JEANNETTE DU BOIS MEECH A woman of the century (page 507 crop)

Jeanette DuBois Meech ( Dubois; August 10, 1835 – February 6, 1911) was an American

evangelist Evangelist may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a c ...

and industrial educator. She was well known as an evangelist, who married a Baptist clergyman. For many years, Meech taught school in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, and was a teacher in the

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

State Industrial School for Girls. She served as principal of the Industrial Art School in

Vineland, New Jersey Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 60,780. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 61,156 ...

and in

Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania Jersey Shore is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is on the West Branch Susquehanna River, west by south of Williamsport. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the past, Jerse ...

. She was licensed to preach in South Vineland, where she was

assistant pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

for seven years. She was a county superintendent and national lecturer in

narcotic The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...

s for the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...

(W.C.T.U.), all the while maintaining her interest in industrial education, and supporting her family by a successful business career. She also served as president of various societies.

Early life and education

Jeanette DuBois (or Jeannette Du Bois) was born in

Frankford, Philadelphia Frankford is a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia situated about six miles (10 km) northeast of Center City. Although its borders are vaguely defined, the neighborhood is bounded roughly by the original course of Frankford ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, August 10, 1835. Her father, Gideon Du Bois (1809-1891), was descended from the French-

Huguenots The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss politica ...

, He was a deacon in the

Baptist Church Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

for nearly half a century. Her mother, Annie Grant (1810-1896), was a Scotch woman and came to the U.S. when a girl. Meech's siblings were Benjamin, Annie, Jennie, Gedion, and Idia. Meech learned to read when she was four years old. The first public school in Frankford was built opposite to her home, in 1840, and she attended it as soon as it was opened. She went through all the departments, and afterwards was graduated from the Philadelphia Normal School (now,

Philadelphia High School for Girls The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public college preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female. Established in 1848, it ...

. Meech was converted in 1850 and became a member of the Baptist Church at the age of 15.

Career

After graduation, Meech began teaching in the Frankford school, and taught there eight years, resigning her position in 1860. On June 4, 1861, in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784. then pastor of the Baptist Church, in

Burlington, New Jersey Burlington is a city in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 9,743. Burlington was first incorporated on October 24, 1693, and was r ...

. During 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 ...

(1861-65), her husband was a hospital chaplain. She was with him in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, and while there, helped in a mission school in the suburbs. He was afterwards stationed in

Bowling Green, Kentucky Bowling Green is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Warren County, Kentucky, United States. Founded by pioneers in 1798, Bowling Green was the provisional capital of Confederate Kentucky during the American Civil War. As of the 2 ...

, and there she had a Sunday-school class in the convalescent ward of the hospital. In 1869, during her husband's pastorate in

, she opened a free industrial school in the parsonage, with 100 scholars, boys and girls. The boys were taught to sew and knit, as well as the girls. She provided all the material and utensils and sold the work when it was finished. In 1870, her husband was chosen superintendent of the Maryland State Industrial School for Girls. There, she had an opportunity to develop her ideas. The materials were provided, and they taught cooking, canning and housekeeping as well as sewing, reading, writing, drawing, arithmetic and music. Mrs. Meech had to conduct the religious meetings with the girls, on account of her husband's loss of voice. A remarkable revival began in the school and all but four of the girls became Christians. Her husband lost his health, and they were obliged to give up the work. Mr. Meech served pastor of the South Vineland Baptist Church for seventeen years. During his vacations, Mrs. Meech frequently filled his place. She addressed an audience for the first time in

Meadville, Pennsylvania Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The city is within of Erie and within of Pittsburgh. It was the first permanent settlement in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The population was 13,388 at the 2010 censu ...

, in 1867, in a Sunday-school convention.

New Jersey

They went to

, in search of health in 1873, and lived there till their deaths. Her oldest daughter was an invalid and could not be sent to school at that time, and Mrs. Meech invited a few of the neighbor's children to make a class in her home, that she might have companionship for her daughter in her studies. She continued that "Cottage Seminary" till the daughter was able to go from home to school, and then she started an "Industrial Society," composed mainly of scholars from the Vineland high school, in 1875. The boys were taught to make a variety of articles in wood and wire work. The girls cut and made garments and fancy articles. Mrs. Meech started a Sunday-school in Vineland Center, in the face of obstacles, and conducted it for ten years, serving as superintendent, collecting a library and training teachers for the work. Many of the pupils were converted, and the school became known far and wide. In connection with her Sunday-school work, she organized a society for missionary information in 1877. A correspondence was opened with missionaries in China, and she set to work to study up the customs and religions of China, Japan and India, in order to interest her scholars in the work in those countries. They always had a full house on missionary Sunday. Her lectures were given by request in a number of churches, school-houses and conventions. One young lady, a member of one of her societies, became a missionary in Japan. She edited the Holly Beach ''Herald'' in 1885, but could not continue it for want of means. She was engaged in business as a florist and art store-keeper for some years. In 1887, Mrs. Meech was appointed by the trustees of the Vineland high school to introduce there and to superintend the department of manual education. This plan was only partially carried out. JEANNETTE DUBOIS MEECH (Herringshaw, 1905)

JEANNETTE DUBOIS MEECH (Herringshaw, 1905)

In 1890, in company with Mrs. Ives, of Philadelphia, she commenced a series of cottage prayer meetings in

Holly Beach City, New Jersey Holly Beach City was a borough that existed in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, from 1885 to 1912. History The municipality was first formed as Holly Beach, which was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on ...

. They visited from house to house, talking with unconverted people and inviting them to the meetings. The religious interest was great. Since then, she frequently held Sunday evening services in the Holly Beach Church, which was

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

in denomination, and which years earlier, refused her the use of their church for a missionary lecture, because she was a woman. In March 1891, the South Vineland Baptist Church granted her a license to preach. After receiving that license, Mrs. Meech held a number of meetings on Sunday evenings in

Wildwood, New Jersey Wildwood is a city in Cape May County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area and is a popular summer resort destination along the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's year-rou ...

, and in

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

. She held aloof from temperance societies till 1889 when she joined the W.C.T.U. She was made county superintendent of narcotics the first year. In 1891, she received an appointment as national lecturer for the W.C.T.U. in the department of narcotics.

Personal life

Rev. Meech held pastorates in various citiies. From 1875, he was pastor in South Vineland, New Jersey. In 1862, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln as hospital chaplain; and served at Newport News, Louisville, and Bowling Green. He was afterward regimental chaplain with the rank of major. In later years, he was a fruit grower. He was the author of a book entitled ''Quince Culture''. The couple had two daughters, the elder of whom married and had two daughters (Anne D. and Lydia J.). Jeanette D. Meech died at her home in Holly Beach, New Jersey, February 6, 1911, and was buried at

Siloam Cemetery Siloam Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in the city of Vineland in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 2020, for its significance in architecture and landscape architecture. With ...

References

External links

*
Photo, Meech & Co. Millinery. Holly Beach & Widwood
Berkey, Joseph E. Salvatore MD and Joan E. (2017). ''Cape May County''. Arcadia Publishing. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Meech, Jeanette DuBois 1835 births 1911 deaths People from Philadelphia People from Vineland, New Jersey Baptists from Pennsylvania Baptists from New Jersey Educators from Pennsylvania Educators from New Jersey Vocational education in the United States American evangelists Woman's Christian Temperance Union people Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century