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Part of the American
History & Genealogy Project |
Hannah Adams 1755 ~ 1832
Hannah Adams
Miss Adams is believed to be the first
woman in the United States to make literature a profession. She
was born in Medfield, Massachusetts, in 1755, and died in
Brookline, Mass., November 15, 1832. She was the daughter of a
well-to-do farmer, of good education and culture. In her
childhood she was very fond of writing and a close student,
memorizing the works of Milton, Pope, Thomson, Young and others.
She was a good Latin and Greek scholar and instructed divinity
students who made their home in her family. In 1772, her father
losing his property, the children were forced to provide for
themselves.
During the Revolutionary War, Miss Adams had taught school and
after the close of the war she opened a school to prepare young
men for college, which was very successful. She wrote quite
extensively. One of her books, ''A View of Religious
Opinions" appeared in 1784, and passed through several
editions in the United States and was also published in England
and became a standard work.
In 1799 she published her second work, "A
History of England," and in 1801 "Evidences of
Christianity." In 1812, her "History of the Jews"
appeared, being followed by "A Controversy with Dr. Morse,"
and in 1826 "Letters
on the Gospels." She spent a quiet, secluded
life, and it is said her only journeys were trips from Boston to
Nahant and from Boston to Chelmsford. Notwithstanding the many
books which she published, her business abilities seemed to have
been very limited and in the last years of her life she was
supported by an annuity settled upon her by three wealthy
residents of Boston.
She was buried at Mount Auburn, being
the first person buried in that beautiful cemetery.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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