Eliza Howland
Encyclopedia
Eliza Newton Woolsey Howland (1835 – 1917) was an American
author
and the wife of Union Army
officer
Joseph Howland
.
Howland was born in 1835 to a prominent New York City
family active in philanthropy
and social reform, especially abolitionism
and the decent care of the mentally ill. Her parents were Charles William Woolsey, a descendant of an early English settler in what was then the Dutch
colony of New Amsterdam
, and Jane Eliza Newton of Alexandria
, Virginia
.
She married Joseph in 1855. The couple honeymooned in Europe
and the Holy Land
. During the Italian
leg of their trip, the couple commissioned marble busts of themselves from the neoclassical sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni
. After their honeymoon, Joseph and Eliza Howland moved to Tioronda, an estate Joseph bought along the banks of the Fishkill Creek
in Matteawan, New York, present day Beacon, New York
.
During the American Civil War
, Joseph joined the Sixteenth New York Volunteers and served until he was seriously wounded during the Seven Days Battles
of the Peninsular Campaign. During his absence, Howland and her sisters wrote constantly to each other, their correspondence being eventually published in 1899 as Letters of a family during the Civil War, 1861-1865. This book was republished in 2001 as Letters from the heart: letters of a family during the Civil War. Howland also wrote and privately printed Family records: being some account of the ancestry of my mother and father Charles William Woolsey and Jane Eliza Newton in 1900.
In 1885, Joseph Howland died while on a trip to Menton, France
. Eliza Howland left their estate at Tioronda and never returned to it, claiming that the memories of her husband made staying in the house too difficult.
She died in Newport, Rhode Island
, in 1917 at the age of 82. After her death, the family's estate at Tioronda became Craig House, a hospital
for the mentally ill.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and the wife of Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
Joseph Howland
Joseph Howland
Joseph Howland was an American Union Army general, politician and philanthropist.-Early life:...
.
Howland was born in 1835 to a prominent New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
family active in philanthropy
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
and social reform, especially abolitionism
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
and the decent care of the mentally ill. Her parents were Charles William Woolsey, a descendant of an early English settler in what was then the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
colony of New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
, and Jane Eliza Newton of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
She married Joseph in 1855. The couple honeymooned in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. During the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
leg of their trip, the couple commissioned marble busts of themselves from the neoclassical sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni
Giovanni Maria Benzoni
Giovanni Maria Benzoni was an Italian neoclassical sculptor. He was trained in Rome, where he later set up his own workshop....
. After their honeymoon, Joseph and Eliza Howland moved to Tioronda, an estate Joseph bought along the banks of the Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At it is the second longest stream in the county, after Wappinger Creek. It rises in the town of Union Vale and flows generally southwest to a small estuary on the Hudson just south of Beacon. Part of...
in Matteawan, New York, present day Beacon, New York
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Joseph joined the Sixteenth New York Volunteers and served until he was seriously wounded during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
of the Peninsular Campaign. During his absence, Howland and her sisters wrote constantly to each other, their correspondence being eventually published in 1899 as Letters of a family during the Civil War, 1861-1865. This book was republished in 2001 as Letters from the heart: letters of a family during the Civil War. Howland also wrote and privately printed Family records: being some account of the ancestry of my mother and father Charles William Woolsey and Jane Eliza Newton in 1900.
In 1885, Joseph Howland died while on a trip to Menton, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Eliza Howland left their estate at Tioronda and never returned to it, claiming that the memories of her husband made staying in the house too difficult.
She died in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, in 1917 at the age of 82. After her death, the family's estate at Tioronda became Craig House, a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
for the mentally ill.