Eliza Farnham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliza Farnham
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| Born | Eliza Woodson Burhans November 17, 1815 Rensselaerville, New York |
| Died | December 15, 1864 (aged 49) New York City, New York |
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| Genre | non-fiction |
| Notable works | Woman and Her Era (1864) |
Eliza Farnham (born November 17, 1815 – died December 15, 1864) was an important American writer and activist in the 1800s. She worked hard to make things better for women and for people in prison. She was also a strong supporter of ending slavery.
Contents
Eliza Farnham's Life Story
Eliza Farnham was born in Rensselaerville, New York. In 1835, she moved to Illinois. There, she married Thomas J. Farnham in 1836. She later returned to New York in 1841.
Early Ideas on Women's Rights
In 1843, Eliza wrote articles for a newspaper called Brother Jonathan. At first, she disagreed with the idea of women being able to vote. However, famous women's rights leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony later said that Eliza changed her mind and supported women's suffrage.
Work at Sing Sing Prison
In 1844, Eliza Farnham became a matron at the women's section of Sing Sing Prison. A matron was a woman in charge of other women in a prison. She believed in treating prisoners with kindness.
Improving Prison Life
Eliza wanted to help prisoners improve their lives. She changed the books available to women in prison. Her goal was not just entertainment. She wanted the books to help prisoners learn and behave better. She also thought that music and kindness could help prisoners change.
Eliza stayed as matron until 1848. She left because there were disagreements about her ideas and methods.
Later Life and Activism
After leaving Sing Sing, Eliza moved to Boston. For several months, she helped manage the Institution for the Blind. This school helped people who could not see.
In 1849, she traveled to California and lived there until 1856. Then, she returned to New York. For the next two years, she studied medicine. In 1859, she started a group to help women who needed homes. This group helped them find places to live in the western United States. Eliza even traveled with some of these groups of women herself. She later returned to California again.
Eliza Farnham died in New York City when she was 49 years old. She passed away from a lung illness called tuberculosis.
See also
In Spanish: Eliza Farnham para niños
