Harriet Winslow Sewall
Encyclopedia
Harriet Winslow Sewall was an American
poet, and editor of the collected letters of Lydia Maria Child.
on June 20, 1819 into a Quaker family. She was educated in Portland and at a boarding school in Providence, Rhode Island
. She was, at least in her early years, interested in transcendentalism
and animal magnetism
; and arguably more practically engaged with contemporary anti-slave and women's rights movements.
She wrote poetry from an early age, and for many years; but apparently for her own satisfaction and without a view to publication. A number of her works were published, however, and has been republished in a number of collections of American poetry.
She married in 1848 Charles Last, a journalist working on the Commonwealth newspaper. He soon became ill, relinquishing his job and placing the burden of support on Harriet, who was assisted by her relatively wealthy family. Charles died in 1856.
In 1857 she married a Mr. Sewell and in 1861 her father died, providing her with a "moderate fortune" enabling her to pursue philanthropic interests. The couple divided their time between Melrose, Massachusetts
and Boston, Massachusetts. They were both early members of the New England Women's Club
, a Women's suffrage
organisation.
In 1882 she arranged for publication the letters of her friend, the author Lydia Maria Child.
Mr. Sewell died on December 20, 1888. She died soon after, struck by an express train whilst crossing a railtrack.
A collection of her poems was published in November 1889.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet, and editor of the collected letters of Lydia Maria Child.
Biography
Harriet Winslow was born in Portland, MainePortland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
on June 20, 1819 into a Quaker family. She was educated in Portland and at a boarding school in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. She was, at least in her early years, interested in transcendentalism
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the New England region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society, and in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian...
and animal magnetism
Animal magnetism
Animal magnetism , in modern usage, refers to a person's sexual attractiveness or raw charisma. As postulated by Franz Mesmer in the 18th century, the term referred to a supposed magnetic fluid or ethereal medium believed to reside in the bodies of animate beings...
; and arguably more practically engaged with contemporary anti-slave and women's rights movements.
She wrote poetry from an early age, and for many years; but apparently for her own satisfaction and without a view to publication. A number of her works were published, however, and has been republished in a number of collections of American poetry.
She married in 1848 Charles Last, a journalist working on the Commonwealth newspaper. He soon became ill, relinquishing his job and placing the burden of support on Harriet, who was assisted by her relatively wealthy family. Charles died in 1856.
In 1857 she married a Mr. Sewell and in 1861 her father died, providing her with a "moderate fortune" enabling her to pursue philanthropic interests. The couple divided their time between Melrose, Massachusetts
Melrose, Massachusetts
-Government:Robert J. Dolan is the mayor. Melrose is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by Paul Brodeur . Katherine Clark is the state senator for wards 1 through 5 and Thomas McGee is the state senator for wards 6 and 7. Melrose is part of the seventh Congressional...
and Boston, Massachusetts. They were both early members of the New England Women's Club
New England Women's Club
The New England Women's Club of Boston, Massachusetts, was the "first woman's club" in the United States. Members of the club in its early years included Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney, Julia Ward Howe, Mary Livermore, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Peabody, Lucretia Peabody, Caroline M. Severance, and...
, a Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
organisation.
In 1882 she arranged for publication the letters of her friend, the author Lydia Maria Child.
Mr. Sewell died on December 20, 1888. She died soon after, struck by an express train whilst crossing a railtrack.
A collection of her poems was published in November 1889.
External links
- Poems by Harriet Winslow Sewall with a memoir by Ednah D. Cheney, 1889, from the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- Letters of Lydia Maria Child, arranged by Harriet Winslow Sewall