“So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war,” President Abraham Lincoln said when he met Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Or did he?
The first record of Lincoln’s greeting appears in Mrs. Stowe’s 1890 biography. Though her son, Charles Edward Stowe, tells the story as family lore, his closeness to the source gives it plenty of credibility.
Besides, many believe that Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet's classic novel, truly did light a spark within the abolitionist movement.
Here are a few facts we know are true:
Harriet was born on June 14, 1811, in Litchfield, Connecticut to Roxanna Foote Beecher (1775-1816) and her husband, Reverend Lyman Beecher (1775-1863).
She married Calvin Stowe, a professor of Biblical Literature at Lane Theological Seminary, on January 6, 1836.
The Stowes had seven children, including twin daughters. Tragically, their son, Samuel Charles, died of cholera in 1849. He was only eighteen months old.
She died on July 1, 1896—not even a month after her 85th birthday.
Her Writing Opened Hearts
Her scholarly husband, Harriet once said, was “rich in Greek & Hebrew, Latin & Arabic, and alas! rich in nothing else” (HBSC).
However, even before she married and had a family, Harriet's writing provided an income. Her first publication, Primary Geography for Children, was published in 1833 when she was only twenty-two or twenty-three.
She wrote her most famous novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, about twenty years later. The National Era, an abolitionist paper, wanted a short story to run in installments “that would paint a word picture of slavery” (HBSC).
Three more abolitionist novels followed: The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1853),
Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (1856), and The Minister’s Wooing (1859).
During her writing career, which spanned half a century, Harriet published thirty books plus numerous articles, essays, hymns, poetry, and short stories. Her influence through her writings is immeasurable.
The Stowe Family’s Florida Connection
The Stowes lived many years in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later in Brunswick, Maine where they housed fugitive slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.
After the Civil War, however, they became snowbirds and purchased property in Mandarin, Florida, on the St. Johns River. They wintered there for more than fifteen years and even bought an orange grove for their son, Frederick, to manage.
Charles Beecher, a minister and educator, opened a nearby school to educate formerly enslaved people, a cause which was dear to his sister’s heart.
Harriet expressed her appreciation for Florida’s unique beauty in her book, Palmetto Leaves(1873), where she compared the area’s semi-tropical climate to that of Italy. (Which surprises me ~ I’ve lived most of my adult life in Central Florida and I’ve visited Tuscany. To me, the climates are very different!)
The Beecher Family Tradition ~ A Legacy of Service
When it came to service and reform, the Beecher family didn’t sit quietly in the pews.
Harriet’s older sister, Catharine, founded the Hartford Female Seminary which provided women the opportunity to study the classics, languages and mathematics. Harriet attended this school.
Isabella, Harriet’s youngest sister, helped to found the National Women’s Suffrage Association.
All of Harriet’s brothers were ministers.
Honors
- 1986 ~ Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame;
- 2007 ~ A 75¢ U.S. postage stamp was issued in her honor in the “Distinguished Americans” series;
- 2010 ~ The Ohio Historical Society nominated Mrs. Stowe as a finalist for Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, however, Thomas Edison was selected instead.
Your Turn ~ Uncle Tom's Cabin has been on my TBR (To Be Read) list since my son-in-law read a heart-rending chapter out loud to us a few years ago. I procrastinate because the novel seems so daunting. But I truly hope to read it when life slows down a bit.
Have you read Uncle Tom's Cabin? If so, what did you think? If not, do you plan to? What other classics do you have on your TBR list?
Journey of the Heart
In the shadow of slavery, love answers with courage.
Johnnie Alexander writes award-winning stories of enduring love and quiet courage. Her historical and contemporary novels weave together unforgettable romance, compelling characters, and a touch of mystery. A sometime hermit and occasional vagabond who most often kicks off her shoes in Florida, Johnnie cherishes cozy family times and enjoys long road trips. Readers are invited to discover glimpses of grace and timeless truth in her stories. Connect with her at johnnie-alexander.com.
Photos ~ Unless otherwise indicated, photos are in the public domain.
Bust of Harriet Beecher Stowe by Brenda Putnam at Hall of Fame for Great Americans. Photo by H0n0r at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17210647.
Sources
Gershon, Noel. Harriet Beecher Stowe: Biography. New York: Henry Holt and Co. (1976).
HBSC ~ Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (harrietbeecherstowecenter.org).
Hedrick, Joan D. Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Life. Oxford University Press (1994).
