankish Kingdom among his three sons. C ...
(Nimmo's Sixpenny Juvenile Series.) (Digital copy hosted b
University of Florida's George A. Smathers Library
) * (Published under the name of Christopher Crowfield.) (Digital copy hosted b
Archive.org
) * (Published under the name of Christopher Crowfield.) (Digital copy hosted b
Archive.org
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (Published under the name of Christopher Crowfield.) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
)* (Written with
Catherine Beecher Catharine Esther Beecher (September 6, 1800 – May 12, 1878) was an American educator known for her forthright opinions on female education as well as her vehement support of the many benefits of the incorporation of kindergarten into children's ...
.) (Digitized version a
MSU Historic American Cookbook Project
) Textbook version: (Digital copy hosted b
Archive.com
) * (Digital copy a
Archive.org
) * (Ebook available a
Project Gutenberg
) * (Digital copy is hosted b
Archive.org
) * (Digital copy of 1874 printing is hosted a
Archive.org
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) *
878 __NOTOC__ Year 878 ( DCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Britain * January 6 – King Alfred the Great is surprised by a Viking attack ...
(Digital copy hosted a
Hathi Trust
) * ublished between 1889 and 1883 (Digital copy of 1901 edition published by Fleming N. Revell hosted b
Archive.org
) * (Collection of children's stories consisting of "A Dog's Mission," "Lulu's Pupil," "The Daisy's First Winter," "Our Charley," "Take Care of the Hook," "A Talk about Birds," "The Nest in the Orchard" AND "The Happy Child".) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
)


Collections


=During Stowe's lifetime

= * (Consists of the stories: "Love versus Law," "The Tea-rose," "Trials of a Housekeeper," "Little Edward," "
Let Every Man Mind His Own Business "Let Every Man Mind His Own Business", by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is a short story in the temperance fiction genre. It was published in 1839. Plot summary The story opens with Alfred Melton attempting to persuade his cousin and her fiancé, Augusta ...
," "Cousin William," "Uncle Tim," "Aunt Mary," "Frankness," "The Sabbath," "So many Calls," "The Canal-boat," "Feeling," "The Sempstress," "Old Father Morris."(Digital copy hosted b
Archive.org
) * (Consists of the following sketches: "Account of Mrs. Beecher Stowe and her Family," "Uncle Sam's Emancipation," "Earthly Care, A Heavenly Discipline," "A Scholar's Adventure in the Country," "Children," "The Two Bibles," "Letter from Maine, No. 1," "Letter from Maine, No. 2," "Christmas; or, The Good Fairy.") (Digital copy hosted a
HathiTrust
) * (A collection of works consisting of: "The New Year's Gift," "The Bible, The Source of Sure Comfort," "Make to Yourselves Driends," "Earthly Care, A Heavenly Discipline," "So Many Calls," "Learn of Children," "Anti-slavery Meeting in Glasgow, Letter from Mrs. Stowe to Dr Wardlaw.") * (Published under the name of Christopher Crowfield.) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) (Consists of the following stories: "The Hen That Hatched Ducks," "The Nutcracker of Nutcracker Lodge," "The History of Tip-Top," "Miss Katy-Did and Miss Cricket," "Mother Magpie's Micschief," "The Squirrels that Live in a House," "Hum, the Son of Buz," "Our Country Neighbors," "Our Dogs," "Dogs and Cats," "Aunt Esther's Rules," "Aunt Esther's Stories," "Sir Walter Scott and his Dogs" and "Country Neighbors Again.") * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) (Consists of the stories: "The Ghost in the Mill," "The Sullivan Looking-Glass," "The Minister's Housekeeper," "The Widow's Bandbox," "Captain Kidd's Money," "'Mis' Elderkin's Pitcher'," "The Ghost in the Cap'n Brownhouse.") * (In addition to the title story, the book includes "Deacon Pitkin's Farm" and "The First Christmas of New England".) (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) (Consists of: "The Ghost in the Mill," "The Sullivan Looking-Glass," "The Minister's Housekeeper," "The 2idow's Bandbox," "Captain Kidd's Money," "'Mis' Elderkin's pitcher'," "The Ghost in the Cap'n Brown House," "Colonel Eph's Shoebuckles," "The Bull-Fight," "How to Fight the Devil," "Laughin' in Meetin'," "Tom Toothacre's Ghost Story," "The Parson's Horse-Race," "Oldtown Fireside Talks of the Revolution" and "A Student's Sea Story.") * (Digital copy hosted a
HathiTrust
)


=Notable posthumous collections

= * 17 Volumes. (A digital copy, hosted by HathiTrust, is linked to each volume number
Vol. I
an
Vol. II
''Uncle Ton's Cabin'' and ''A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin'' in two volumes
Vol. III

