Lydia Maria Child (1802 –1880) was many things, but always an activist. She was deeply involved in many causes, including aSitting Bull (1831 – 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who fought tirelessly against the United States’ genocidal policies. During an attempt to arrest him, he was killed on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation during an attempt to arrest him. Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) became a target of the US government after his success at the Battle of Little Bighorn, where the confederated Lakota tribes and the Northern Cheyenne annihilated defeated the 7th Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876. bolition, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and opposing American expansionism. Writer by trade, she was the editor of The National Anti-Slavery Standard, and she wrote novels, domestic manuals, edited a children’s magazine, and much more. She also was a philanthropist and assisted many causes, artists and musicians financially.
Tag: biography
Letters of Lydia Maria Child: With a Biographical Introduction
Lydia Maria Child (1802 –1880) was many things, but always an activist. She was deeply involved in many causes, including abolition, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and opposing American expansionism. Writer by trade, she was the editor of The National Anti-Slavery Standard, and she wrote novels, domestic manuals, edited a children’s magazine, and much more. She also was a philanthropist and assisted many causes, artists and musicians financially.
James Hoban’s Secret Society
James Hoban’s Secret Society is a pocket guide to Hoban’s fraternal legacy. This concise history delineates the opportunity and rise of a skilled immigrant craftsman in colonial America. Hoban’s family-centric approach to his work helped establish a tight-knit group of professional woodworkers who stayed with him throughout his entire career. Hoban’s work brought credibility and notoriety to the Irish Labor Movement of the 18th century.
Waheenee: An Indian Girl’s Story
Waheenee-wea was born in 1839, approximately two to three years after a devastating small pox outbreak. This work tells the life of Waheenee, including her great-grandmother, White Corn, and grandmother, Turtle, and the many stories she grew up with, alongside her own life experiences.
Diary of Anna Green Winslow: A Boston School Girl
In this collection of letters to her mother from 1771-3, Anna Green Winslow sheds light on daily life of the wealthy in the Boston area during the beginnings of the American Revolution. The collection was edited by Alice Morse Earle for this publication.
An Astronomer’s Wife: The Biography Of Angeline Hall
Chloe Angeline Stickney Hall (1830 – 1892) was a gifted mathematician and a pioneer for women’s rights.
Josiah Wedgwood, F.R.S., His Personal History
by Samuel Smiles Purchase Josiah Wedgwood was a celebrated entrepreneur and abolitionist. Born in England in 1730, even as a young child he showed great skill as a potter. He worked in his family business, which focused on lower quality pottery. However, Wedgewood apprenticed with Thomas Whieldon, and later worked with chemist, Joseph Priestley, to… Continue reading Josiah Wedgwood, F.R.S., His Personal History
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
by Edwin Lefevre Purchase “Speculation in stocks will never disappear. It isn’t desirable that it should. It cannot be checked by warnings as to its dangers. You cannot prevent people from guessing wrong no matter how able or how experienced they may be. Carefully laid plans will miscarry because the unexpected and even the unexpectable… Continue reading Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
The Little Grandmother of the Russian Revolution: Reminiscences and Letters of Catherine Breshkovsky
by Catherine Breshkovsky Edited by Alice Stone Blackwell Purchase Catherine Breshkovsky was the abbreviated name of Yekaterina Konstantinovna Breshko-Breshkovskaya, born on January 25, 1844 in Russia. She was born into a wealthy family and received a quality education. She married at roughly the age of 24, but she later left her husband to start an… Continue reading The Little Grandmother of the Russian Revolution: Reminiscences and Letters of Catherine Breshkovsky
From Slavery to Wealth, The Life of Scott Bond: The Rewards of Honesty, Industry, Economy and Perseverance
by Daniel Arthur Rudd Purchase Scott Bond was born into slavery in Madison County, Mississippi. Due to the inhumanity of slavery, Bond’s exact birth year is not known, outside from being sometime in the early 1850s. Despite the intolerable cruelties Bond faced, he went on to become a high powered farmer and entrepreneur. He was… Continue reading From Slavery to Wealth, The Life of Scott Bond: The Rewards of Honesty, Industry, Economy and Perseverance
