Harriet Elizabeth Beecher was born on June 14, 1811, in Litchfield, Connecticut, to Lyman and Roxanna Foote Beecher. The seventh out of thirteen children, she early exhibited her brilliance. Sadly, her mother died while Harriet was only four years old, leaving the duties of raising the large Beecher family to her older sister, Catherine, who would play a large role in Harriet’s life. Lyman Beecher was a domineering, intensely Christian man, and a fiery evangelist who helped to spark the nationwide temperance movement. He, too, would have a great influence on Harriet’s life, although she would eventually come to disagree with his spiritual beliefs.

Harriet Beecher Stowe is famous for her writing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the book which helped to make an entire nation aware of the horrors of slaver

About this same time, the debate over slavery in Cincinnati intensified to the boiling point when a new student group emerged at her father’s seminary. They called themselves the “Lane Anti-Slavery Society”, and they were very vocal, making bold speeches in public places and causing disturbances by walking around town arm-in-arm with their Black friends. Despite her wish for peace in the city, Harriet found herself agreeing more and more with their views.

Soon after, Calvin traveled to Europe for a speaking engagement. Because of pregnancy, Harriet was forced to stay at home, and became heavily involved in the abolition movement during his absence. She was not yet convinced that total abolition was truly the right solution, but she was sure that present conditions were decidedly wrong.

The success of Uncle Tom’s Cabin led to many invitations to speak. Harriet went on a speaking tour throughout Europe, where she met with much acclamation and support. When she returned to America, it was during the height of the slave rebellions. Harriet wrote a second book, in which the hero was modeled on Nat Turner. Soon, Harriet Beecher Stowe was the wealthiest author in America. But still she continued writing. Her goal would not be accomplished until slavery was abolished.

However, the calm was not to last. After publishing an article in defense of her long-time friend, Lady Byron, in which she revealed sordid facts about Lord Byron’s life, the entire English-speaking world erupted with harsh criticism for her action. When the storm of criticism finally died down, Harriet was devastated by the news that her son, Frederick, had been lost at sea. Soon after this, a family feud caused Harriet to stop speaking to her sister. Harriet was getting old, and the strain of public life was beginning to wear on her. She quit public speaking because she said it was getting to be too much. Soon after, her dearly beloved husband, Calvin, died, followed soon after by her oldest brother and sister. About a year later, Harriet suffered a stroke from which she recovered physical function but not mental faculties. At times, she could not even recall authoring Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which had been such an important event to her. Gradually, her physical faculties as well decreased, and Harriet became bedridden. But through it all, she retained her cheerfulness and inspiring manner, even to the end.

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