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Anna Elizabeth Dickinson (October 28,1842-October 22,1932), youngest of the five children of John Dickinson, Quaker merchant and abolitionist, and Mary Edmondson Dickinson, was born in Philadelphia (Merrill V 45; McElroy 182). Before her marriage Mrs. Dickinson had taught in a Quaker Meeting house school near New Brighton, but the Dickinsons moved to Philadelphia after their marriage. Mr. Dickinson died when Anna was two years of age.
Mrs. Dickinson taught Anna for a time, then sent her to the Friends' Select School of Philadelphia (McElroy 182), after which she attended the Greenwood Institute of New Brighton, the school in which Sara Jane Clarke had also been a student (Warner 448). According to Bausman Anna E. Dickinson was a New Brighton resident "for some time" (723). No other source mentions this, and Belle Adams, author of the essay on Anna E. Dickinson in Our Hidden Heritage, told me in a telephone conversation that she was unable to find any confirmation of Bausman's assertion to this effect (September 1, 1993).
After the early death of her husband, Mrs. Dickinson experienced financial difficulties, so it is not surprising that Anna worked as a copyist when fifteen years of age and while still in her teens became a school teacher. In 1861 Dickinson made another job change when she began to work at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, a job from which she was soon dismissed when she publicly asserted that General George B. McClellan's military policy was treasonable (Merrill V 45).
She early supported the abolitionist movement. In 1856 Garrison published her first antislavery article in the Liberator (McElroy 182). Four or five years later (January 1860 or 1861; sources disagree on the year) she began her public speaking career by lecturing for women's rights. She rapidly became both popular and effective nationally as a speaker against both slavery and the opression and inequality of women (Merrill V 45; McElroy 182).
Dickinson's intensity and eloquence coupled with her youthful energy (she was in her late teens), slender build, and striking appearance earned her the title, "American Joan of Arc" (McElroy 182), which is reflected in the article by N.P. Willis in Milo's scrapbook. She was a new St. Joan eager to lead both slaves and the women of this country to freedom and equality
In 1862 Anna campaigned on behalf of the Republican party in New Hampshire and Connecticut. In 1864 she spoke in the House of Representatives at a meeting attended by Abraham Lincoln (182). As to the the manner of her speaking,Webster's New Biographical Dictionary , reports that she was noted for vituperation (281).
Later Dickinson also lectured around the country on prison and labor reforms (Frost 414; Webster 281).
Eventually her popularity as lecturer declined, and she chose writing as a new option. She published several books including the 1868 What Answer (on inter-racial marriage) and the 1876 A Paying Investment (on needed social reforms including compulsory education, better treatment of prisoners, assistance for the poor, technical training for workers) as well as writing such plays as A Crown of Thorns (produced in May of 1876) and the more successful An American Girl (McElroy 183; Frost 414) . She tried to become an actress but did not meet with sufficient success to make it a viable career (Merrill V 45).
Sadly, as Belle Adams reports in Our Hidden Heritage , Anna was committed to the Danville State Hospital for the Insane in 1891. She took her case to court and won but suffered a great financial burden in paying the costs. A New York couple gave her support, and the once fiery American Joan of Arc lived her remaining years quietly, far from the excitement and fame of her youth (McElroy 183).
N.P. Willis in an article printed in the Home Journal, described Anna E. Dickinson as follows:
Miss Dickinson is a symmetrical young creature, every movement showing well-knit agility of frame, and her build and action altogether being just what would be picked out for a daring horsewoman. The Napoleonic mold of her jaw expresses the energy which is her leading characteristic. Her features are otherwise well chiseled, her forehead and upper lip of the Greek proportion, and her nostrils thin. The men would all call her beautiful -- the women would admit it with their usual reluctance....
But how, under the delicacy of a girl of eighteen, could be gathered the strong wisdom which she poured forth so volubly that night was to us a wonder! As she walked up and down before the thousands in that crowded hall, she discussed topics so grave that they required rather the scope and grasp of a senator's mind or historian's, and presented them to the enthusiastic crowd with a fluency that was wholly without hindrance... How amid the gracefulness of that virgin beauty, could accumulate the thunder to denounce a laggard as she denounced McClellan, execrate traitors as she did Beauregard and Davis! Effortless and modest as it all was, it was too uncommon to seem natural. It was a woman in the exercise of an inspired gift.
A lady friend, who met Miss Dickinson at a party at the house of Mr. Charles Gould, tells us that the eloquent damsel there held a long and earnest conversation with Mr. Fremont, and that her manner in society is so tranquil and thoughtful as to inspire great respect. Her expression is absorbent and deferential, and she is much admired by the eminent men with whom she chances to converse. Mr. Fremont says that she reminds him very strongly of Rachel, the French woman of genius, and that her tones particularly, are wonderfully like the great tragedian's. What is to be the destiny of such a 'Miss'? She has appeared now, forty-three times in public, and is to go on with what she knew, (from childhood, she says) was to be her 'Mission.' The advent of a 'Joan of Arc' is prophesied, as we all know. But is it to be for this time and crisis, and is Miss Dickinson 'the woman' on whom the mantle has already fallen? (Scrapbook V 103)
In the following letters Anna E. Dickinson seems to write as a friend or at least an acquaintance of the Townsend family:
Letter 51
from Anna Elizabeth Dickinson
No. 1710 Locust St.
