Eliza Frances Andrews
Encyclopedia
Eliza Frances Andrews was a popular Southern writer of the Gilded Age
. Her works were published in popular magazines and papers, including the New York World
and Godey's Lady's Book
.
Eliza Frances Andrews gained fame in three fields: authorship, education, and science. Her passion was writing and she had success both as an essayist and a novelist. Financial troubles forced her to take a teaching career after the deaths of her parents, though she continued to be published. In her retirement she combined two of her interests by writing two textbooks on botany
entitled Botany All the Year Round and Practical Botany, one of which became popular in Europe and was used in schools in France. The books and articles that Andrews published give a glimpse into a life of bitterness, dissatisfaction, and confusion.
, the second daughter of Annulet Ball and Garnett Andrews, a Georgia superior court judge. Her father was a lawyer, judge, and plantation owner, possessing around two hundred slaves. In her adolescence Andrews attended Ladies' Seminary school near her home, and went on to graduate among the first class of students from LaGrange Female College in Georgia
in 1857. She was well-versed in literature, music, and the arts, and was conversant in both French and Latin. "Fanny" was still living at home in the care of her family when the Southern states began to secede from the Union. Her father was notoriously outspoken against secession and did not support the Confederacy. Despite his views, three of his sons enlisted in the Confederate States Army
and his daughters, too, believed in the rebellion. Thus, while Garnett Andrews refused to allow secessionist ideals to be voiced in his home, his daughters secretly made the first Confederate flag to fly over the courthouse in her hometown. Conflicting opinions between her and her father agitated and confused the young Andrews. Her father, who in the words of one biographer "helped his children to learn to love books and learning", had begun suppressing her beliefs.
Late in the war Andrews and her sister were sent to live with a relative in the southwest of Georgia and Andrews recorded both her journey and stay in a journal that was later published under the title Wartime Journal of a Georgia Girl: 1864-65. Though not published until 1908, the diary effectively began her career as a writer. Later in 1865 at her father’s suggestion, Andrews submitted her first piece for publication in the New York World. It described the mistreatment of southerners by the reconstruction administrators that were now in control of the South. She penned many articles for a variety of publications on topics such as women's fashion during the war, and a piece on Catherine Littlefield Greene
, the woman who was behind the success of Eli Whitney's cotton gin.
In 1873 her father died and bad investments forced the family to sell the plantation. This sudden financial reversal required Andrews to work. She briefly edited the Washington Gazette but when the editor discovered she was a woman, she was suddenly "not fit for the job". She then became principal at the Girl's High School in Yazoo, Mississippi, where she remained for 7 years. She resigned the position in the early 1880's in order to recuperate from a serious illness. Andrews then returned to Washington to become the principal at her former seminary school. She received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia
in 1882. In 1885 she moved to Macon, working as a professor of French and literature there from 1886 to 1896, before returning once again to Washington and devoting herself full-time to lecturing and writing. After retirement she continued to write and began to focus on botany. She published two textbooks, one of which was translated and adopted by French schools. Near the end of her life the International Academy of Science recognized her for her writing on botany.
The degree of advancement Eliza Frances Andrews achieved in her career as a writer, textbook author, and teacher would have been unthinkable had it not been for the collapse of her beloved antebellum estate in Washington, Georgia. The question then becomes whether she was motivated to advance her career and assert her independence out of want or need. A good illustration of her often contradictory nature is her desire to remain single for the rest of her life. This is apparent in her first novel A Family Secret (1876) which creates a vivid image of the role of women in the post war south. She remarks upon the misery inherent in marrying for money and writes at one point "Oh, the slavery it is to be a woman and not a fool." At the same time, Andrews felt that the domestic mother was the only acceptable role for women in Southern society, and she considered teaching "a mental tread-mill, a dull road traveled over and over requiring only patience." On the surface her writing seems to come into direct conflict with her accomplishments as a teacher and scholar, but over time she learned to accept that she could not rescue her beloved antebellum society and began to assume a new role in an era where society was experiencing rapid economic and social changes.
All of the dissatisfaction in life made her dream of a more ideal society and from 1899 to 1918 she proclaimed herself a socialist and wrote an article for the International Socialist Review
concerning socialism in the botanical world. Even with her new political views, she was still a racist and wrote about the superiority of the white race over the black and boasting that with the help of the Ku Klux Klan
the color line had been preserved in her home town. Despite her bitterness with the inequality of the role of women in society, she did not support women's suffrage.
Andrews died in Rome, Georgia on January 21, 1931, at the age of ninety, donating her royalties to the city of Rome to be used for the creation of a public woodland space. She is buried in the family plot in Resthaven Cemetery, in Washington, Georgia.
Gilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age refers to the era of rapid economic and population growth in the United States during the post–Civil War and post-Reconstruction eras of the late 19th century. The term "Gilded Age" was coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their book The Gilded...
. Her works were published in popular magazines and papers, including the New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
and Godey's Lady's Book
Godey's Lady's Book
Godey's Lady's Book, alternatively known as Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book, was a United States magazine which was published in Philadelphia. It was the most widely circulated magazine in the period before the Civil War. Its circulation rose from 70,000 in the 1840s to 150,000 in 1860...
