Harriet Beecher Stowe

Date of Birth: June 14, 1811

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: July 1, 1896

Biography

Harriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811, in Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She was an American author and abolitionist, best known for her novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which played a significant role in shaping public opinion against slavery in the 19th century. Stowe was the seventh of thirteen children born to Lyman Beecher, a Congregationalist minister, and Roxana Foote Beecher. Her family was deeply religious and committed to social reform causes, which influenced her own work and beliefs. In 1832, the Beecher family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Harriet met and married Calvin Ellis Stowe, a professor at the Lane Theological Seminary. The couple had seven children. While living in Cincinnati, Stowe became more aware of the harsh realities of slavery, which profoundly impacted her writing. Her literary career began with short stories and articles, but it was “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” published in 1852, that brought her widespread fame and influence. The novel’s vivid depictions of the brutality of slavery stirred strong emotions in readers and contributed to the growing anti-slavery movement in the United States. It sold over 300,000 copies in its first year and was translated into multiple languages. Stowe continued to write throughout her life, producing numerous other novels, essays, and articles addressing social issues such as women’s rights and education. Harriet Beecher Stowe passed away on July 1, 1896, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. She left behind a legacy as a powerful voice for human rights and social justice.

5 Interesting Facts about Harriet Beecher Stowe

1. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the best-selling novel of the 19th century and the second best-selling book of the century, following the Bible.

2. Stowe met President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, who reportedly greeted her by saying, “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.”

3. She was an advocate for women’s rights and co-founded the Hartford Female Seminary, an institution aimed at providing higher education for women.

4. Stowe was a prolific writer, authoring more than 30 books throughout her lifetime, including novels, travel memoirs, and collections of articles and letters.

5. Her house in Hartford, Connecticut, is now a museum dedicated to her life and works, known as the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Harriet Beecher Stowe

1. “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”

2. “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

3. “I did not write it. God wrote it. I merely did His dictation.”

4. “The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end.”

5. “Most mothers are instinctive philosophers.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s highest net worth is not precisely documented, but her earnings from “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and other writings provided her with a comfortable living for her time.

Children

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Calvin Ellis Stowe had seven children: 1. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Jr. 2. Eliza Tyler Stowe 3. Henry Ellis Stowe 4. Frederick William Stowe 5. Georgiana May Stowe 6. Samuel Charles Stowe 7. Charles Edward Stowe