Background Information
Harriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut.
She was one of 11 children born to religious leader Lyman Beecher and his
wife, Roxanna Foote Beecher, Roxanna died when Harriet was a just a child.
Harriet was called “Hattie” by her 7 brothers and 3 sisters.
Harriet attended an all-girls school in Hartford which was run by her older
sister, Catherine. Later in 1832, Harriet moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she
was introduced to slavery debates, the Underground Railroad and fugitive slaves.
She used her powers of observation and imagination to begin her writing career.
Harriet's best selling novel is called Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1851), which is about
anti-slavery. Harriet’s other novel’s are Primary Geography for Children (1833),
New England Sketches (1835), The Mayflower (1843), and The Coral Ring (1843).
While living in Ohio, on January 6, 1836 Harriet Beecher married Calvin Ellis Stowe,
they had 7 children, one of her sons died from Cholera. Harriet was not just the
wife of professor Calvin Stowe and mother of seven children, she was also a
member of the prominent New England Beecher family. In 1862 Harriet traveled
to Washington D.C where she met president Abraham Lincoln, he greeted Her
saying “So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the contributed to cause in the split between North and South.
In 1873, Harriet and her family moved into their Victorian cottage on Forest
Street which was in the Hartford literary and social reform community also known
as the Nook Farm. Harriet lived there for about 23 years. Over the course of a long
career as an author, Harriet wrote about over 30 books, essays, articles and hymns.
On March 20, 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe sent Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert in England. In 1853 Harriet traveled to England on a
book tour and she was well received by the people there. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was
translated into 20 different languages and sold more then 500,000 copies in the
first five years of publication. Around 1860 Harriet and Calvin Stowe purchased
land in Florida and began vacationing there. In 1872, Harriet published a book
called Palmetto Leaves (1873), which was a collection of Writings and drawings
from vacation in Florida. Harriet also published The Minister’s Wooing (1859),
The Pearl of Orr’s Island (1862), and Lady Byron Vindicated (1869) were published
first as serial installments of Magazines. Her last 3 novels were Oldtown Folks (1869),
Poganuc People (1878), and Palmetto Leaves (1873) which were published
in book form only. Harriet Beecher Stowe died on July 01, 1896 in Hartford,
Connecticut.
She was one of 11 children born to religious leader Lyman Beecher and his
wife, Roxanna Foote Beecher, Roxanna died when Harriet was a just a child.
Harriet was called “Hattie” by her 7 brothers and 3 sisters.
Harriet attended an all-girls school in Hartford which was run by her older
sister, Catherine. Later in 1832, Harriet moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she
was introduced to slavery debates, the Underground Railroad and fugitive slaves.
She used her powers of observation and imagination to begin her writing career.
Harriet's best selling novel is called Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1851), which is about
anti-slavery. Harriet’s other novel’s are Primary Geography for Children (1833),
New England Sketches (1835), The Mayflower (1843), and The Coral Ring (1843).
While living in Ohio, on January 6, 1836 Harriet Beecher married Calvin Ellis Stowe,
they had 7 children, one of her sons died from Cholera. Harriet was not just the
wife of professor Calvin Stowe and mother of seven children, she was also a
member of the prominent New England Beecher family. In 1862 Harriet traveled
to Washington D.C where she met president Abraham Lincoln, he greeted Her
saying “So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the contributed to cause in the split between North and South.
In 1873, Harriet and her family moved into their Victorian cottage on Forest
Street which was in the Hartford literary and social reform community also known
as the Nook Farm. Harriet lived there for about 23 years. Over the course of a long
career as an author, Harriet wrote about over 30 books, essays, articles and hymns.
On March 20, 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe sent Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert in England. In 1853 Harriet traveled to England on a
book tour and she was well received by the people there. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was
translated into 20 different languages and sold more then 500,000 copies in the
first five years of publication. Around 1860 Harriet and Calvin Stowe purchased
land in Florida and began vacationing there. In 1872, Harriet published a book
called Palmetto Leaves (1873), which was a collection of Writings and drawings
from vacation in Florida. Harriet also published The Minister’s Wooing (1859),
The Pearl of Orr’s Island (1862), and Lady Byron Vindicated (1869) were published
first as serial installments of Magazines. Her last 3 novels were Oldtown Folks (1869),
Poganuc People (1878), and Palmetto Leaves (1873) which were published
in book form only. Harriet Beecher Stowe died on July 01, 1896 in Hartford,
Connecticut.
This is a photo of
Harriet Beecher Stowe's
home as a child.
Harriet Beecher Stowe's
home as a child.
This is a photo
of Harriet Beecher
Stowe and her family.
of Harriet Beecher
Stowe and her family.