The Dumville family settled in central Illinois during an era of division and dramatic change. Arguments over slavery raged. Railroads and circuit-riding preachers brought the wider world to the prairie. Irish and German immigrants flooded towns and churches. Anne M. Heinz and John P. Heinz draw from an extraordinary archive at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to reveal how Ann Dumville and her daughters Jemima; Hephzibah; and Elizabeth lived these times. The letters tell the story of Ann; expelled from her Methodist church for her unshakable abolitionist beliefs; the serious and religious Jemima; a schoolteacher who started each school day with prayer; Elizabeth; enduring hard work as a farmer's wife; far away from the others; and Hephzibah; observing human folly and her own marriage prospects with the same wicked wit. Though separated by circumstances; the Dumvilles deeply engaged one another with their differing views on Methodism; politics; education; technological innovation; and relationships with employers. At the same time; the letters offer a rarely seen look at antebellum working women confronting privation; scarce opportunities; and the horrors of civil war with unwavering courage and faith.
#381720 in Books 1987-09-01Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .90 x 6.00l; 1.02 #File Name: 0252014812320 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Most excellent academic readBy The ProfessorThis is a superb study of antebellum women in New York; and the impact of industrialisation on women in general. Stansell really does a fine job considering the different physical and moral realms of women and the complex mix of forces and social conflicts they faced during the mid-Victorian era. It's probably not for the casual reader; as it really is an academic text; but it is a pretty accessible and readable academic text; so armchair historians can probably enjoy it as well as students in a history class.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. City of Women - insight into industrial eraBy CSThis is a truly fascinating book showing women's place in urban life and society moves to the city. Good read.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. A History of SurvivalBy Alex ThanosDuring the early part of the nineteenth century; women began to experience their first taste of autonomy. Although women were finding a role in the American workplace and society there were not many options for them. As part of the struggle to escape poverty in New York City; prostitution became an increasingly viable choice for girls with out other alternatives. Historian Christine Stansell states; "It was both an economic and a social option; a means of self-support and a way to bargain with men in a situation where a living wage was hard to come by; and holding one's own in heterosexual relations was difficult." This book deals with women in the factories as well as the working girls. Easy to read and very informative.