Phila., June 2, 1863
My Dear Friend,-
I regretted not being at home to see thy friend, when he called with his note of introduction. I was in New York at the time,-- & as we were moving-- & in expressive phrases, were in heaps & piles;--I am afraid he had very little enjoyment of his visit.
How long was he in Boston,-- & how did he like it? It is very picturesque, I think, only thee saw it in the most dismal time- - those narrow, crooked, overhanging streets are very pretty in the bright sunshine-- quite one's idea of some old European city, but exceedingly gloomy on a dark, stormy, winter day--
Boston people, I think are charming,-- a little pedantic & self-satisfied perhaps,-- thinking that as they know a great deal, they know all,-- & that Boston being a great place,-- must-- therefore be the hub of the universe, but very social, warm-hearted people nevertheless.--
And for the "means of grace,"-- culture, etc.,-- lectures, concerts, operas,-- music & book stores, libraries & the like, it is surely unsurpassed.
That free church- - the 28th Congregational,-- what a blessing it must be to any community;-- what a character was that of Theodore Parker's, - he being dead yet liveth & speaketh.
Why did thee not take Phila on thy route home & see mother?-- She would have been very glad to have met thee again-- Was it too round about a course?
I shall be in the Western half of the state during the Fall Campaign - for which the state com. have engaged me,-- & I shall certainly endeavor to speak in New Brighton while I am there.
How are Lizzie & the boys? Mother and Sue send love, in which I cordially join,-- & believe me -
Very truly thine,
Anna E. Dickinson
In her other letter to Milo, Anna E. Dickinson seems almost breathless from the excitement and stir of the Civil War.
The Confederates had captured York, Pennsylvania, on June 28, 1863; and the Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1-3 of the same year. Dickinson's letter seems to indicate that there was also at least one raid in the Philadelphia area.
Letter 50
from Anna Elizabeth Dickinson
No. 1710 Locust St.
Phila. July 7, 1863
-Ah, my friend-- in what condition have we been:-- Has the excitement run as high in the West of the state? Of a verity we were long in our arriving, waiting to have bounties offered, to defend our own city-- enlisting "six" men the first Sunday of the raid.
Finally, however, we succeeded in getting awake when it was almost too late. Pennsylvania & especially Phila. have a terrible record of disgraces to wipe out,-- It was shameful that we should allow whole regiments from R.I. and N.J. to pass through before we had raised a company.
The fresh volunteers did nobly, however-- one of the old army officers said to me-- "I never saw finer or more desperate fighting-- They didn't know when they were defeated."
I am at present exceedingly interested in the work of raising colored regiments-- That just now seems the chief attraction to almost everyone,-- & we are undoubtedly improving in Phila. when the most aristocratic names in the city are signed to the call for recruiting,-- Their meeting too, & when companies of white volunteers cheer,-- in the streets,-- the black volunteers passing by.--
They have a fine camp-- "Camp Wm. Penn,"*-- at Chilton Hills,-- some 10 miles from the city-- nice, clean, orderly - The officers say they are the best troops enlisted.
It is not at all surprising you did not see much of me in Boston, as I was almost continually absent through the winter,-- I shall probably be there a little while on my way through to N. Hampshire,-- in a week or so.
When I shall be in the western part of the state I do not know,-- of course I will be there during the campaign if I stay in Pa., even if I go to Ohio for their campaign instead-- I must pass through on my route.
Brother L. is far from well, indeed quite ill,-- He, Mother, Sue, & myself desire all love to Lizzie,-- & thyself-- remember me to the boys and believe me--
Very truly thine,
Anna E. D.
*At Camp William Penn black Pennsylvania volunteers were being given basic training for the army (Sterling 338).
Some of Milo's other correspondents wrote of the Civil War or described its effects on their areas..
One of these was Jane B. Clarke, who wrote on May 22, 1861, reflecting the North's confident attitude when the war began:. You ask how I feel in regard to the present conflict in our country. I look upon it as a purifier, a working out of the plan of redemption from ignorance and wrong.
Still, I can't believe that there will be any terrible battle. Some blood will be spilt, considerable skirmishing, &c-- but I do believe that the South before they get through will call with a loud cry to the North for assistance in quelling insurrection among their slaves__ I think they are yet to find their worst enemy right in their midst.
There, perhaps, will be bloody work....
In the West the effects of the war were being felt soon after fighting had begun, for Union families from Confederate Missouri migrated into Kansas. On June 2, 1861, Esther Wattles, widow of noted spiritualist leader John O. Wattles, wrote to Milo from Moneka, Kansas, "We are all well & have not been molested yet. There are families passing through here every day from Missouri who have been driven out because they were union men. Five families stopped in our place." On October 20 of the same year, Esther Wattles again wrote saying, here has been so much commotion astir here that I have scarce written to any one but my parents, some time ago there was an army of 7000 rebels within a few miles of us declaring they would sweep every thing before them in Kansas but Colonel Montgomery with 300 men drove them back. We had near 4000 men, but 300 are all that was in the fight. We lost 2 men, they 50.
Many persons have moved back East, others have gone into the interior, others packed & were ready to leave in case the rebels took Fort Lincon (5 miles from here). We hope they will not be able to cross the line. They are afraid of the Kansas boys.
There is no further extant correspondence from Anna E. Dickinson to Milo Townsend.