Vol IV
''Dread, A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp'' and Antislavery Tales and Papers, and Life in Florida After the War; in two volume
Vol. V
''The Minister's Wooing''
Vol. VI
''The Pearl of Orr's Island''
Vol. VII
''Agnes of Sorento''
Vol. VIII
''Household Papers and Stories''
Vol. IX
an
Vol. X
''Oldtown Folks'' and ''Sam Lawson's Oldtown Fireside Stories'' in two volumes
Vol. XI
''Poganuc Peoples'' and ''Pink and White Tyranny''
Vol. XII
''My Wife and I''
Vol. XIII
''We and Our Neighbors''; ol. XIV Stories, Sketches and Studies: "Uncle Lot," "Love versus Law," "The Tea Rose," "Aunt Mary," "Frankness," "Cousin William," "Mrs. A and Mrs. B; or, What She Thinks about It," "Which is the Liberal Man?" "The Canal Boat," "Feeling," "The Seamstress," "Old Father Morris," "The Coral Ring," "Art and Nature," "The New Year's Gift," "Our Wood Lot in Winter," "The Mourning Veil," "New England Ministers," "Betty's Bright Idea," ''Deacon Pritkin's Farm'', ''The First Christmas of New England'' and ''Little Foxes''
Vol. XV
Religious Studies, Sketches and Poems
Vol. XVI
Stories and Sketches for the Young: ''Queer Little People'', ''Little Pussy Willow'', ''The Minister's Watermelons'', ''A Dog's Mission'', ''Lulu's Pupil'' and ''The Daisy's First Winter''; ol. XVII ''Life and Letters of Harriet Beecher Stowe'' edited by Annie Field.) * (Contains ''Uncle Tom's Cabin,'' ''The Minister's Wooing'' and ''Oldtown Folks''.)


Stories and articles

* * * * * * * and * * "Mark Meriden" in (Digital copy hosted b
HathiTrust
) * * and * * * * * * and * * * * * * * * * * * . * . * * * and * * * * * and * * * * * * and (Reprinted in a collection of leading abolitionists with facsimile signatures of the authors: Digitised b
Archive.org
) *


See also

*
Origins of the American Civil War Historians who debate the origins of the American Civil War focus on the reasons that seven Southern states (followed by four other states after the onset of the war) declared their secession from the United States (the Union) and united to ...


Notes


Further reading

* * * * * * * * Koester, Nancy. ''Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Spiritual Life'' (Eerdmans, 2014). pp. xi, 371. * * * Scott, John Anthony. Woman Againat Slavery: The Story of Harriet Beecher Stowe. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1978. . * Vollaro, Daniel R., "Lincoln, Stowe, and the 'Little Woman/Great War' Story: The Making, and Breaking, of a Great American Anecdote". ''Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association'', vol. 30, issue 1 (Winter 2009) *


External links


Harriet Beecher Stowe's Cat Calvin
* * * * *

– Edited by textual scholar Wesley Raabe, this is the first edition of the novel to be based on the original text published in the ''National Era''
Uncle Tom's Cabin and American Culture
– A multimedia archive edited by Stephen Railton about the Stowe's novel's place in American history and society
Harriet Beecher Stowe House & Center
– Stowe's adulthood home in Hartford, Connecticut
Harriet Beecher Stowe Society
– Scholarly organization dedicated to the study of the life and works of Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Online Books Page (University of Pennsylvania)
*
Harriet Beecher Stowe's brief biography and works



"How To Live on Christ", a pamphlet by Harriet Beecher Stowe, taken from her Introduction to Chistopher Dean's ''Religion As It Should Be or The Remarkable Experience and Triumphant Death of Ann Thane Peck'' published in 1847
€”Hudson Taylor sent a pamphlet using the words of this preface out to all the missionaries of the China Inland Mission in 1869.
Barron's BookNotes for ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' – The Author and Her Times

"Writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe"
from
C-SPAN Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American cable and satellite television network that was created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a nonprofit public service. It televises many proceedings of the United States ...
's '' American Writers: A Journey Through History''
Letter from Harriet Beecher Stowe to Horace Mann, 2 March 1852
from the Horace Mann Papers III at the Massachusetts Historical Society, retrieved June 4, 2012
Beecher-Stowe family Papers.Schlesinger Library
Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.

"
Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U. ...
" * Michals, Debr
"Harriet Beecher Stowe"
National Women's History Museum. 2017.
Stowe family collection
fro
Princeton University Library. Special Collections
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stowe, Harriet Beecher * 1811 births 1896 deaths American women novelists American Congregationalists American people of English descent Beecher family University of Hartford people People from Litchfield, Connecticut Writers from Hartford, Connecticut Writers from Brunswick, Maine 19th-century American women writers 19th-century American novelists Underground Railroad people The Atlantic (magazine) people Hall of Fame for Great Americans inductees Novelists from Connecticut Novelists from Maine Congregationalist abolitionists Christian novelists