.
Eliza Frances Andrews gained fame in three fields: authorship, education, and science. Her passion was writing and she had success both as an essayist and a novelist. Financial troubles forced her to take a teaching career after the deaths of her parents, though she continued to be published. In her retirement she combined two of her interests by writing two textbooks on botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
entitled Botany All the Year Round and Practical Botany, one of which became popular in Europe and was used in schools in France. The books and articles that Andrews published give a glimpse into a life of bitterness, dissatisfaction, and confusion.
Biography
Eliza Frances "Fanny" Andrews was born on August 10, 1840, in Washington, GeorgiaWashington, Georgia
Washington is a city in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wilkes County...
, the second daughter of Annulet Ball and Garnett Andrews, a Georgia superior court judge. Her father was a lawyer, judge, and plantation owner, possessing around two hundred slaves. In her adolescence Andrews attended Ladies' Seminary school near her home, and went on to graduate among the first class of students from LaGrange Female College in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1857. She was well-versed in literature, music, and the arts, and was conversant in both French and Latin. "Fanny" was still living at home in the care of her family when the Southern states began to secede from the Union. Her father was notoriously outspoken against secession and did not support the Confederacy. Despite his views, three of his sons enlisted in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
and his daughters, too, believed in the rebellion. Thus, while Garnett Andrews refused to allow secessionist ideals to be voiced in his home, his daughters secretly made the first Confederate flag to fly over the courthouse in her hometown. Conflicting opinions between her and her father agitated and confused the young Andrews. Her father, who in the words of one biographer "helped his children to learn to love books and learning", had begun suppressing her beliefs.
Late in the war Andrews and her sister were sent to live with a relative in the southwest of Georgia and Andrews recorded both her journey and stay in a journal that was later published under the title Wartime Journal of a Georgia Girl: 1864-65. Though not published until 1908, the diary effectively began her career as a writer. Later in 1865 at her father’s suggestion, Andrews submitted her first piece for publication in the New York World. It described the mistreatment of southerners by the reconstruction administrators that were now in control of the South. She penned many articles for a variety of publications on topics such as women's fashion during the war, and a piece on Catherine Littlefield Greene
Catherine Littlefield Greene
Catharine Littlefield "Caty" Greene was the wife of American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, a mother of five, and noted for being a supporter of inventor Eli Whitney.-Early life:...
, the woman who was behind the success of Eli Whitney's cotton gin.
In 1873 her father died and bad investments forced the family to sell the plantation. This sudden financial reversal required Andrews to work. She briefly edited the Washington Gazette but when the editor discovered she was a woman, she was suddenly "not fit for the job". She then became principal at the Girl's High School in Yazoo, Mississippi, where she remained for 7 years. She resigned the position in the early 1880's in order to recuperate from a serious illness. Andrews then returned to Washington to become the principal at her former seminary school. She received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
in 1882. In 1885 she moved to Macon, working as a professor of French and literature there from 1886 to 1896, before returning once again to Washington and devoting herself full-time to lecturing and writing. After retirement she continued to write and began to focus on botany. She published two textbooks, one of which was translated and adopted by French schools. Near the end of her life the International Academy of Science recognized her for her writing on botany.
The degree of advancement Eliza Frances Andrews achieved in her career as a writer, textbook author, and teacher would have been unthinkable had it not been for the collapse of her beloved antebellum estate in Washington, Georgia. The question then becomes whether she was motivated to advance her career and assert her independence out of want or need. A good illustration of her often contradictory nature is her desire to remain single for the rest of her life. This is apparent in her first novel A Family Secret (1876) which creates a vivid image of the role of women in the post war south. She remarks upon the misery inherent in marrying for money and writes at one point "Oh, the slavery it is to be a woman and not a fool." At the same time, Andrews felt that the domestic mother was the only acceptable role for women in Southern society, and she considered teaching "a mental tread-mill, a dull road traveled over and over requiring only patience." On the surface her writing seems to come into direct conflict with her accomplishments as a teacher and scholar, but over time she learned to accept that she could not rescue her beloved antebellum society and began to assume a new role in an era where society was experiencing rapid economic and social changes.
All of the dissatisfaction in life made her dream of a more ideal society and from 1899 to 1918 she proclaimed herself a socialist and wrote an article for the International Socialist Review
International Socialist Review
International Socialist Review may refer to:*International Socialist Review *International Socialist Review *International Socialist Review...
concerning socialism in the botanical world. Even with her new political views, she was still a racist and wrote about the superiority of the white race over the black and boasting that with the help of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
the color line had been preserved in her home town. Despite her bitterness with the inequality of the role of women in society, she did not support women's suffrage.
Andrews died in Rome, Georgia on January 21, 1931, at the age of ninety, donating her royalties to the city of Rome to be used for the creation of a public woodland space. She is buried in the family plot in Resthaven Cemetery, in Washington, Georgia.
External links
- The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl, 1864-1865. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1908.
- Biographical article on Andrews