Vanished Arizona: Recollections of My Army Life
by Martha Summerhayes Purchase Born on October 21, 1844, Martha Summerhayes was raised in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She enjoyed two years abroad in Germany where she studied literature. She returned to the United States, and ultimately married a Civil War veteran, John Wyer Summerhayes, who was still actively serving in the US Army. Vanished Arizona is… Continue reading Vanished Arizona: Recollections of My Army Life
Selections From the Letters and Manuscripts of the Late Susanna Mason: With a Brief Memoir of Her Life by Her Daughter
by Susanna Hopkins Mason Purchase Susanna Hopkins Mason grew up in Maryland, with a father who was a member of the Society of Friends and a mother who was a member of the Episcopal church. Mason was fully encouraged by her parents in her educational pursuits throughout her life. Growing up, she made several visits… Continue reading Selections From the Letters and Manuscripts of the Late Susanna Mason: With a Brief Memoir of Her Life by Her Daughter
Sir David Wilkie
by Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower Purchase Sir David Wilkie RA was born on November 18, 1785 in Scotland. Although he family was not terribly pleased with his devotion to the arts, they supported his choice to become a painter, and he went on to study at the Trustees’ Academy in Edinburgh. After graduation, he returned home… Continue reading Sir David Wilkie
Bunker Diplomacy: An Arab-American in the U.S. Foreign Service
by Nabeel Khoury Purchase Nabeel Khoury has written a remarkably cogent memoir. He not only details life in the Foreign Service in a highly entertaining and engaging style, but also provides provocative and telling insights into many of the crises in the Middle East…From Egypt, to ‘The Magic Kingdom’ to Iraq, Morocco and Yemen —… Continue reading Bunker Diplomacy: An Arab-American in the U.S. Foreign Service
Hannah More
by Charlotte M. Yonge Purchase Hannah More was born in 1745 in the village of Fishponds, located near Bristol. Her father was a teacher, which helped to ensure that Hannah and her siblings were educated. She was once engaged, but the nuptials did not take place. Instead, More enjoyed an annual payment from the broken… Continue reading Hannah More
Charles Francis Adams, 1835-1915: An Autobiography
by Charles Francis Adams Purchase Charles Francis Adams enjoyed a variety of roles during his life. He was born on May 27, 1835 in Boston into a life of prominence, being the grandson of John Quincy Adams. In 1856, Adams graduated from Harvard University. A few years later he served in the Union Army during… Continue reading Charles Francis Adams, 1835-1915: An Autobiography
The Mad Monk of Russia, Iliodor: Life, Memoirs, and Confessions of Sergei Michailovich Trufanoff
by Sergei Michailovich Trufanov Purchase Sergei Michailovich Trufanov, also known as Hieromonk Iliodor, was born on October 19, 1880 in a small village near the Don River. Despite crushing poverty, which claimed several of his siblings, Trufanov was able to attend several years of school and then entered the local seminary. He went on to… Continue reading The Mad Monk of Russia, Iliodor: Life, Memoirs, and Confessions of Sergei Michailovich Trufanoff
The Life of Mason Long, the Converted Gambler
by Mason Long Purchase Mason Long was born on September 10, 1842 in Luray, Ohio. He had a very difficult childhood, and then went on to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War. He spent three years in the service, and discusses drinking and gambling, and their popularity among soldiers during the War.… Continue reading The Life of Mason Long, the Converted Gambler
James Monroe Buckley
by George Preston Mains Purchase through Amazon James Monroe Buckley was born in Rahway, NJ on December 16, 1836. He became a Methodist Church minister in 1858. He worked in Delaware, New York and Michigan. He also became the editor of The Christian Advocate in 1881 and served until 1912. In 1872, he received the… Continue reading James Monroe Buckley
John Quincy Adams Ward: An Appreciation
by Adeline Adams Purchase John Quincy Adams Ward (June 29, 1830 – May 1, 1910) was a sculptor. He was born in Ohio to a family of means. He enjoyed playing on their 600 acre estate, and in his early childhood enjoyed making sculptures out of malleable sediment from a nearby creek. He began studying… Continue reading John Quincy Adams Ward: An Appreciation
William Lloyd Garrison and His Times; or, Sketches Of The Anti-Slavery Movement in America, and of the Man Who Was Its Founder and Moral Leader
