Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
History
Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910
Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Feminists -- United States -- Biography; Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910
She inherited many traits from the Wards, among them a force and
integrity of purpose, a strength of character, and a certain business
instinct which sometimes cropped up when least expected, and which
caused some of her family to call her the "banker's daughter."
Those were also solid qualities which she inherited from the Rhode
Island Greenes. Greenes of Warwick, Greenes of East Greenwich; all
through Colonial and Revolutionary history we find their names. Sturdy,
active, patriotic men: Generals, Colonels, and Governors of "Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations," chief among them Governor William
Greene, the "War Governor," and General Nathanael Greene of glorious
memory.
Our liveliest association with the name of Greene is the memory of Mrs.
Nancy Greene, first cousin of our grandfather Ward and daughter-in-law
of the General who died in Middletown, Rhode Island, in 1886, at the age
of one hundred and two. This lady was dear to our mother as the one
remaining link with her father's generation. A visit to "Cousin Nancy"
was one of her great pleasures, and we children were happy if we were
allowed to accompany her. The old lady sat erect and dignified in her
straight-backed chair, and the two discoursed at length of days gone by.
To Cousin Nancy "Julia" was always young, though the "Battle Hymn of the
Republic" was already written when the old lady charged her to
"cultivate a literary taste." On another occasion--it was one of the
later visits--she said with emphasis, "Julia, do not allow yourself to
grow old! When you feel that you _cannot_ do a thing, _get up and do
it!_" Julia never forgot this advice.
Cousin Nancy never read a novel in her life, as she announced with
pride. She wished to read the "Annals of the Schönberg-Cotta Family,"
but, finding it to be a work of fiction, decided not to break her rule.
She was a fond and pious mother; when her son needed chastisement, she
would pray over him so long that he would cry out, "Mother, it is time
to begin whipping!"
If Julia Ward was part Ward and Greene, she was quite as much Cutler and
Marion; it is to this descent that we must turn for the best explanation
of her many-sided character.
When she said of any relation, however distant, "He is a Cutler!" it
meant that she recognized in that person certain qualities--a warmth of
temperament, a personality glowing, sparkling, effervescent--akin to her
own. If in addition to these qualities the person had red hair, she took
him to her heart, and he could do no wrong. All this, and a host of
tender associations beside, the name of Cutler meant to her; yet it may
be questioned whether any of these characteristics would have appeared
in the descendants of Johannes Demesmaker, worthy citizen of Holland,
who, coming to this country in 1674, changed his name to Cutler for
convenience' sake, had not one of these descendants, Benjamin Clarke
Cutler, married Sarah (Mitchell) Hyrne, daughter of Thomas Mitchell and
Esther (or Hester) Marion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account