by Oliver Johnson, Introduction by John G. Whittier Purchase William Lloyd Garrison was born on December 10, 1805. Despite the title of this work, he was certainly not the founder of the Anti-Slavery Movement in America, which had long preceded him. However, he made many notable contributions to the fight for the end of the barbarous… Continue reading William Lloyd Garrison and His Times; or, Sketches Of The Anti-Slavery Movement in America, and of the Man Who Was Its Founder and Moral Leader
The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche
by Daniel Halévy, Translated by J. M. Hone, Introduced by T. M. Kettle Purchase Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) has had a profound impact on our way of life. Among other things, he was a philosopher, a poet, and a scholar. Unfortunately, he suffered from poor health, which caused him to resign from his position as the Chair of… Continue reading The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche
A Scholar’s Letters to a Young Lady: Passages from the Later Correspondence of Francis James Child
by Francis James Child Purchase through Amazon On February 1, 1825, Francis James Child was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Although his family lived in poverty, Child benefited from the public school system in Boston. His dedication and intelligence while in school was recognized with a scholarship to attend Harvard. Child was a bit shy because… Continue reading A Scholar’s Letters to a Young Lady: Passages from the Later Correspondence of Francis James Child
Harvard Lights and Shadows: College Sketches in War Time
by Victor Rine Purchase through Amazon In this work, Victor Rine takes a comedic approach to life at Harvard during World War I. The war figures fairly distantly in the background, as Rine highlights his experiences at Harvard. Rine ruminates on the nature of conflict, peace, and one’s role in the world. He was very… Continue reading Harvard Lights and Shadows: College Sketches in War Time
Pirates with a Foreword and Sundry Decorations
by Daniel Defoe, Introduction by C. Lovat Fraser Purchase through Amazon Daniel Defoe has a very long history of readership. Thought to have been born on September 13, 1660 as Daniel Foe, he lived until April 24, 1731. He was many things, including a writer, trader, political thinker and spy. He wrote a great deal… Continue reading Pirates with a Foreword and Sundry Decorations
Lectures on Sculpture: On the Death of Thomas Banks, Antonio Conova, and John Flaxman
by John Flaxman R.A., Contributions by Sir Richard Westmacott R.A. Purchase through Amazon John Flaxman (1755-1826) was an extraordinarily popular British sculptor, illustrator, and teacher. He earned his start by creating funerary monuments. Despite moving on to creating different sculpture forms and art in different media, he was still influenced by his early form of… Continue reading Lectures on Sculpture: On the Death of Thomas Banks, Antonio Conova, and John Flaxman
Beasts, Men and Gods: Russia, Mongolia, Tibet and the Living Buddha
by Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski Purchase through Amazon If the tales by Ferdinand Ossendowski are true, then he led an extraordinary life. Ossendowski begins his account in a solitary shack in Siberia. Having heard that the police are coming for him, he sneaks off in the bitter cold, armed with an axe, guns, and many shells.… Continue reading Beasts, Men and Gods: Russia, Mongolia, Tibet and the Living Buddha
Life of Brian Houghton Hodgson: British Resident at the Court of Nepal, Member of the Institute of France; Fellow of the Royal Society; a Vice-President of the Royal Asiatic Society, etc
by Sir William Wilson Hunter Purchase through Amazon Brian Houghton Hodgson was born on February 1, 1800. His family had troubles financially, but through Hodgson’s aptitude and some family connections, he was able to continue his studies. He was especially gifted in learning languages, namely Bengali, but also Sanskrit and Persian. In 1818, with the… Continue reading Life of Brian Houghton Hodgson: British Resident at the Court of Nepal, Member of the Institute of France; Fellow of the Royal Society; a Vice-President of the Royal Asiatic Society, etc
Some Letters of William Vaughn Moody
by Daniel Gregory Mason Purchase through Amazon William Vaughn Moody was born on July 8, 1869 in Spencer, Indiana. He became an orphan at a young age when both of his parents passed. He supported himself while he was in school, going on to attend Harvard University. He graduated and then went on to become… Continue reading Some Letters of William Vaughn Moody
Letters of a Diplomat’s Wife, 1883-1900: Mission to London and Moscow
by Mary King Waddingto Purchase through Amazon Mary Alsop King Waddington was born on April 28, 1833 in New York City. The daughter of a prominent academic and politician, Charles King, Mary enjoyed a life of great privilege. It helped that her grandfather, Rufus King, was a US Senator, and a one-time presidential candidate, running… Continue reading Letters of a Diplomat’s Wife, 1883-1900: Mission to London and Moscow
Thomas Heaphy, 1775-1835, First President of the Society of British Artists
by William T. Whitley Purchase through Amazon Thomas Heaphy was born in 1775 to a wealthy merchant, and as such, was able to freely pursue his interest in the arts. He studied at the art school in London run by John Boyne and then became an appreciated painter and water-colorist, being appointed portrait-painter to the… Continue reading Thomas Heaphy, 1775-1835, First President of the Society of British Artists
Some Experiences of a Barrister’s Life: Curious and Famous Trials
by Serjeant William Ballantine Purchase through Amazon Life is a wonderfully meandering path, as is the story told in Some Experiences of a Barrister’s Life. In this autobiographical work, Serjeant Ballantine focuses on his professional career, detailing interesting cases he had a hand in, which ranged the gamut from gambling houses, strange accidents, murder, and… Continue reading Some Experiences of a Barrister’s Life: Curious and Famous Trials
Checkered Life: In the Old and New World
by Rev. J. L. Ver Mehr Purchase through Amazon When J. L Ver Mehr, also known as Jean Leonhard Henri Corneille Ver Mehr, passed away in 1886. The following served as his obituary: A Brief Sketch of the Life of a Pioneer Clergyman Rev. Dr. J. L. Ver Mehr, of whose death brief mention was… Continue reading Checkered Life: In the Old and New World
James Freeman Clarke: Autobiography, Diary and Correspondence
by Edward Everett Hale Purchase through Amazon James Freeman Clarke was born on April 4, 1810 in New Hampshire. He was well educated, attending Harvard College, then Harvard Divinity School. He studied to be a minister in the Unitarian faith, taking the pulpit in Louisville, Kentucky. Seeing firsthand the horrors of slavery, he became a… Continue reading James Freeman Clarke: Autobiography, Diary and Correspondence
Narrative of Samuel Hancock: Adventure, Escape, and Massacre During the California Gold Rush
by Samuel Hancock, Introduction by Arthur D. Howden Smith Purchase through Amazon This work is an unusual autobiography, chronicling the experiences of Samuel Hancock between 1845-60. It details his journey to Oregon, his frustrating attempts to mine for gold in California, and his dramatic time as a captive under Native Americans. Hancock would go on… Continue reading Narrative of Samuel Hancock: Adventure, Escape, and Massacre During the California Gold Rush
Dr. John Dee: Elizabethan Mystic and Astrologer
by G. M. Hort Purchase through Amazon This volume illustrates that, while as the saying goes, history is written by the winners, or at least predominantly by the successful, there is much to learn from the initially less successful. G. M. Hort’s account of Dr. John Dee is a different kind of biography as it… Continue reading Dr. John Dee: Elizabethan Mystic and Astrologer
Cyrus Hall McCormick: His Life and Work
by Herbert N. Casson Purchase through Amazon What would become the International Harvester Company, originally was known as the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The McCormicks were one of many who had developed farm machinery, but their company grew due to Cyrus McCormick’s attention to building marketing, sales and improved manufacturing. However, one aspect of McCormick… Continue reading Cyrus Hall McCormick: His Life and Work
Herbert Hoover: A Reminiscent Biography
by Will Irwin Purchase through Amazon Herbert C. Hoover (1874-1964) served one term as President of the United States, from 1929, until 1933. He met his wife, Lou Henry, who was the only female Geology major at Stanford University, while he attended there. The pair delayed marriage so Lou could finish her education, while Herbert… Continue reading Herbert Hoover: A Reminiscent Biography
The Story of Garfield: Farm-Boy, Soldier, and President
by William G. Rutherford Purchase through Amazon James A. Garfield (1831-1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1881, the same year he took office. Many biographies highlight the difficult circumstances Garfield overcame to become the President. He was born in Ohio on a… Continue reading The Story of Garfield: Farm-Boy, Soldier, and President
From the Farm to the Presidential Chair: The Life and Public Services of James A. Garfield
by James D. McCabe Purchase through Amazon James A. Garfield (1831-1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1881, the same year he took office. Many biographies highlight the difficult circumstances Garfield overcame to become the President. He was born in Ohio on a… Continue reading From the Farm to the Presidential Chair: The Life and Public Services of James A. Garfield
The Peace Negotiations: A Personal Narrative
by Robert Lansing Purchase through Amazon Robert Lansing (1864-1928) initially served the State Department as a lawyer and was known for his work on the Lansing-Ishii Agreement in 1917 with Japan over their changing relationship with China during World War I. He became the Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson, and a member of the… Continue reading The Peace Negotiations: A Personal Narrative
Letters of General John Forbes relating to the Expedition Against Fort Duquesne
by Gen John Forbes, Compiled by Irene Stewart Purchase through Amazon General John Forbes (1707-1759) was a British Army officer most known for serving during the French and Indian War. The letters contained in this volume are from the Forbes Expedition he led, which was ultimately successful in capturing the French-held Fort Duquesne. The fort… Continue reading Letters of General John Forbes relating to the Expedition Against Fort Duquesne
Edwin Arlington Robinson: A Poet’s Brave Departure
Purchase through Amazon Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935) was born in Maine to a family that wished he was a daughter. Several months after his birth, fellow vacationers named him by drawing his name out of a hat, since his family had failed to give him one. Edwin Arlington was the name selected, though his family… Continue reading Edwin Arlington Robinson: A Poet’s Brave Departure
James A. Garfield: The Backwoods Boy Who Became President
by Frank Mundell Purchase through Amazon | Purchase through CreateSpace James A. Garfield (1831-1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1881, the same year he took office. Many biographies highlight the difficult circumstances Garfield overcame to become the President. He was born in… Continue reading James A. Garfield: The Backwoods Boy Who Became President
Dudley Wright: Writer, Truthseeker & Freemason
by John Belton Purchase through Amazon Dudley Wright (1868-1950) was an Englishman who took a universalist approach to the various great Truths of Life, he travelled though many religions in his life and wrote about them all, but was probably most at home with Islam. As a professional journalist he made his living where he… Continue reading Dudley Wright: Writer, Truthseeker & Freemason
Grandmother Brown’s One Hundred Years, 1827-1927: Settling the Midwest
by Harriet Connor Brown Purchase through Amazon Harriet Connor Brown (1877-1859) was born in Burlington, Iowa, and attended Cornell University. She was the first female staff member of Cornell’s newspaper, Erg. After graduation, she worked for other newspapers, including the New York Journal, Buffalo Enquirer and the New York Tribune. She wrote on a wide… Continue reading Grandmother Brown’s One Hundred Years, 1827-1927: Settling the Midwest
The Buccaneers of America
by John Esquemeling Purchase through Amazon Alexandre Olivier Exquemelin (1645-1707) was known by several names due to poor transcriptions of his name, including John Esquemeling, among others. Despite how much he wrote chronicling the history of piracy in America, not much is clear about Exquemelin. It is believed that he was born in France, but… Continue reading The Buccaneers of America
Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters
by John Bach McMaster Purchase through Amazon Benjamin Franklin (1705-1790) is often given the title, “The First American” for his tireless advocacy for the colonies to form a union. He was, aside from being an inventor, politician, printer, inventor, diplomat, and scientist, a prolific author. While his published works are well known, his letters are… Continue reading Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters
Rear-Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont: A Biography
by H. A. Du Pont Purchase through Amazon Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont (1803-1865) served in the United States Navy, specifically during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. His uncle, Eleuthere Irenee du Pont, was the founder of what is commonly known as the DuPont chemical concern, but is officially E. I. du… Continue reading Rear-Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont: A Biography
Frontier Law: A Story of Vigilante Days
by William J. Connell Purchase through Amazon Gold and blood, Indians and pioneers, criminals and vigilantes! These are terms that have captivated the imagination of America for generations. Nevertheless, authentic, first-hand accounts of the vigilantes have been few indeed. The reason is plain: no one who helped to dispense the rough and salutary justice of… Continue reading Frontier Law: A Story of Vigilante Days
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